Virumaandi

Plot

Angela Kathamuthu (Rohini), a civil Rights activist and her cameraman in Madras Central Prison interviewing prisoners serving life imprisonment and awaiting the death sentence, for her Ph.D thesis in law, against death penalty. When she enters the prison for the second day, there is a sit-in protest, demanding reason for sudden death of Death penalty convict narayanan, who secretly told angela, the previous day, about immoral practices of Deputy-Jailor. She meets Kothala Thevar (Pasupathy) who is serving a life sentence, for assisting in murder of 24 people in District of Theni. He tells his version of the story that led to his conviction.

According to him the root cause of the problem is Virumaandi Thevar(Kamal Haasan), a happy-go-lucky rogue. Virumandi has a large part of land in CK patti, their village, and has very good under-ground water levels, which is eyed by every other farmer. Virumandi lost his mother at 4, and was taken to chennai, and later to singapore by his dad. But at age of 25 virumandi was whipped and exiled back to India. He comes back to live with his only grandmother in CK patti, and to do agriculture. His support to his Uncle Kothala Thevar in his clash against Nallama Naicker (Napoleon) brings about a bonding between the two. Annalakshmi (Abhirami), the young niece of Thevar falls for Virumaandi. Thevar with an eye on the fertile land owned by Virumaandi does not object to the romance. An assassination attempt on virumandi is blamed on Naikker, and in the ensuing peace judgement of villages, Virumandi gang is humiliated. Virumandi goes back single to take revenge in the night, and Kothala's gang is forced to save him, where 24 lives are taken. Virumandi saves all of them by his false testification so that he can marry Annalakshmi. But kothala refuses to the marriage. According to Thevar, Annalakshmi was abducted by Virumaandi and burtally raped. She later escapes from him, comes home, tells what happened and commits suicide by hanging. A clash between Virumaandi and Thevar takes places in which 6 henchmen are killed. Then Virumandi escapes and kills naikker also. But he is later caught by the police. In the old 26 people-murder case, virumadi testifies against kothala's gang getting them all 15-year sentences, while virumandi gets 5-years for that, raping annalakshmi and then death penalty for 6 people murder case. Here kothala stops and says " god has given justice, but virumandi is still angry".

Angela tries to make virumandi talk, but Virumandi verbally assaults her badly. Finally Angela says that she is doing Ph.D against death penalty, as her father, who got her married to James by great hardwork, was forced to kill James to save her from martial abuse. Her father was hanged in the same prison, and then she choose Law as career.

After much resentment and objection, Virumaandi's agrees to turn to tell his version to Angela Kathamuthu. Virumaandi,25, a manual labourer was sent back to home from Singapore for taking responsibility for his cousin's fault. His only relation was his grand mother (S. N. Lakshmi), who practises natural farming without artificial fertilisers and deep bore wells. Kothala Thevar had a silent eye on the fertile land owned by Virumaandi, as it had the only underground water availability. He treats Virumaandi as his nephew. Virumaandi falls in love with Annalakshmi , after he tames her very stubborn bull at Jallikattu. That night his grandmother passes away and 2 days later an attempt is made on Virumaandi's life. Annalakshmi finds him and admits him in the hospital to save his life. Gradually she falls in love with him. She teaches him importance of apology and forgiveness, which are virtues. A clash at the Panchayat insults Kothala's gang and their need for revenge infuriates Annalakshmi and she asks Virumaandi to apologize to the elders whom he insulted. He goes to apologize single-handedly at night to Naikkar's village, but Thevar and his men, thinking he has gone to take revenge, come in groups and hack down innocents to death, despite his pleas. Thevar uses his clout to get out of the murder charge but Virumaandi who was involved in the bloodbath is disturbed because he had to lie in the court to save Thevar and his kin. As part of the penance he wills all his land for the villagers. Annalakshmi asks him to marry her and leave the village. He marries her at the village temple and goes away in the night with the girl and stays with his aunt whose son he helped. They consummate their marriage that night.

Thevar's men come the next day, when Virumaandi was away and abduct Annalakshmi, taking her home. Kothala and his gang forcibly get her married again, to Thevar's nephew, Kottaichaami. This is to ensure that Annalakshmi's share in property does not go to Virumaandi. Kottaichaami is then asked by Kothala to consummate his marriage immediately by raping Annalakshmi. Unable to tolerate, Annalakshmi commits suicide by hanging. Upon hearing the news, a distraught Virumaandi enters Kothala's house to kill the gang. He takes revenge by hacking Thevar's 4 men, including Kottaichaami, to death, but finds that Kothala Thevar holding his own son upside down on a staircase. Virumandi places his weapon down and Kothala escapes. Nallama Naicker shelters Virumaandi and sends him off to Chennai. Thevar and his men corner Nallama Naicker to hand over Virumaandi. A melee ensues in which Nallama Naicker is killed. Virumaandi turns up in court, where he finds all evidence is framed against him. He is convicted of having raped Annalakshmi and killing her and later on being the main reason for killing the 4 relatives of Kothala, and also the main accused for murder of 26 lives in naikker's village. He is sentenced to first 6 years in jail, followed by death by hanging.

While leaving the jail, Angela Kathamuthu's cameraman discreetly shoots a conversation between Deputy-Jailer Paykkaman (Shanmugarajan), and other jail wardens and convicts to bump off the Jayanth (Nassar), Chief Jailor. This is because all of them traffic drugs into the prison and this is now under investigation by the Jailor. Paykamman also reveals that Virumandi never killed anyone, but his chargesheet got him death sentence. A revolt among the jail staff leads to a jail break, as Jayanth being stabbed, and Virumaandi saving the vital evidence and Angela from the deputy jailor and his henchmen. When virumandi and angela are about to leave the jail to outside police, kothala stabs virumandi, proving that virumandi was true all the time. Virumandi then barehandedly kills kothala and they escape. The riot is stopped and Angela presents the evidence in court. Angela applies for Virumandi's clemency to the President of India stating that the 6 year prison sentence is enough as he did not commit any other offense, and to release him immediately. Virumandi, on TV, pleas for a quick judgement, either to reach annalakshmi by hanging to death (or) to live life as a silent man, seeking retribution. Finally, an epilogue denotes a note that the death sentence should be abolished.

Production

When Kamal Haasan commenced the shooting of his latest film 'Virumandi' in Madurai in April, 2003, the crowd swelled to over a lakh of people. The movie generated so much interest that it became the talk of the town and the industry.

Attempts by some vested interests to halt the shooting made Kamal Haasan more determined than ever to complete it. The film was launched on 18 April 2003 under the title "Sandiyar"

Again, it's the first movie where the Jalli Kattu was shot live with real charging bulls and the unarmed bull-controllers.

Although Jalli Kattu is very popular in places like Alanganallur and Tiruchy(in PeriyaSuriyur village) during the Pongal season, it was recorded live on set. Over 50 choicest rugged bulls known for their toughness were specially selected along with trainers and bull controllers.

Not only the trainers, but the villagers who are familiar with the events were transported from the villages to the shooting spot to be part of the epoch-making event.

In all, almost 1,000 persons were brought from Madurai district to give an authentic flavor to the sequences. Two special Kangeyam bulls were carefully trained with for the movie. The bulls were kept at Sivaji Gardens and trained. The lead actress Abirami and hero Kamal Haasan spent time with the bulls as part of the familiarization process.

Two southern villages were recreated on the Campa Cola complex in Chennai. The complex was transformed into bustling Theni and Madurai villages with people speaking the local dialect.

Art Director Prabhakaran had re-created the typical village.

Live sound recording system was used and for the first time, the Neuendo machine was kept at the shooting venue. There were special cameras for fight scenes as well. Vadipatti drummers were specially brought to give the local flavor for the movie. Vadugapatti crackers were used too.

Cinematographer Kesav Prakash who was trained in India and the United States was an assistant to Ravi K. Chandran in Marudanayagam project and Kamal Haasan spotted him. Both Kamal Haasan and Keshav Prakash tried to make the film in high definition mode but had to abandon the project due to some technical snags.

Awards

The film has won the following awards since its release:

2004 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (South Korea)

Controversy

The leader of Pudhiya Tamizhagam, a caste-based political organisation in Tamil Nadu, K. Krishnasamy, had announced that he would not allow the shooting of the film in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. The reason given out by him was that the movie would encourage casteist tendencies and foster violence and found the title of the film derogatory.

When actor Kamal Hassan sought protection for the shooting of the film from the Superintendent of Police, Theni District, the latter refused to provide protection stating that he could not arrange for protection to the film shooting for three months with the meagre police force available at their disposal.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, going by this version of the Superintendent of Police, was also initially reluctant to spare a large section of the police force for film shooting. Kamal Hassan met the Chief Minister and explained to her that his film was not aimed at generating controversy, caste clashes or violence. His explanation apparently convinced the Chief Minister.

Release

The film was certified "A" by Censor Board.

Box office

The film released in 425 screens worldwide and first in Tamil cinema with crossing 400 screens. The film got the best opening among Pongal releases grossing ₹6 crore in first weekend worldwide with highly positive reviews from critics and it was a super hit performer at the box office. Virumaandi matched the lifetime business of 1992 blockbuster Thevar Magan within opening week. It won the Best Asian Film Award at the International film festival in South Korea.

Tamil track list

Telugu track list