High On Films

Every Vetrimaaran Film Ranked

Tamil filmmaker Vetrimaaran belongs to one of those breeds of director whose tight scripts, apt casting, and realistic treatment of storyline has made fundamental changes to the very nature of mainstream filmmaking. His films are made for a multi-cultural audience and backed by the strength of their storytelling and sculpted dialogue, which has reinvigorated the art of popular cinema with a breath of fresh air.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films: Every Lijo Jose Pellissery Film Ranked

Each of the films is imbued with a powerful, coherent aesthetic that guides viewers through a dark matrix. At its best, it augments a captivating narrative and sinks viewers into a world of social realism of rural Tamil Nadu. Even urban reality is being depicted showcasing more fallible and life-like characters. The cinema of the carnivalesque with its larger-than-life characters, melodramatic orientation and highly romanticized canvas is something that does not whet his appetite for creativity.

With a filmography of five features and one short film as a director, he has earned his reputation as the most one of the most accessible filmmakers of the last decade. His style involves artistically thriving with a soothing pace lending itself to an atmospheric work filled with oneiric undertones. Some viewers may find his films brutal and gut wrenching as it gets; yet, despite its ruthless depiction, it’s also surprisingly heartwarming.

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5. Polladhavan (2007)

Polladhavan

Vetrimaaran’s debut feature film opens up with a gruesome and brutal fighting sequence and then using the device of flashback, the filmmaker takes us into the dynamic world of contemporary Chennai, where an educated young man, Prabhu ( Dhanush ) fight injustice and in the process is forced to unleash the animal within him.

Also, Read: Every Sriram Raghavan Film Ranked

The protagonist of the film is an uneducated youth who due to turn of events confronts his father (Murali) and an argument regarding the responsibilities of parents towards their offspring ensues. As a result of this conflict, Prabhu gets a hefty amount from his father and he uses the money to purchase a Bajaj Pulsar bike. This appears to be a wise investment because owning the vehicle enables him to get a job and earn respect in society. But the situation takes a drastic turn when a gang of anti-socials steals his bike. Thereafter the film presents the viewers with the transformation of resilience into power and its hold over the life of an individual’s struggle to maintain his position in the harsh reality of everyday life.

The plot of the film has similarities with Wang Xiaoshuai’s Bejing Bicycle (2001). But the well worked out mise-en-scenes of Polladhavan makes it an entertaining tale of a casual urban carefree person’s conversion into a person of genuine worth and true dignity. Polladhavan was remade in Kannada as Punda, in Telugu as Kurradu starring Varun Sandesh, in Sinhala as Pravegeya, in Bengali as Borbaad (2014) and in Hindi as Guns of Banaras (2020). But none of them could achieve the excellence earned by the original version.

4. Visaranai (2016)

Vetrimaaran Films

Based on the Tamil novel Lock Up by M. Chandrakumar, Vetrimaaran’s third outing in its first half has such brutal scenes of police torture that one could genuinely feel the bestial act of police torture. The viewers are compelled to cringe as well as empathize with the plight of four helpless souls. The narrative of the film can be divided into two sections-before and after the intermission. Four migrant workers are falsely accused in a burglary case that has taken place at a rich and affluent man’s bungalow. The police beat these four characters in black and blue and want them to confess. Not able to withstand the pain they agree to accept the charges. Once they are produced in the court the narrative of the film takes a twist and the viewers are presented with one shocking surprise after the other.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films: Salt Of The Earth (1954) : A Landmark American Independent Cinema On The Working Class  

The filmmaker displays superb craftsmanship and commitment to an engaging dramatic tale that ends in a tragedy. The film subtly depicts that the characters in the film become a victim because of the system that protected the criminal over the accuser. It is a deeply troubling film that is devoid of cathartic and healing moments. Vetrimaaran does not feel hesitant in constructing the brutal scene with ease and he is neither afraid to carve out its own unique style.

The film had its world premiere at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Amnesty International Italia Award. Back home it had won three National Film Awards- Best Feature Film in Tamil, Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing.

Watch Visaranai (2016) on Netflix

3. asuran (2019).

Vetrimaaran Films

What becomes the last resort for a farmer who goes on the run with his family as he is compelled to protect his son, who has murdered a wealthy upper-caste landlord in a fit of vengeance? The reply should be to fight with the oppressing forces and reclaim his identity. That is exactly what Sivasaami (Dhanush) does to break away from the uncomfortable social status he has inherited. Based on the novel Vekkai by Poomani, Vetrimaaran’s screen adaptation is so watertight that every occurrence in the screenplay feels alluring.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films : Asuran (2019) Review: Rise, Asuran, Rise!

With Asuran Vetrimaaran continues his excellent cinematic flair as a director enhancing his commendable grasp on the tropes of mainstream cinema. The film also benefits from technical polish – the cinematography, background score and editing are all top-notch. Asuran too has gut-wrenching violence and prepares the viewer for the edge-of-seat tension. The narrative follows a rhythm where the plot is revealed without wasting much of the screen time. The film belongs to the genre of revenge saga told from the perspective of a lower caste protagonist.

It’s one of those mainstream films that fulfill a social purpose, for it’s hard to imagine anyone viewing Asuran and not abhorring the evil practice of casteism in our country and how it voluntarily degrade human values and status. At the Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards, 2020, Vetrimaaran won the award for best director. The film had won two National Film Awards- Best Feature Film in Tamil and Best Actor.

Read the Complete Review of Asuran (2019) Here

Watch asuran (2019) on prime video , 2. vada chennai (2018).

Vada Chennai

A tale of criminal activities narrated in a non-linear pattern over the span of more than a decade is the perfect recipe for a crime sage. Vetrimaaran’s narrative takes the viewers on a journey that lasts for nearly a hundred and sixty-four hours and introduces them to the world of guilt, regret and vital decisions leading to loyalty turned into betrayal. The protagonist of the film Anbu (Dhanush) is an expert carrom player but his life gets entwined into the world of crime. He gets pulled into the vortex so deeply that penitence alludes to him after a point in time.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films : Top Tamil Movies of 2018 and Where To Watch Them

With a multiple cast the story of the film is set in the underbellies of North Chennai as the title of the film implies and the theme of the film is more nuanced than the conventional black-and-white morality tales where evil is punished by good at the end. The film blatantly showcases the graphic world of crime and violence, investigates the nature of friendship, the ethics of vigilantism, and the nature of unhappiness. Vetrimaaran delves deeply into the minds of his tortured characters and explores how the men and women he depicts grapple with moral codes and their emotions.

He further engages with many of the most basic questions about our humanity and how we relate to one another in a complex world. The stylistic elements in the film earn comparisons, bearing marked connections to several of Vetrimaaran’s other films. The film won the Best Film (People’s Choice Award) at the Pingyao International Film Festival, 2018. At the Filmfare Awards South, Dhanush won the trophy for the Best Actor.

Read the Complete Review of Vada Chennai (2018) Here

Watch vada chennai (2018) on disney hotstar, 1. aadukalam (2011).

Aadukalam

As the roosters combat in the arena with each other, it becomes a fight of the egos of the individuals who own the fowl. So, when Karuppu’s rooster emerges victorious he not only earns a lot of money but also the enmity of his boss Periyasamy (V. I. S. Jayapalan) and Rathnasamy (Naren). And from then onwards the life of our protagonist will be filled with one hurdle after the other as the tale of loyalty, self-esteem, deception, and honor unfolds.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films : 10 Great Tamil Movies You Can Stream On Netflix Right Now

In his sophomore, Vetrimaaran presents a varied cultural pattern of rural Tamil Nadu and uses realism, tradition, and contemporaneity, soaked in local flavor within the narrative structure of his tightly structured screenplay. The conflicts introduced within the plot points create tension by employing smart conventions that are able to sustain the viewer’s anticipation. The editing pattern of the film creates a commendable pace and multi-layered visual design that heightens the impact of the film. Though the filmmaker has openly admitted that he was inspired by the dogfighting scene of Amores Perros (2000), Vetrimaaran has infused his own style and poise within the film, which is anything by blatant copy.

Despite having strong content and potential for box-office success, filmmakers from another region could not dare to remake the film until now. The reason being the milieu of the film is so rooted in the soil of Tamil Nadu and that makes it the best film in the oeuvre of Vetrimaaran’s impressive career. At the 58th National Film Awards, the film won five awards-Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Choreography and Special Jury Award for Acting.

Special Mention: Oor Iravu (2020)

Oor Iravu

Oor Iravu is a part of the Tamil anthology drama Paava Kadhaigal (2020). Owing to its shorter running time, I have included it in the category of special mention. On the surface level of its narrative, the film depicts the tale of a daughter Sumathi (Sai Pallavi) who had eloped from her village and now she has reunited with her father Janakiraman (Prakash Raj). But as the story of the film moves forward we discover the sensitivity and intricacies of the complex human psyche of individual characters within the film.

Also, Read: Paava Kadhaigal (2020) Netflix: Sinful Filmmaking under the Garb of Hard Hitting Social Drama

Vetrimaaran treated the film with a style that is bold and innovative with the choice of a subject in which the form and content merge into one. The pacing is not fast like his other films rather it is a slow study of how Sumathi’s drastic decision had impacted the lives of various members of his family. Vetrimaaran did not deviate from his usual style of narrative exploration but he has brought an understated rhythm to the unfolding of the events.

There is a kind of freshness in his approach and courage displayed in choosing to build a film around the brutal concept of associating the honor of the family with the sanctity of a woman. The film ends on a depressing note as we realize that such evil things are a reality and will continue to happen unless and until the evils of casteism are not obliterated from our society.

Watch Oor Iravu (2020) on Netflix

Vetrimaaran links : imdb , wikipedia.

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Dipankar Sarkar is a freelance writer on various topics related to cinema. His articles have appeared in Scroll, The Hindu, Livemint, The Quint, The Tribune, Chandigarh, Upperstall, and vaguevisages.com amongst others.

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Vetrimaaran

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Vetrimaaran

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  • 20 wins & 10 nominations

Vetrimaaran

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Visaaranai (2015)

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Ilavarasu, Azhagam Perumal, Andrea Jeremiah, and Anupama Kumar in Anel Meley Panithuli (2022)

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Delhi Ganesh, Harish Kalyan, and Anandhi in Poriyaalan (2014)

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Why Vetrimaaran is the most interesting director in Tamil films today

Vetrimaaran is arguably among the most interesting filmmaker working in the tamil film industry. here’s documenting his rise and what it takes to be a talent like him..

His production house’s name, Grass Root Film Company, is a clear pointer to Vetrimaaran’s worldview. This Deepavali’s biggest release in Tamil Nadu is, arguably, Kodi (Flag), a political thriller he has produced that stars Dhanush in his first double role, as twin brothers. The twins may be identical but their natures are mutually exclusive. Refreshingly, Kodi casts Trisha as a feisty woman politico, giving Dhanush’s eponymous hero a run for his money.

Vetrimaaran has directed four feature films and is a winner of four National Film Awards.(Photos: By special arrangement)

“For a hero movie, it’s pretty decently written,” pronounces Baradwaj Rangan, film critic and associate editor at The Hindu. “There’s a conflict, there are surprises and even within a commercial film, it’s properly written and directed. It’s not some random moments strung together to get people whistling.”

A great working chemistry -- actor Dhanush with Vetrimaaran. (Photos: By special arrangement)

The film’s premise is how politics and political interests shape communities and the quality of their life. In this case, it involves skullduggery surrounding a factory emitting toxic effluents. It could be happening not too far away from our backyards.

At the Oscars

Vetrimaaran himself, however, was conspicuous by his absence during Kodi’s promos. He has a bigger task on hand. Visaaranai (Interrogation), the part-docudrama, part-crime thriller he directed, is India’s official entry to the 89th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. So he is in the US persuading jurors take note of his film, which has some truly hairy torture scenes. The last Tamil film that made it to the Oscars was 16 years back: Hey Ram starring Kamal Haasan.

Usually, the choice of any film to represent the country at the Oscars polarises critics, but Visaaranai remains largely unchallenged. Rangan agrees. “Visaaranai was a fantastic film.”

It tells the story of innocent migrant labourers picked up and tortured by the police to extract a false confession for a fatal robbery at an influential man’s house. How the film, shot in 42 days on a Rs 2-crore budget and eventually wining three National Film Awards, got made is interesting. After his Aadukalam in 2011, Vetrimaaran had busied himself with his production ventures, Udhayam NH4, Poriyaalan and Kaaka Muttai. When he was prepared to shoot his next, the script he picked was Soodhadi, a story on gambling, proposing Dhanush in the lead role. However, the actor had to take time off to work in Balki’s Shamitabh, being shot in Mumbai.

Vetrimaaran was mooting a book adaptation when director Balu Mahendra’s assistant serendipitously presented him with Lock Up, a riveting, partly autobiographical book written by M Chandrakumar, a former autorickshaw driver. The book, which took five years to write and another four to publish, narrates his harrowing experience while in jail in (then) Andhra Pradesh.

Vetrimaaran's Visaaranai is based on a book called Lock Up by Coimbatore-based autorickshaw driver Chandra Kumar.

“When I pitched the story to Dhanush, who later produced the film, I said I can only guarantee you a three-day weekend run at the box office. But it’s a low-budget venture; you’ll get your investment back,” Vetrimaaran laughs. “Dhanush was amused, but agreed to fund the project. [I thought] it’s the kind of film that would not bring in repeat audiences. I was proved wrong and it got a good three-week run.”

The author, Chandrakumar, was incarcerated for a fortnight way back in 1983. “Yet his experiences are relevant even today,” points out Vetrimaaran. “Visaaranai reflects a stark reality from which you cannot shut yourself out: that is its success. It was challenging to find the right kind of actors and locations. We employed real stuntmen who could exercise restraint while beating up the actors.”

“What was unique was that there were a lot of first-time actors in the film; that added rawness to it,” says K Hariharan, filmmaker and critic. “Actors like Samuthirakkani and Kishore were entirely on the sidelines. That made it an interesting watch.”

Astutely, the team decided to send it to international film fests right away, confident it would work with foreign audiences. Visaaranai premiered at the Orrizonti section of the 72nd Venice Film Festival, a first for a Tamil film, and won the Amnesty International Italia Award. Crucially, the European audience was exposed to a hitherto unexplored form of Tamil cinema that dealt with grim reality in a non-dramatic but powerful way.

“Europeans have a different policing system. They found my narrative a bit harsh, though they were moved,” explains Vetrimaaran.

A rooted voice

It is Vetrimaaran’s preoccupation with sometimes gritty, sometimes heartwarming reality that makes this 41-year-old one of the best filmmakers of our times.

“The best thing about the regional filmmakers is that they bring in a very ‘native’ feel,” says Rangan. “Like if I watch Nagraj Manjule’s Sairat for instance, I find [elements] that remind me of Vetrimaaran. But that’s more because these filmmakers do these ‘rooted’ things very well. They give you the sense of the atmosphere, the rhythms of life in that particular environment, they take care to bring them alive.”

His critically acclaimed debut venture, Polladhavan (Ruthless Man) in 2007, followed a lower middle-class young man’s search for his stolen bike, an exercise that takes him through the seamy underworld. Four years later came Aadukalam (Arena), a Pongal release that raked in six National Film Awards. The cockfight arena was where love, ego, honour, friendship and betrayal were played out in the rustic backdrop of Madurai.

Says Manimaran, long-time friend and assistant, “Vetri used to like watching cockfights in the neighbourhood in our hometown. So he thought we could develop a story around them.”

There was no doubt about who would play the lead. “I wrote Aadukalam keeping Dhanush in mind,” says Vetrimaaran. “As an actor, he delivers exactly what I need and sometimes more. As a producer, he offers me complete freedom and does not interfere at all. He trusts me completely.”

Rangan explains the Vetrimaaran touch, “There is a world of difference in the way he uses the song and dance elements in Polladhavan and Aadukalam. They have become more organic and rooted; they’re not fantasy elements.”

“I personally prefer Aadukalam to Visaaranai, but it’s like comparing apples and oranges,” says Hariharan. “Aadukalam had a certain kind of warmth and spontaneity. Visaaranai, to me, looked rather staged.”

He explains, “Visaaranai’s [appeal across the world] is that for the first time in Tamil cinema, you see this kind of brute reality without the director taking recourse to a love story or family drama. It’s also interesting that a country like India allowed such a strongly critical film on the system. There’s no doubt that Vetrimaaran is a bold filmmaker.”

Vetrimaaran’s productive chemistry with Dhanush has paid rich dividends. The two went on to produce Kaaka Muttai (Crow’s Egg) in 2015, a subversive film poking fun at what is regarded as cool - pizzas, in this case. This little gem, premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, tracks two brothers from a Chennai slum dying to taste a pizza. Directed by M Manikandan with wit, not once is the children’s dignity compromised. Their family struggles in a heartless and corrupt city and soon we find ourselves cheering for our little heroes. Kaaka Muttai pocketed two National Film Awards.

“There is a stamp of quality that people have begun to associate with Vetrimaaran, because even the films he produces are pretty decent,” says Rangan, adding that he looks for, and gets, that certain quality.

Vetrimaaran’s genius lies in shining a light on people we would not even glance at in our rat race. His films show us that ordinary people often lead extraordinary lives if only we stop to talk to them.

Smitten by cinema

Born in Cuddalore near Puducherry and raised in Ranipet, a suburban town in Vellore district, two and a half hours from Chennai, Vetrimaaran was smitten by cinema even as a child. His mother, a writer, ran a school in the area, while his father was a veterinarian. Friends remember him as a film buff who watched every movie that came to town.

“He would bunk classes and watch them, each three or four times. Then he would come to the school ground where we used to hang out until 7:30 in the evening and would retell the whole story to us. My friends and I have actually walked out of the theatre at times because the film was nowhere as good as his narration. He still has that quality,” says Manimaran, his assistant.

Vetrimaaran was in his second year of Masters in English Literature in 1999 when the now-deceased filmmaker Balu Mahendra was invited to judge a short film contest at the Loyola College, Chennai. Shortly afterwards, he attended a seminar conducted by the director and was inspired enough to assist him in Julie Ganapathy, Athu Oru Kanaa Kaalam and the television series Kadhai Neram.

Athu Oru Kanaa Kaalam cemented his friendship with the lead actor, Dhanush, whom he describes as his best friend. While still assisting Balu Mahendra, Vetrimaaran pitched the story of Desiya Nedunchalai, and the actor readily agreed to play the lead.

Recalls Manimaran, “Producers were not hard to come by because we had Dhanush. But a few had misgivings about how Vetri would handle the project as a newcomer. So we tossed aside that script, which I later made into Udhayam NH4.”

The initial years proved to be rough. “I was pitching different scripts to different people for three years and it was the sixth producer who okayed Polladhavan,” says Vetrimaaran on his directorial debut.

Adds Manimaran, who assisted him in the project, “After the film was edited, we were really scared to show it to the producer. We kept stalling the screening telling him it may not have come out as he expected. Finally, when he saw it, he was satisfied. We were relieved and gradually grew confident.”

Pushing for excellence

When Manimaran himself forayed into direction with Udhayam NH4 in 2013, Vetrimaaran returned the favour by stepping in as producer under his banner, Grass Root Film Company. As he puts it, “I want my production house to be a platform for good, interesting ideas. I can find a producer for my films, but others, who may be first-time filmmakers, might have innovative scripts that mainstream producers might not understand. Like Kaaka Muttai for instance.

“I produce films in partnership as I may not be able to afford the entire budget. Dhanush ends up co-producing some of them as our tastes are similar. None of my producers ever ask me for the budget. I always make sure it is within their means and I can give the desired returns.”

For someone who has been successful both commercially as critically, Vetrimaaran has directed only three films in nine years. “For me, every film is a learning process. After each, I take time to unlearn. Then I find new content, learn it completely and then execute it.”

Manimaran describes his working process thus, “Many directors make changes to the script on the spot. But Vetrimaaran is different because he pays attention to detail. He puts in a lot of effort, so there may be last-minute adjustments with lighting and locations. Unlike working with other directors, you need to be available 24 hours.”

Outside of work, the father of two, who met his wife Aarthi while at college, likes to race pigeons, pretty much like the characters he portrays. His rootedness has also led him to voice the germ of an idea: setting up an organic farm eventually.

Rangan describes grit as the definitive quality of Vetrimaaran’s films, and praises his skill in animating the atmosphere in terms of the integrity of the characters, the plot, and the texture. “The way he shapes the characters and writes them, you feel that these are not [just] individual people; you get a sense of where they come from, where they belong. [They’re] not just some random characters floating around.”

His fans are already talking about his fourth film, Vada Chennai (North Chennai), an ambitious gangster trilogy he has been planning since 2003. After undergoing several changes of scripts and stars, Dhanush, Vijay Sethupathi, Amala Paul and Samuthirakkani are among those confirmed on the project that is currently under way. Slated for release next year, Vada Chennai is also bound to have the by-now classic Vetrimaaran stamp.

(Published in arrangement with GRIST Media.)

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Visaranai

Where to watch

2015 ‘விசாரணை’ Directed by Vetrimaaran

Pandi and his friends, immigrant workers in Andhra Pradesh, are picked up by cops for a crime they never committed. And thus begins their nightmare, where they become pawns in a vicious game where the voiceless are strangled by those with power.

Dinesh Ravi Samuthirakani Kishore Anandhi Aadukalam Murugadoss Alva Vasu Ajay Ghosh E. Ramadoss Munnar Ramesh Misha Ghoshal Saravana Subbiah Dhaya Senthil Muthukumar Cheran Raj Pradheesh Raj Silambarasan Rathnasamy Adukalam Naren Supergood Subramani

Director Director

Vetrimaaran

Assistant Director Asst. Director

Producers producers.

Dhanush Vetrimaaran

Executive Producer Exec. Producer

S Vinodkumar

Writer Writer

Original writer original writer.

M. Chandrakumar

Editor Editor

Kishore Te.

Cinematography Cinematography

S Rama Lingam

Art Direction Art Direction

Composer composer.

G. V. Prakash Kumar

Sound Sound

Udhaya Kumar

Grassroot Film Company

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

Telugu English Tamil

Alternative Titles

Interrogation, Visaaranai, 審問, 취조, Interogatoriu, ปิดปากสารภาพ, 审判

Drama Thriller

Crime, drugs and gangsters Intense violence and sexual transgression Violent crime and drugs Brutal, violent prison drama Show All…

Releases by Date

12 sep 2015, 09 jan 2017, 04 feb 2016, 05 feb 2016, releases by country.

  • Theatrical UA
  • Premiere Premiered at 72nd Venice Film Festival
  • Premiere Palm Springs International Film Festival

United Arab Emirates

118 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Michael James

Review by Michael James ★★★★½ 6

Vetrimaran adapts a real life incident, based on the book Lock Up, to deliver a hard hitting provocative drama on police brutality, power abuse and the corrupt system. The brilliant writing, realistic execution along with the terrific performances, solid visuals and musical score, makes it a top notch piece of work. The helplessness of the characters and the torture scenes are so disturbing, that it sends chills through your spine. The climax is another stunner, with unexpected twists and turns. It’s definitely not for the faint hearted, but for others, this suspenseful thriller is a must watch masterpiece.

Larry

Review by Larry ★★★★

There's a scene where a man is suspended in the air by a rope that's tied tightly against his forearms. In a few seconds, the man moans with pain as his entire body weight is on his shoulders and before you know it, both his arms are broken.

There are numerous scenes in Visaranai that gleam a realism not seen much on film, making the message all the more straightforward and urgent. A brutal socially-charged exploration of a deplorable justice system and the unfortunate that bears it's brunt, Visaranai or Interrogation is a visceral, violent and eye-opening look on a system gone haywire. With no holds barred, Vetrimaaran subjects a trio of migrant labourers to stomach-churning torture sequences, sinister policemen…

MK

Review by MK ★★★★★

This will keep you in thoughts for a while.. Outstanding movie with an apt cast and deadly acting!! There is love, emotion and betrayal and what not.. A masterpiece that must be watched by every movie lover..DONT MISS THIS!!

Arsaib Gilbert

Review by Arsaib Gilbert ★★★★ 2

[ Favorites—2010s ]

The first Tamil-language film to ever compete at the Venice International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere in 2015 in the Orizzonti sidebar, Interrogation ( Visaranai ) is the most visceral and multilayered portrait of police corruption and brutality I’ve seen since Pablo Trapero’s El bonaerense (2002).

Directed with blunt conviction by Vetrimaaran, a relative newcomer who made his feature debut in 2007, this true-life story deals primarily with the nightmarish predicament of four young migrant workers from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Although at times excessively violent, the otherwise admirably single-minded first half meticulously depicts the savagery the quartet suffer at the hands of an indifferent and racist group of cops hell-bent on extracting a false confession…

PUNQ

Review by PUNQ ★★★½

Visaaranai [Interrogation] (2015) confirms that India is one of the best movie nations at making thrillers right now. They've definitely got the source of a very corrupt system to build their intricate stories from. And as long as quality film makers like this takes care of business making movies with an international appeal, we can hope they restore the reputation of country with a rich cinematic history which Bollywood continually want to ruin with their dumbed down song & dance films. This one is quality.

Yogesh Chhikara

Review by Yogesh Chhikara ★★★★★

- it made me speechless , you ought to watch this to have the full experience. -so raw , felt like , I was watching some real life scenario shot by somebody. - Everything was perfect especially the acting and direction.

nrh

Review by nrh ★★★★½

the state as amoral apparatus of power in which nobody is spared, and all are expendable as it moves forward. like writer/director/producer vetri maran's last film, the madurai-set cockfighting epic aadukalam , the gets deeper and stranger just at the moment you think you've understood what kind of film this is; all the strengths of that film (the exacting local detail, love of speech and procedure, the clear-eyed understanding of human failure, the heart of night finale) with none of that film's missteps.

ash

Review by ash ★★★★½ 2

Raw , brutal and hard hitting.

This movie just shows how inconsequential you are in the grand scheme of things and there will always be something above you that may take decisions for you , this is what happens when you're a part of a system.

The cinematography and scoring of this movie along with the amazing performances by each and every cast member will glue your eyes onto the screen . Vetrimaaran truly hit it outside of the park as he succeeded in shooting all of the scenes as real as it gets.

The hanging and the state of the body afterwards was just too real and that's how a body will be once life leaves it , that was just tooooo real.

Nabamita (Mrs. Mastroianni Mifune Dolan Leung Weerasethakul Blanchett Isaac Dhanush AVS)

Review by Nabamita (Mrs. Mastroianni Mifune Dolan Leung Weerasethakul Blanchett Isaac Dhanush AVS) ★★★★★

Based loosely upon a semi-autobiographical novel called Lock-Up by M. Chandrakumar , Visaranai isn't a fiction feature. Visaranai should always be praised (unofficially) as a documentary feature on police brutality, corruption of politicians and justice, and the imbalanced social structure of India.

Nafees Ahmed

Review by Nafees Ahmed ★★★★

There is a scene in the film, where one of the police officers hit on the elbow of a dead body to straighten his stiffed hand. It is shown in the background & it is a trivial scene to say. But, that is the kind of realistic detailing film has. It raises the bar of realistic cinema to a new height, that will certainly be unattainable by anyone, but Vetrimaran himself. Visaranai seems like a distant cousin of brilliant film 'Court'. Such films redefine cinema and reassures why we love cinema so much in the first place. Can't recall when was the last time I was so moved by any Police procedural film. It is shocking, brutal, and a very honest…

Moresbi

Review by Moresbi ★★★★½

"Visaranai", based on a novel and real life events, was quite well crafted.

I thought the plot/narrative/script were pretty great all around. The theme is very real (and relevant) and also quite relatable. I thought the movie felt quite realistic, while somewhat avoiding overdramatizing and with a very sharp pace. It also quite twisty, somewhat ironic and bending around some grey areas, without ever faultering.

I thought the acting, while maybe not spectacular, was great. There's characters and roles for all tastes.

The movie achieves to raise a lot of (concerning) issues, for sure. Production values seemed good/great, again with a more less spectacular but quite effective approach. The black and white felt like a great decision too.

The ending…

Mihir Nanda

Review by Mihir Nanda ★★★★½

In the very first scene of the film, we see a man taking a bath early in the morning even before dawn. He was shivering and was very cold from that bath. That's how this film made me feel throughout it's runtime. COLD! And NUMB. I haven't ever seen a film as brutal and heartbreaking as this.

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Vetri Maaran and Dhanush help create new record with Asuran

Vetri Maaran and Dhanush help create new record with Asuran

Vetri Maaran's Asuran , starring Dhanush and Manju Warrier, had opened to critical and commercial acclaim, turning out to be one of the biggest blockbusters of 2019. This was Vetri Maaran's fourth association with Dhanush after Pollathavan, Aadukalam, and Vada Chennai.

Asuran , based on the Sahithya Academy Award winning-writer Poomani’s novel  Vekkai , is about farmer Sivasami (Dhanush) and his fight to save his land from the most affluent family in the village. Apparently, after the release of the movie, Vekkai has been read by many, who wanted to know how Vetrimaran has adapted the book. Now, Amazon's ebook service Kindle India has made it official that Poomani's  Vekkai is its most sold ebook (in Indian languages) in the year 2019.

vetrimaran books

Asuran also stars Ken Karunas, Ammu Abhirami, Prakashraj, and Balaji Sakthivel, and is still running successfully in a few screens. Vetri Maaran has a project with Soori, and another with Suriya, in the pipeline.

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Vetrimaaran

Vetrimaaran

Producer, Writer, Director, Actor

Born September 4, 1975 in Cuddalore, Tamilnadu, India

Vetrimaaran is an Indian film director, screenwriter and film producer, who works in the Tamil film industry. Vetrimaaran made his directorial debut with the Polladhavan. His second feature film Aadukalam won six National Film Awards. He produces films under his production company, Grass Root Film Company. His movie Visaranai (2016) was selected as India's official entry to the Academy Awards.His film Asuran (2019) was named as the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.

Filmography

Asuran (Hindi)

Connections

Dhanush

Aadukalam Naren

Aishwarya Rajesh

Aishwarya Rajesh

Samuthirakani

Samuthirakani

Radha Ravi

Andrea Jeremiah

Kishore Kumar G.

Kishore Kumar G.

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Licensed to traumatize the oppressed? Do better, Vetrimaaran

Poster of Vetrimaran's 'Viduthalai'.(Photo | PTI)

What is personal is political. All art forms are political. Cinema is no exception.

Vetrimaaran's latest venture, Viduthalai Part I , like most of his movies, relies on a medley of real-life incidents churned out into a product that awes the macho psyche and manages to get away with critical acclaim. 

Vetrimaaran is at his aggressive best in Viduthalai , unfortunately. 

Viduthalai yet again proves that any filmmaker with an iota of privilege can easily get away with macho aggressiveness and hubris. 

What Vetrimaaran unapologetically indulges in is to strip the dignity of the oppressed people and on the same hand voyeuristically traumatise viewers. The film has scenes where women are shown naked in police custody. It has a scene that shows a rape victim limping on, a tortured woman trying to escape police custody and being shot dead.

That he has an army of fans is another matter. Most Tamil men have discovered in the vulgarity an act of genius. They bow down before the director in a cultist trance. 

Viduthalai Part 1 tries to paint a picture of the universal nature of heroism through the story of a cop and his lover. Secondarily, the movie tries to bring forth the horror of police brutality, against the backdrop of a rebel movement in a mountainous countryside. The liberties that Vetrimaaran grants himself to pick up strands from different historical atrocities against the oppressed and stitch them into a film need to be discussed. But now it's high time to draw a line over what can pass as an acceptable depiction of sexual violence and torture in cinemas.

Honest and fair depictions of sexual violence, abuse, and torture on screen are rare but not absent. 

We don't see Samir’s wife drinking bleach in Le Passe . We don’t see the rape and murder of Angela in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing . We don't see Eric being assaulted at a bus stop in Sex Education , a show that is very sparing with sex scenes. We don’t see Parthiban dying in Witness . 

All of these would have made 'moving', 'touching' and 'heartbreaking' scenes -- by the standards with which Viduthalai is being celebrated -- but the makers deemed such scenes unnecessary and avoidable. 

On the other hand, we have Visaranai , Asuran , and Oor Iravu in Paava Kathaigal -- all Vetrimaaran movies feasting on gruesome visuals of violence, police brutality and sexual assault. 

It's all about choice. The choice of being cautious not to traumatise the audience versus the choice of being sensationalistic and scandalising for the sake of applause. The latter is never a good quality in artists.  

ADOOR GOPALAKRISHNAN COLUMN | Remembering Manikda, the Ray who lit up Indian cinema

Vetrimaaran is assumed to have used love as a weapon that boosts the courage and sense of resistance in a hero. But what he actually does is to exploit a woman and perpetrate violence on her to make a hero. 

Aoko Matsudo in her piece The Woman Dies writes the following :  

"She is raped so that the man can be angry about it. She is raped to spark his vengeful spirit. She is raped so the man can look to the sky and howl in agony. She is raped so the man can have a car chase. Raped to bring about real action. Raped so the bad guy can be slowly but surely hunted down. Raped to put the man in the mood to blow up the enemy’s hideout. Raped to make him feel like annihilating the enemy. Even we realize that this is a terrible thing to happen. We swallow nervously.

The woman is raped. The woman is raped at the earliest opportunity. The woman who was raped in the first installment is raped again in the second. She’s raped like it’s the only trick in the book. We feel a bit confused. I mean, it’s clearly an unthinkable thing, and it drives the men into a frenzy, and yet they drop it in there at the slightest provocation. Why don’t the men ever get used to their women being raped? Why do they make such a big fuss about it every time? We don’t understand. We don't get that for a very long time, rape has been just about the only way they've been able to hurt and control women. That it's the most comprehensible, most accessible method to hand.

The woman is raped. The woman is raped as a shocking plot development. We don't understand it, and yet the violent scenes traumatize us. It’s so traumatic that even when we reach adulthood, we find ourselves replaying those scenes in our heads. Or else it’s just hinted at. The woman’s mouth is covered by the man’s hand. The woman’s body is covered by the man’s body. The woman’s face distorts in agony. Things fall. Things break. Crashing sounds. Windows shut. Doors shut. The light goes out. Cut to the next scene."

We know what Aoko is talking about. We grew up and grew old with such movies. Hey Ram , Anjaathe , Nandha , Vaanmagal in Paava Kathaigal , Amaithi Padai , Varalaaru , and Paruthi Veeran are all such movies. This sickening trend has actually given rise to an informal genre called 'rape-revenge movies'. Viduthalai doesn’t fall far from this genre.

"The culture of using caste violence and sexual violence only to further the progress of the story and justifying it under the name of 'visualising true events' is a convenience only privileged male filmmakers have. Let’s take the example of Thevar Magan where a Dalit character depicted by Vadivelu has his arm chopped off. That violence remained only as an event to add to the other 'atrocities' of the villain. It was never addressed. It was used to further the plot,” says Maya*, journalist-cum-filmmaker with more than nine years of experience in the Tamil cinema industry. 

Noting that sexual violence, rape and harassment of women are used to add oil to the fire, she says, "It's almost like 'do you need to turn up the heat against them villains -- bring a woman, harass her, up the story, move on!' This reflects in real life when something is not considered violent unless it's a rape and a rape with proof. We all become 'doubting Thomases' who need to touch the wound to believe."

"Internationally and even in Tamizh films of recent times like Bommai Nayagi , filmmakers much younger and less privileged are making tougher choices in order to tell their stories. The filmmaker chooses the dignity of the victims over voyeuristic depictions born out of privilege," Maya says. 

"The position of the spectators in the cinema is blatantly one of repression of their exhibitionism and projection of the repressed desire onto the performer," Laura Mulvey writes in Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema . 

ALSO READ | Gods and the gods of Bollywood

Laura implies the shrinkage of the distance between the spectator and the action on screen. Spectators live and internalise what they watch in a movie, which brings us to questions Vetrimaaran wilfully ignores: "Who is assaulted when a character is assaulted on screen? Could it be the watcher? What happens when the watcher has already been assaulted?"

While it can be argued that the filmmaker has attempted to showcase the depth of police brutality, it is quite easy to figure it was a failed effort. 

"If this was created with a motive to make people realise the horror of police brutality, the director has failed there too. Spectators don't feel anger and resentment towards the police, because of the film’s narrative. I feel dissatisfaction towards Vetrimaaran for such a traumatising portrayal because he repeatedly affirms the police throughout the movie. You see Gautham Menon torturing people being shot in a way to glamourise the police. This is not at all expected of the director. But, I still have high hopes for him. I feel like this is an 'even elephants do slip' moment for him," says Kavin Malar, journalist. 

She also says the movie has not depicted oppressed caste women with dignity. 

"I find the torture and sexual violence scenes in Viduthalai to be problematic. One must not depict women in such a way on screen. One definitely must not depict oppressed caste women on screen in such a way. It is very important to portray women with dignity on screen and the filmmaker must put all their efforts to ensure this. Suggestive shots could have been used like so many other films. Vetrimaaran has not done that," Kavin Malar says. 

Theories explaining the attraction towards violent content often point to the gratification of the experience, say A Bartsch & M.-L. Mares in a paper titled Making Sense of Violence . 

"One set of explanations focuses on gratifications related to intense emotions and arousal, such as voyeurism and curiosity about taboo actions, rebellious tasting of the 'forbidden fruit' of violence," the study says. 

"Individuals' motivations for entertainment use may not only reflect hedonistic regulation of mood and arousal but may also involve a search for deeper insight, meaning, and purpose in life," it adds.

Vetrimaaran’s quest to make sense of the father who kills his daughter in Oor Iravu and the attempt to romanticise the heroism of a cop in Viduthalai may rise either from the gratification linked to the rebellious tasting of the 'forbidden fruit' or a search for a deeper purpose in life. One can never be too sure, but he cannot carry on doing this at the cost of the oppressed. Will Vetrimaaran learn?

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  1. Vetrimaaran

    Vetrimaaran is an Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter who primarily works in Tamil cinema.As of 2021, he has won five National Film Awards, eight Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards and two Filmfare South Awards.. Vetrimaaran made his directorial debut with the Polladhavan (2007). His second feature film Aadukalam (2011) won six National Film Awards.

  2. Vetrimaaran Books

    avg rating 4.40 — 10 ratings — published. Want to Read. Rate this book. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. Books shelved as vetrimaaran: செல்லாத பணம் by Imaiyam, Hard Times by Charles Dickens, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men by John Stei...

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  4. மைல்ஸ் டு கோ by Vetrimaaran

    Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book! Community Reviews. ... A very inspiring book. I liked the perseverance of Vetrimaran in becoming a director. Like. Comment. Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews. Join the discussion. Add. a quote. Start. a discussion. Ask. a question.

  5. Vetri Maaran: A vital link between Tamil cinema and literature

    Vetri Maaran (Image: Facebook/Vetri Maaran) Tamil filmmakers have seldom recognized the untapped potential of Tamil literature. The argument that Tamil cinema is too 'masala' for it to borrow from literature doesn't hold water because Tamil literature doesn't just have 'serious' and 'deep' books. It has a humongous repository of ...

  6. Every Vetrimaaran Film Ranked

    Visaranai (2016) Based on the Tamil novel Lock Up by M. Chandrakumar, Vetrimaaran's third outing in its first half has such brutal scenes of police torture that one could genuinely feel the bestial act of police torture. The viewers are compelled to cringe as well as empathize with the plight of four helpless souls.

  7. Vetrimaaran

    Vetrimaaran. Writer: Asuran. Vetrimaaran is an Indian film director, screenwriter and film producer, who works in the Tamil film industry. Vetrimaaran made his directorial debut with the Polladhavan. His second feature film Aadukalam won six National Film Awards. He produces films under his production company, Grass Root Film Company. His movie Visaranai (2016) was selected as India's official ...

  8. Vetrimaaran to direct Imayam's Sahitya Akademi-winning novel

    The writer expressed happiness that Vetrimaaran, who had successfully converted novels into films in recent times, had come forward to adapt Sellatha Panam into a movie

  9. Ranking Vetrimaaran Films

    1) Viduthalai Part 1 (2023) In one sense, Viduthalai is the culminating artistic collaboration between Vetrimaaran and cinematographer Velraj, who has lensed all of Vetrimaaran's films except Visaranai.The opening shot of around 10 minutes takes us, in one sweeping, single take, through the debris of a train bombing. The sheer audacity of the scene, the lubricated ease with which the camera ...

  10. Why Vetrimaaran is the most interesting director in Tamil films today

    By Prathibha Parameswaran, Chennai. Nov 02, 2016 08:05 PM IST. Vetrimaaran is arguably among the most interesting filmmaker working in the Tamil film industry. Here's documenting his rise and ...

  11. On Vetri Maaran's 46th birthday, his five tips for becoming a filmmaker

    Vetri Maaran has shown a great interest in adapting Tamil literature for the big screen. His landmark films such as Visaranai and Asuran were based on Tamil novels.

  12. ‎Visaranai (2015) directed by Vetrimaaran

    Vetrimaran adapts a real life incident, based on the book Lock Up, to deliver a hard hitting provocative drama on police brutality, power abuse and the corrupt system. The brilliant writing, realistic execution along with the terrific performances, solid visuals and musical score, makes it a top notch piece of work. ...

  13. Vetri Maaran and Dhanush help create new record with Asuran

    Apparently, after the release of the movie, Vekkai has been read by many, who wanted to know how Vetrimaran has adapted the book. Now, Amazon's ebook service Kindle India has made it official that Poomani's Vekkai is its most sold ebook (in Indian languages) in the year 2019.

  14. Vetrimaaran: 'More than Oscar, making others accept our local

    Vetrimaaran was part of the second edition of the CII Daksin Summit, the largest media and entertainment summit in South India. The National Award-winning director spoke about the reason why South Indian films are transcending borders. "They say art doesn't need language and border, but art has its own language and culture," he began.

  15. இயக்குனர் வெற்றிமாறனுடன் புத்தகமும் வாசிப்பும்

    திரைப்பட இயக்குனர் வெற்றிமாறன் அவர்கள் திசை புத்தக ...

  16. Anurag Kashyap Lists The Movies, Books and Filmmakers That Have

    LA Cnfidential was a thick book and the film blew my mind because it wasn't what I had imagined it to be. Curtis Hanson threw out a lot of stuff from the book. ... Vetrimaran's Aadukalam and Selvaraghavan's Kaadhal Kondein. I found the strange influence of Korean cinema on what they were making - people using weapons that were self-made and ...

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  19. Licensed to traumatize the oppressed? Do better, Vetrimaaran

    Vetrimaaran's latest venture, Viduthalai Part I, like most of his movies, relies on a medley of real-life incidents churned out into a product that awes the macho psyche and manages to get away ...

  20. "He Will Be Deeply Missed": Vetrimaran Pays Tribute to Vetri Duraisamy

    Join Vetrimaran, his dear friend and fellow artist, as he remembers Vetri Duraisamy's infectious smile, unwavering support, and dedication to their shared artistic pursuits. The news of Vetri Duraisamy's tragic passing struck a chord with many on February 4th. While traveling with friends in Himachal Pradesh, an accident in Kinnaur

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    Vetrimaran Suggested Book And I Planed What kind Of Books Will Buy In Chennai Book Fair 2021 at YMCA Book Fair , Specifically I choose Vetrimaran Books Foll...

  22. Vetrimaaran

    Our Master Vetrimaaran | Books & Cinema | Part 2 #DirectorVetrimaran #HappyBirthdayVetrimaran #vetrimaran #asuran #vadachennai2 #polladhavan #visaranai #aadu...