Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru
Poster
Directed byH. Vinoth
Written byH. Vinoth
Based onOperation Bawaria
Produced byS. R. Prakashbabu
S. R. Prabhu
StarringKarthi
Rakul Preet Singh
Abhimanyu Singh
CinematographySathyan Sooryan
Edited byT. Shivanandeeswaran
Music byGhibran
Production
company
Distributed byReliance Entertainment
Release date
  • 17 November 2017 (2017-11-17)
Running time
163 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (transl. The Warrior: Chapter One) or simply Theeran is a 2017 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film[1][2] written and directed by H. Vinoth and produced by S. R. Prakashbabu and S. R. Prabhu under the banner Dream Warrior Pictures. Based on the incidents from the Operation Bawaria case, it depicts the nefarious activity of dacoits and its eventual containment with the Tamil Nadu Police squad headlined by DGP S. R. Jangid. The film stars Karthi, in the titular character Theeran, modelled on Jangid, alongside Rakul Preet Singh and Abhimanyu Singh, who plays the main antagonist.

Vinoth had planned for the script based on the incident even before his debut film Sathuranga Vettai (2014), but he later worked on the project in late-2014. To research further, he had met many police officers who handled the similar cases. Following an official announcement in December 2016, principal photography commenced in January 2017 and ended that July. Filming took place in many real locations across Chennai and North India, in order to capture the authenticity of the film and has been shot in locations where the incident happened. The film's cinematography was handled by Sathyan Sooryan and editing done by Sivanandeeswaran. Ghibran composed the soundtrack and film score.

The film, distributed and co-produced by Reliance Entertainment, released worldwide on 17 November 2017 and opened to critical acclaim, praising the direction, writing, cinematography, soundtrack, musical score and the cast performances—especially that of Karthi. The authenticity of capturing the incidents, along with the realistic portrayal of Tamil Nadu Police in fiction was highlighted and praised by critics. It was a commercial success, grossing ₹96 crore. In addition, the film won an Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards and Techofes awards, two Edison and Vijay awards each. It received three nominations at the South Indian International Movie Awards and five Filmfare Awards; the film's only win was Best Tamil Actor (Critics) for Karthi. A sequel to the film was announced in October 2023.

Plot

Sasi, who is the cop in charge, orders that the documented criminal cases in the form of manuscripts be converted into digital format. During this process, he comes across a really spine-chilling dacoity murder case from several years ago. After reading the case history, he calls up the police officer who had taken charge of the case, Theeran Thirumaran.

1995: Theeran is in his police training college, who is undergoing training to be posted as DSP from T.N.P.S.C exams. Theeran tops the training period and returns to his hometown of Tanjavur, where he falls in love with his new neighbor Sripriya alias Priya, and the two happily get married. Simultaneously, a group of dacoits wrecks a house, situated along the highway of Tamil Nadu, where they barge and kill all the people inside gruesomely and takes their belongings. Later, Theeran becomes known in the police department for his ways of handling various cases, and is later moved to Ponneri after a dacoital attack. Police Inspector Satya and Theeran both handle the case but lead nowhere with the case.

2003: Theeran, Sathya, and a group of other cops go around India to see if they are able to identify the fingerprints of the dacoits. During this process, Theeran learns that these dacoits are actually tribe members of the left over cultural groups after the Indian Independence. They are eventually stopped by the carelessness of their superior officers, and the case is put on hold. Later, the dacoits raid the house of the ruling party's MLA and kill him. The government is under heavy pressure from the public, and the Home Minister gives Theeran all powers and a full team to nab the dacoits.

2004: Theeran and his team find one fingerprint match in Uttar Pradesh prison and go to a lorry station to capture the dacoit. Learning that the lorry has left and it is heading to Ponneri, Theeran and the other officers rush to stop them. The dacoits raid Sathya's house where they kill his wife, but Sathya's daughter is saved and Priya is put in a coma. Angered by this incident, Theeran, with the help of higher officials, puts together a team to capture the gang of dacoits leads by Oma. They camp in Rajasthan with the help of a local police officer. They also learn that the gang members except Oma are in their village, so they visit the village, only to be sent out by the villagers.

While the case is going on, Theeran learns that Priya has died, which fuels his anger, and her death makes him even more motivated to find Oma. The team learns that there is a way to bring Oma out from his village. Theeran captures the organizer of the gang and one of the gang members and puts them in police custody. Infuriated, Oma vows to kill Theeran and his team. Theeran receives information that Oma will be on a train which is infiltrated by the team. Oma's right-hand man Khali manages to beat the cops that attempt to capture Oma. Theeran manages to arrive, but Oma pulls the chain and he, Khali, and friend Bhora escapes. A local shepherd offers Theeran and his team a stay at his village.

Theeran and his team walk to the village and reside there for the night. Oma's gang infiltrates the village using the hunting tactics of wolves. Theeran formulates a plan and manages to kill all of them except Oma and Khali. Oma sets the village on fire and escapes with Khali. However, on their way out, Theeran shoots Khali dead. Theeran chases Oma the whole night and catches up with him. After a prolonged fight Theeran knocks out Oma and drags him back to Tamil Nadu to be sentenced.

2017: It is revealed that Theeran has a boring, useless post in the Traffic vigilance department because he is straightforward and lives alone. Theeran is visited by Sathya, Sathya's daughter, and Sasi, who being impressed by his work and history, salutes him in glory.

Cast

  • Karthi as Deputy Superintendent of Police Theeran Thirumaran, an honest and straightforward cop assigned to take charge of handling the dacoity murder case and also to punish the convicts.
  • Rakul Preet Singh as Sripriya "Priya" Theeran (Periya Lion), Theeran's love interest and wife (voiceover by Renuka Kathir)
  • Abhimanyu Singh as Omveer Singh (Oma the fiend), the leader of the dacoity gang and also the main convict in the case
  • Bose Venkat as Inspector Sathya
  • Praveena as Theeran's mother
  • Manobala as Priya's father
  • Kalyani Natarajan as Priya's mother
  • Sathyan as Theeran's friend
  • Sonia as Sathya's wife
  • Pradeep Rayan as Constable Sasi
  • R. N. R. Manohar as Minister
  • Abhirami as Theeran's sister
  • Kishor Kadam as Haram Singh
  • Mathew Varghese as IGP Vijay Rathore
  • Vignesh Vijayan as Vicky, Special Team officer
  • Rohit Pathak as Bane Singh
  • Narra Srinivas as Madhur
  • Surender Thakur as Kaali
  • Prayas Mann as Bohra
  • Jameel Khan as Pandit
  • Scarlett Mellish Wilson as item number "Tinga Tinga"

Production

Development

Following the success of his first film Sathuranga Vettai (2014), director H. Vinoth was keen to make a sequel to the film starring either Suriya or Ajith Kumar, but their reluctance meant that he moved on to work on a different project based on the Operation Bawaria case.[3] He stated that he had the idea of making a film on the case before he made Sathuranga Vettai but had forgotten about it until he opened a food parcel, which was coincidentally covered with a newspaper article narrating the events of the operation and the incident subsequently inspired him to work on the script.[4][5] Initially, planned as a road-trip film, the script was later evolved into a full-fledged police story revolving around the entire timelines of the operation and the events happened.[4] As a part of his research, Vinoth met a top-rung police officer with the help of his close friend, as a part of his research and had met nearly hundred officials who handled similar cases.[6]

"It is an action movie inspired by real-life police stories. The film talks about an officer’s personal journey, the shortcomings in the system and what our status is when we go out of Tamil Nadu — our comfort zone and how we are viewed. The interesting elements added to the script by the director, Vinoth, will definitely change the general perspective of a cop."

— Karthi, on his titular character and role in Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru in an interview with Deccan Chronicle's editor-in-chief, Anupama Subramanian[7]

In February 2016, he approached Karthi to play the lead role in the police drama film and was insistent that the final version carried the same "social responsibility angle" that the initial script had carried.[8] Karthi expressed his immediate interest in working on the film, and recalled that he had first heard about the case while he was working on the making of Siruthai (2011).[7] Vinoth continued to script the film throughout the year, while Karthi finished his pending work for Kaashmora (2016) and Mani Ratnam's Kaatru Veliyidai (2017).[9] The film was officially titled as Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru in December 2016, with S. R. Prabhu's Dream Warrior Pictures agreed to produce the film in co-production with Reliance Entertainment which had distributed the film.[10]

Speaking about the scaling and production of the film, H. Vinoth said that "it is a bigger film than Sathuranga Vettai. That film, was just 10% of the original vision he had executed and planned to construct the six chapters of the film, with each chapter set within a specific geography, a dialect and a colour tone, which he had given up due to budget constraints". In this film, he had planned to shoot in original locations instead of cheating terrains in Chennai where they experience all that characters go through. Vinoth said that the producer gave full freedom on the filming without having thoughts on the film's budget.[4]

Casting

Karthi plays the role of the titular character Theeran, based on Tamil Nadu DGP S. R. Jangid, who headlined the Operation Bawaria case.[11]

Karthi plays the titular character Theeran, modelled on the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police S. R. Jangid, who led a special team to track down the main criminals involved in dacoity as a part of the Operation Bawaria case.[12] Interestingly, while compared to his brother, Suriya's character Durai Singam in the Singam franchise, Karthi said that "he has a command over things and he can reprimand anyone he wants", but referred the titular role as "an upright cop who goes about his work in a tactful manner" and is true to the original character despite tweaked.[7] For Karthi's costumes in the film, the team actively chose to use organic cotton shirts after being recommended to by Karthi's mother, Lakshmi Sivakumar since he felt that "the products were cheap and made of good-quality organic cotton, while also wanted to promote and encourage the product, starting it from our own production".[7] To prepare for his role, Karthi underwent police training at the YMCA Campus in Chennai even before production began.[13][14]

Rakul Preet Singh was signed to play the leading female role in the film. Talking about her character, Karthi said that "she has a nice and meaty role in it and would bring the much-needed relief in the film".[7] Abhimanyu Singh was selected to portray the main antagonist Omveer Singh (Oma the fiend), based on the main culprit Om Bawaria involved in the operation Bawaria case. His character was considered to be a unique role in the film.[15] Bose Venkat was also selected to portray a police officer in the film, with the actor stating that the role gave him "a new dimension and a new identity".[16] Telugu actor Narra Srinivas made his debut in Tamil cinema by playing a police officer.[17][18] Sathyan Sooryan was selected to handle the cinematography for the film, while Dhilip Subbarayan, Kathir, Sivanandeeswaran were signed to handle the stunt, art departments and editing respectively.

Filming

Major portions of the film was shot in several parts of Rajasthan.[19][20]

In December 2016, a photo shoot for the film was held at Balu Mahendra Studios in Chennai with fashion photographer Venket Ram capturing the stills of Karthi's look in the film.[21] The shooting of the film kickstarted on 17 January 2017,[22] with major sequences being shot in Chennai, and the team later headed to North India for filming several sequences. In mid-February 2017, the team headed to Rajasthan for shooting action scenes and the schedule went on for 40 days.[23][24] Later, another 40-day schedule was held in Bhuj in mid-March 2017.[25] To make the film as authentic as possible, Vinoth actively hired artistes from the regions and insisted on shooting in such locations, rather than replicating the terrains in Chennai or in studios.[26][27] As the film takes place for more than a decade beginning from the 1980s, Vinoth had to shoot at well-developed places, instead of constructing sets as Vinoth said that "the storyboard has nearly 150 sites and it is impossible to construct sets in many locations, as a result went on a location scouting for many places which took a long time".[28]

Though the realistic approach was praised, the crew members working on the film faced difficulties while shooting in the project, where several of the film's cast and crew fell sick during the making of the project as a result of the warm climate.[28][6] On filming a chase scene involving two buses on a highway in Bhuj, Karthi said that "the exposure to the harsh sunlight became unbearable that he was literally under the verge of developing sun stroke". While another sequence featuring Karthi riding a horse in a river bed was filmed at Rajasthan-Gujarat border, the female horse named Chandini ran for two kilometres without break before finally stopping due to exhaustion. Karthi said that "the horse was only used in enclosed spaces, so when, the film was shot in a wide area and exposed to such freedom, the horse just began to run".[29] The team also encountered sandstorm while shooting for the film, where a crane toppled over and drone cameras got damaged; the locals asked the team to cover themselves with balnkets and patiently wait till the storm subsided.[29] Karthi, in an interview, described it as one of his most extensive action films, remarking the action sequences were not easy to execute.[30]

A huge set was erected in Rajasthan for few sequences in the film.[31] In April 2017, an item number featuring actress Scarlett Mellish Wilson at Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan, with the song being choreographed by Brindha.[32] In mid-June, the team returned to Chennai to shoot the final schedule of the film which took place for a month. As of late-June, the team had completed more than 95% of the sequences, and needed 3–4 days, to complete the entire shoot.[33] With the patchwork scenes being completed, the team wrapped the shooting of the film by mid-July 2017.[34][35]

Post-production

Post-production of the film simultaneously began during the final schedule of the shoot. Karthi completed dubbing for the film at the same time.[36] The animation sequence about the backstory of Bawaria was headlined by R. Senthil Kumar and S. Jayachandran of Hybrid Studio, a Chennai-based animation company. Vinoth consulted and hired the team after eventually working for Sathuranga Vettai (2014). He gave the script quite early, as it had scope for animation as it had a couple of portions that involved history. Jayachandran used the painting style for one portion and a graphic novel approach for the pre-interval sequence, with the primary use of colors — black, white and red — since blood was the theme of the film.[37] The painting style that was the more complex one which had demanded more resources and concentration for the team.[38]

The two-and-half minute sequence had 4,000 frames with each frame being painted individually. So the animation team hired ten students from Government College of Arts, and were taught to paint the frames digitally. The process completed within one-and-a-half months, as compared to manual painting that may take a long time. The animation and production of this sequence went on for six months.[38] Speaking about the use of animation, Vinoth said that "the scenes might feel difficult in production as it required the historical approach and further more it featured excessive violence sequences, that may result in huge cuts when it comes to censors. So the use of animation was considered as the appropriate one."[39]

Soundtrack

The film score and seven-song soundtrack is composed by Ghibran in his maiden collaboration with Karthi and H. Vinoth. Lyricists Thamarai, Umadevi, Vivek, Raju Murugan, Ranjith, Udayakumar and Soundararajan penned each song in the album.[40] Besides composing, Ghibran also co-wrote the track "Sevatha Pulla" with Ranjith, who led vocals for the track.[41] Most of the tracks appear as montages in the film, except "Tinga Tinga".[41] The soundtrack was released at a soft launch held on 2 November 2017 at Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai.[42][43]

Historical accuracy

The film depicts Operation Bawaria, the investigation of a series of dacoity cases by the Tamil Nadu Police Department.[44] The operation led to the gunning down of two members of a criminal gang belonging to the Bawariya tribe from Uttar Pradesh as well as further arrests in the 2000s. Armed dacoits had struck affluent houses along National Highways in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The operation against the criminals was officially launched in January 2005 soon after the murder of AIADMK MLA Sudarsanam from Gummidipoondi.[1][45] A special team led by the then Director General of Police S. R. Jangid, worked in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Police and intelligence agencies to track down the wanted criminals — Oma Bawaria, Bsura Bawaria, and Vijay Bawaria among others.[46] The teams worked for several weeks to put together information and camped in remote locations in Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab before gunning down Bsura Bawaria and Vijay Bawaria. The other prime suspects, Oma Bawaria, and K. Lakshman, alias Ashok Bawaria, were then arrested and brought to Tamil Nadu, where they were convicted and awarded the death penalty by a special court.[1] The film was made in close consultation with Jangid and the other officers involved in the operation.[1][47] Post-release of the film, Jangid appreciated the team for their realistic portrayal of events and praised the director's research for the film.[48][12]

Release

In September 2017, the makers kickstarted the promotions by launching the dates of the teaser and trailer release, with the film's scheduled release date of 17 November 2017 was announced.[49][50] As per the official announcement by the production team, the teaser of the film was released on 27 September 2017, coinciding the Dusshera weekend.[51][52] The official trailer was launched on the eve of Diwali (17 October 2017).[53] Reliance Entertainment purchased the worldwide distribution rights, whilst Aditya Music which had the film's music rights, gained acquisition for the rights of the film in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions.[33] The Tamil Nadu theatrical rights valued at ₹15 crore (US$1.9 million), and Dream Warrior Pictures sent the film to its area-wise distributors — Sathyam Cinemas (Chennai), Sivasakthi Theatres (Chengalpet), Pondichery Suresh (North Arcot), Alankar Theatres Devraj (South Arcot), CinePark (Coimbatore), Baradhan Films (Trichy–Thanjavur), Kandhaswamy Arts Centre (Madurai–Ramanathapuram), Subbu Raj (Tirunelveli–Kanyakumari) and 7G Films (Salem).[54] Except for Chennai, Trichy–Thanjavur and Madurai–Ramanathapuram territories, all the areas has been sold on Minimum guarantee (MG) basis, while the theatrical rights in these regions have been sold on distribution basis.[54]

The film opened in more than 450 theatres worldwide, which is a biggest release of a Karthi-starrer till date.[55] The pre-bookings of the film started on 15 November 2017.[55] Sathyam Cinemas allocated the main screen for the opening day of the release.[55] In United States, the premiere shows for the film were conducted on 16 November, a day before the Indian release.[56][57] Atmus Entertainment acquired the theatrical rights in the country, with the film being screened at 160 theatres in 83 locations.[56][58] Even before the theatrical release, Star Vijay and Amazon Prime Video acquired the satellite and digital rights of the film.[59] The film was made available in Amazon Prime Video, a month after its theatrical release, while the film's television premiere took place on 14 January 2018, coinciding with Pongal.[60][61]

Post-release, a section of communities expressed disappointment over the depiction of Bawariya community as a clan of criminals. The makers released a statement, in response to the issue, saying "The movie is only based on the robbery incidents happened in various states of India. The film has not portrayed any community in bad light. No community thrives only on murder and robbery."[62] The producers further stated that the controversial scene and the word used to describe the community will not be included in theatres, television broadcast and official online streaming portal.[63][64]

Reception

Box-office

In the first three days, the film fetched more than ₹10 crore (US$1.3 million) in Tamil Nadu box office,[65] At the Chennai city box-office, the film netted ₹1.79 crore (US$220,000) from 291 shows in first three days.[66] The number of shows further increased to 340 from 20 November, after the positive word-of-mouth received. Within the first five days, the film netted ₹1.36 crore (US$170,000) whilst, at the second weekend, the film earned ₹1.25 crore (US$160,000) from 243 shows. Despite new releases in the second week, the film topped the first position in the Chennai box-office.[67] The total collection in the territory in the first 10 days, was reported to be ₹4.41 crore (US$550,000).[67] At the end of its theatrical run, the emerged as the highest-grossing film of Karthi, earned ₹97 crore (US$12 million).[68][69] Its record was later broken by Kaithi (2019), which earned ₹100 crore.[69][70]

Critical response

The film opened to critical acclaim, with praise directed on Karthi's performance, and Vinoth's direction and writing, apart from the realistic portrayal of Tamil Nadu Police in fiction, the incidents and the major technical aspects of the film.[71] On the review aggregator website, Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating 80% based on 9 reviews with an average rating 7.3/10.[72]

The Times of India gave the film 4 stars (out of 5) and wrote: "Vinoth’s detailing with help from an able crew that pitches in with some of their best work to elevate the film from being a stand cop thriller."[73] Srinivasa Ramanujan of The Hindu stated it as "an engrossing cop film that keeps you glued to the screen every moment" and further wrote "There’s sincerity in the writing and research and honesty in the performances. There are many highlights in Theeran, some of which even makes us evaluate how cops are portrayed in films. We've seen many cop films before. But Theeran hits home hard."[74] Haricharan Pudipeddi of Hindustan Times stated that "Theeran is a gripping, explosive action drama that works despite its lengthy running time and the tiresome romantic portion which can be overseen by the end of the film."[75] Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion South wrote "There are plenty of sharp, funny lines, and the highlights keep coming, like a superbly choreographed action stretch on a bus. For Vinoth, Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru is a vast improvement over Sathuranga Vettai, where one sensed a lot of entertaining writing and little else. Even if it falls short of the standards it sets for itself, the film gives us more than most action movies do."[76]

Ashameera Aiyyappan of The Indian Express said that "the film delivers what it promises and packs quite a neat punch in most places" and gave three out of five stars.[77] Anupama Subramanian of Deccan Chronicle stated that the film "stands out for its honest and riveting portrayal of cops in fiction".[78] Poornima Murali of News18 called the film as "gripping" and assigned a score of 3.5 stars (out of 5).[79] Writing for Firstpost, film critic and trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai stated that "The film is very different in tone and presentation. The makers authentically portray the functioning of police and how they investigate. They have also shown us the practical difficulties in arresting criminals who operate outside the state without much commercial glorification or melodrama. The only commercial compromise Vinoth has made is to have a romantic plot for the hero for the regular family moments, comedy and background songs."[80]

A critic from Behindwoods praised the action sequences in the film, which comes as a stand-out apart from "the intense suspense drama and the pace".[81] Sify rated the film three out of five saying "an important story gets turned into a compelling film".[82] Calling it as "one of the best films of the year", Indiaglitz said that "If Vinoth's Sathuranga Vettai is one of the most authentic deconstruction of heist and deception crimes Theeran is the same for police procedure.  Like how he posts a salute to the true cops who cracked the crimes in real life he deserves one for his painstaking research, authentic narration and plain honest hard work".[83] Rediff-based writer Ganesh Nadar, called the film as "riveting".[84] Sowmya Rajendran of The News Minute said "Theeran is a cop film entirely from the perspective of law enforcers and that makes its politics troubling. Nevertheless, given that we've had a slew of films in this genre in recent times (including the now-getting-stale Singam series), its triumph lies in managing to pull off something fresh and original."[85] Sudhir Srinivasan of The New Indian Express stated that "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru isn’t your usual Tamil cop film, but that sadly doesn’t stop it from being crippled by some usual issues. The love angle is wholly dispensable, regardless of what Theeran’s manipulative voice-over will make you believe, and also by the inclusion of disappointing elements like the outdated villain-item-number. Part of the love you feel for the film is also watered down by this inability to wrap up things efficiently. But, nevertheless, it is a solid cop-film."[86]

Awards and nominations

Award[lower-alpha 1] Date of ceremony[lower-alpha 2] Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards 10 January 2018 Best Stunt Director Dhilip Subbarayan Won [87]
[88]
Edison Awards 26 February 2018 Best Actor Karthi Won [89]
Best Editor T. Sivanandeeswaran Won
Filmfare Awards South 16 June 2018 Best Film – Tamil Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru – Dream Warrior Pictures Nominated [90]
[91]
Best Director – Tamil H. Vinoth Nominated
Best Actor – Tamil Karthi Nominated
Best Actor (Critics) – Tamil Karthi[lower-alpha 3] Won
Best Supporting Actor – Tamil Abhimanyu Singh Nominated
South Indian International Movie Awards 14–15 September 2018 Best Film – Tamil Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru – Dream Warrior Pictures Nominated [92]
[93]
Best Director – Tamil H. Vinoth Nominated
Best Actor – Tamil Karthi Nominated
Techofes Awards 17 February 2018 Best Director H. Vinoth Won [94]
[95]
Vijay Awards 26 May 2018 Best Story Won [96]
Best Screenplay Nominated
Best Cinematographer Sathyan Sooryan Nominated
Best Stunt Director Dhilip Subbarayan Won

Impact

Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru received praise from actors and directors from the Tamil film fraternity, including Karthi's brother Suriya, who watched the film at a special screening in Chennai and praised the team for making "a bold film with an impactful and realistic approach".[97] Director Shankar also praised the film saying it as "a terrific cop film".[98][99] Vijay too appreciated Vinoth's film-making style and authenticity after watching the film at a special screening in Chennai.[100] The Hindu,[101] The Indian Express,[102] The New Indian Express[103] and Firstpost[104] ranked the film as one among the 'Best Tamil Films of 2017'. It was listed as the "Top 10 Indian Film" at IMDb along with Vikram Vedha and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.[105] Karthi said in the film's success meet, saying that "it tried him to work on new genres".[106] In late-2019, Film Companion ranked the film as one of the '25 Greatest Tamil Films of the Decade' and Karthi's performance among '100 Greatest Performances of the Decade'.[107][108] Sreedhar Pillai of Firstpost, stated that Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru and Thani Oruvan (2015), click among the general audience due to the realistic approach and stays true to the portrayal of Tamil Nadu Police in fiction, apart from mainstream Tamil films.[71]

Contrarily, the film garnered criticism towards the negative stereotyping of tribal and nomadic communities, albeit the producers' explanation post-release.[109] An article from Hindustan Times, written by Gayatri Jayaraman dated October 2018, highlighted how nomadic communities ended up bearing the brunt of fictional fear mongering,[109] citing the examples of Adivasi youth being beaten to death by mob in Palakkad on February, and the killing of a 65-year old woman at Tiruvannamalai;[110][111] she said that the film "capitalised on this dissimilarity to stir the them-versus-us sentiment and to portray the outsiders as villains and thugs."[109] In January 2023, Vinoth recalled that he felt guilty on the depiction of North Indians in the film, and this led him to sketch the protagonist in Valimai, where he was seen speaking against encounters and drugs.[112]

Sequel

Soon after the film's release, Karthi expressed his interest to Vinoth on developing a sequel for the film.[113] On 17 November 2023, the sixth anniversary of the film, Vinoth confirmed that he had begun working on the sequel and is expected to begin production in early 2025.[114][115]

Notes

  1. ↑ Awards, festivals and organizations are in alphabetical order.
  2. ↑ Date is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.
  3. ↑ Shared with R. Madhavan for Vikram Vedha

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "'Operation Bawaria' that inspired Karthi's Theeran Adhyaayam Ondru". The Hindu. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  2. ↑ "Theeran Adhyaayam Ondru is a commercial action thriller with realistic treatment, says Karthi". Firstpost. 2 November 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  3. ↑ Chowdhary, Y. Sunita (30 October 2017). "Delving into cop's psyche". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 Menon, Vishal (16 November 2017). "99% of our films can be seen with eyes closed". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "H Vinod Interview". www.moviecrow.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 Subramanian, Anupama (14 September 2017). "Karthi is a complete actor: Vinoth". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Subramanian, Anupama (10 November 2017). "Theeran... inspired by real cop tales: Karthi". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Will Karthi work with Vinoth for his upcoming venture". Behindwoods.com. 24 February 2016. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "Karthi clarifies on his next film!". Sify. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  10. ↑ "Karthi – H Vinoth film titled as Dheeran Adhigaram Ondru". Behindwoods.com. 22 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  11. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru: Karthi Salvages His Image". News18. 18 November 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  12. 1 2 "IPS SR Jangid the real Theeran reveals about the hardcore real action". Behindwoods.com. 20 November 2017. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  13. ↑ "Karthi undergoes police training for his next film". Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  14. ↑ Cr, Sharanya. "Here's how Karthi got fit". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  15. ↑ Balachandran, Logesh. "Tamil filmmakers are good at creating powerful antagonists". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  16. ↑ "Theeran…took me to a different level: Bose Venkat". Deccanchronicle.com. 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  17. ↑ "Abhimanyu to lock horns with Karthi". Newindianexpress.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  18. ↑ "Actor Srinivas all set for Tamil debut". Telugu360.com. 5 February 2017. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  19. ↑ "Location Diaries: Rolling...Action!". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  20. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru (aka) Dheeran Adhigaram Ondru | making". Behindwoods. 10 November 2017. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  21. ↑ "Karthi does a photo shoot for Vinothkumar film". Behindwoods. 9 December 2016. Archived from the original on 12 December 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  22. ↑ "Karthi to kick start 'Dheeran Adhigaram Ondru' post pongal". Sify. Archived from the original on 12 January 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  23. ↑ Cr, Sharanya. "Glad I took the risk of coming back to India: Karthi". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 February 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  24. ↑ "Karthi's Dheeran Adhigaram Ondru to shoot in Rajasthan from Feb 14th". Behindwoods. 3 February 2017. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  25. ↑ "Karthi starrer Dheeran Adhigaaram Ondru to have 40-day schedule in Bhuj". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  26. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru: Director Vinoth talks about his fascination for real-life stories". Firstpost.com. 16 November 2017. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  27. ↑ "Every stunt in Theeran Adhigaram Ondru tells a story, says director Vinoth". Silverscreen.in. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  28. 1 2 "Realistic treatment in Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru will appeal: Director Vinoth". Hindustan Times. 15 November 2017. Archived from the original on 17 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  29. 1 2 "Location Diaries: Sun, sand and runaway horses". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  30. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru is one of my most extensive action films, says Karthi". Firstpost. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  31. ↑ "The incident that Theeran Adhigaram Ondru is based on kept coming back to me: Karthi". The Indian Express. 4 November 2017. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  32. ↑ "Jingunamani girl does an item song in Karthi's next". Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  33. 1 2 "Karthi and Rakul Preet starrer 'Khaki' is in the last leg of production and will release very soon". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  34. ↑ "Karthi's 'Theeran Adhigaram Ondru' is ready". Sify. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  35. ↑ "Shooting for Karthi's Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru has been completed". Behindwoods. 16 July 2017. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  36. ↑ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (13 November 2017). "Karthi: It takes me double the time to dub in Telugu". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  37. ↑ Pillai, Sreedhar (20 June 2018). "Finding gold in animation". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  38. 1 2 Suganth, M. "Meet the animation team behind Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  39. ↑ Indiaglitz (23 November 2017). Big directors like Shankar won't want us: Theeran Animation Team, Director Interview (Interview) (in Tamil). India. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  40. ↑ "Karthi's 'Theeran Adhigaram Ondru' audio on November 2". Sify. Archived from the original on 1 November 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  41. 1 2 "Music director Ghibran: Vishwaroopam 2 would be a complete cinematic experience". The Indian Express. 22 November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  42. ↑ Arul. "Karthi, Rakul Preet Singh at Theeran Adhigaram Ondru audio launch – Photos". IBTimes India. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  43. ↑ "Soft audio launch for Karthi's 'Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru'". Sify. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  44. ↑ "Not all chases end like a Kollywood film". dtNext.in. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  45. ↑ "Tamil Nadu News : Gummidipoondi MLA shot dead". The Hindu. 10 January 2005. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  46. ↑ "Karthi's Theeran Adhigaram Ondru based on Operation Bawaria". Behindwoods. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 21 November 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  47. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru: The lesser known reel-real depictions & facts". www.moviecrow.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  48. ↑ Subramanian, Anupama (19 November 2017). "Real life 'Theeran' talks about the film". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  49. ↑ "Karthi's 'Dheeran-Adhigaaram Ondru' release date announced". The News Minute. 20 September 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  50. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru Release dates". www.moviecrow.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  51. ↑ "Teaser for Karthi's 'Theeran Adhigaram Ondru' promises an exciting thriller". The News Minute. 28 September 2017. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  52. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru teaser: Karthi as cop promises an intense crime thriller". The Indian Express. 27 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  53. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru Trailer: Karthi plays a fierce cop in this racy thriller". Firstpost. 17 October 2017. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  54. 1 2 "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru: TN distribution territory-wise details & the value". Sify. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  55. 1 2 3 "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru Tamil Nadu screen count". Behindwoods. 15 November 2017. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  56. 1 2 "Theeran and Khakee USA theatre list details". Behindwoods. 16 November 2017. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  57. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru USA Theater List". www.moviecrow.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  58. ↑ Vyas (11 July 2018). "Karthi Confirms a Sequel for Khakee". The Hans India. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  59. ↑ "Vijay TV acquires satellite rights of Karthi's film". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  60. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru to premiere for Pongal". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  61. ↑ "Pongal fare all the way on Vijay TV". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  62. ↑ "'Khakee' makers delete controversial scene and word regarding Bawariya tribe". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  63. ↑ Scroll Staff (29 November 2017). "'Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru' makers apologise for portraying Bawariya tribals as criminals". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  64. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru: Makers delete controversial scene, word regarding Bawariya tribe". Hindustan Times. 28 November 2017. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  65. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru box office collection: Karthi- Rakul Preet film mints Rs 10 crore in Tamil Nadu". The Indian Express. 21 November 2017. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  66. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru box office collection". Behindwoods. 15 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  67. 1 2 Upadhyaya, Prakash (28 November 2017). "Box office collection: Theeran Adhigaram Ondru holds the top position, Mersal the last in Chennai". www.ibtimes.co.in. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  68. ↑ "Kadaikutty Singam emerges as highest grossing film in Karthi's career, with Rs 37 crore in two weeks of release". Firstpost. 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  69. 1 2 "Karthi's Kadaikutty Singham has crushed THIS record held by Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru". Box Office India. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  70. ↑ "Kaithi: Karthi starrer collects Rs 100 crore, the first movie of the actor to do so". The Times of India. 12 November 2019. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  71. 1 2 "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru, Singham, Thani Oruvan: What makes an action crime thriller click". Firstpost. 20 November 2017. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  72. ↑ Khakee: The Power of Police, archived from the original on 18 February 2022, retrieved 7 October 2021
  73. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru – Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  74. ↑ Ramanujam, Srinivasa (17 November 2017). "Theeran – Adhigaaram Ondru review: A riveting cop story". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  75. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru movie review: A riveting, competently-made police drama". Hindustan Times. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  76. ↑ Rangan, Baradwaj (17 November 2017). "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru: Movie Review". Film Companion South. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  77. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru movie review: This Karthi film walks the talk". The Indian Express. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  78. ↑ Subramanian, Anupama (18 November 2017). "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru movie review – Honest and riveting". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  79. ↑ "Theeran Adhikaram Ondru Movie Review: Karthi Delivers a Power-packed Performance in This Gripping Cop Story". News18. 18 November 2017. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  80. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru movie review: Karthi, Rakul Preet in a well-researched, realistic cop film". Firstpost. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  81. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru (aka) Dheeran Adhigaram Ondru review". Behindwoods. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 December 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  82. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru review: A riveting cop thriller". Sify. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  83. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru review. Theeran Adhigaram Ondru Tamil movie review, story, rating". IndiaGlitz.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  84. ↑ Nadar, A. Ganesh. "Review: Theeran Adhikaram Ondru is worth a watch". Rediff. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  85. ↑ "'Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru' Review: Absorbing thriller with troubling politics". The News Minute. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  86. ↑ "'Theeran Adhigaram Ondru' review: An overlong but solid cop film, despite flaws". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  87. ↑ Upadhyaya, Prakash (11 January 2018). "Vijay's Mersal wins big at Vikatan Cinema Awards 2017 [See Complete Winners List]". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  88. ↑ "ஆனந்த விகடன் சினிமா விருதுகள் 2017 - திறமைக்கு மரியாதை". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  89. ↑ Upadhyaya, Prakash (26 February 2018). "Ilayathalapathy Vijay's Mersal sweeps Edison Awards [winners' list]". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  90. ↑ "Nominations for the 65th Jio Filmfare Awards (South) 2018". Filmfare. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original on 4 June 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  91. ↑ "Winners: 65th Jio Filmfare Awards (South) 2018". The Times of India. 18 June 2018. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  92. ↑ Goyal, Divya (15 August 2018). "SIIMA 2018 Nominations: Vijay's Mersal Beats Madhavan And Vijay Sethupathi's Vikram Vedha". NDTV. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  93. ↑ Hooli, Shekhar H. (16 September 2018). "SIIMA Awards 2018 – Tamil winners list and photos: Vijay's Mersal tops list with 5 honours". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  94. ↑ "T-Awards Poll". Techofes. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  95. ↑ "Pro Shows". Techofes. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  96. ↑ Upadhyaya, Prakash (4 June 2018). "Vijay Awards 2018: Here is the complete list of winners [Photos]". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 4 June 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  97. ↑ "Suriya all praises for Theeran Adhigaram Ondru". The Times of India. 19 November 2017. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  98. ↑ "Director Shankar's take on Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru". www.moviecrow.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  99. ↑ "Director Shankar praises Karthi's Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru". Behindwoods. 25 November 2017. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  100. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru impresses Thalapathy Vijay". Sify. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  101. ↑ Ramanujam, Srinivasa; Menon, Vishal (28 December 2017). "Best Tamil films of 2017". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  102. ↑ "Top 10 Tamil movies of 2017: Vikram Vedha, Aram and Theeran Adhigaram Ondru find place in the list". The Indian Express. 2 January 2018. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  103. ↑ "2017: Top 10 Tamil Movies". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  104. ↑ "Aramm, Vikram Vedha, Aval: Most impactful Tamil performances and films in 2017". Firstpost. 21 December 2017. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  105. ↑ "'Vikram Vedha', 'Baahubali 2' among IMDb's top-10 Indian films of 2017". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 22 December 2017. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  106. ↑ "Success of 'Theeran' has given me confidence to try out new genres, says Karthi". The News Minute. 27 November 2017. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  107. ↑ "25 Greatest Tamil Films Of The Decade | Film Companion". www.filmcompanion.in. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  108. ↑ "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade". 100 Greatest Performances of the Decade. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  109. 1 2 3 "How nomadic communities bear the brunt of fictional fear mongering". Hindustan Times. 9 October 2018. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  110. ↑ "Tiruvannamalai temple visit turns tragic as village mob beats 65-year-old woman to death, injures 4 others". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  111. ↑ "A WhatsApp message, a rumour, a mob and a lynching". The Indian Express. 20 May 2018. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  112. ↑ "Exclusive | H Vinoth: Ajith has tried a lot of different things in Thunivu". The Indian Express. 9 January 2023. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  113. ↑ "Karthi hopeful of Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru 2, directing Suriya". The Indian Express. 28 November 2017. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  114. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru 2: Director H Vinoth confirms sequel to Karthi starrer is in works". Pinkvilla. 17 November 2023. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  115. ↑ "Theeran Adhigaram Ondru sequel in the pipeline, Karthi and H Vinoth to team up again?". OTTPlay. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.