Thalaivaa

"Thalaivaa" (2013) is a Tamil action thriller film directed and produced by A. L. Vijay. It features Vijay, Amala Paul, Sathyaraj, and Abhimanyu Singh. The film is about a youthful entrepreneur in Sydney, who is informed about his father's past as a gangster and enters a world of violence with revenge and justice in Mumbai.

The story begins in 1988 when a riot in Bombay leaves Ramadurai’s (Sathyaraj) wife, Ganga, dead during an attack led by a politician named Bhadra. Ramadurai takes revenge by killing Bhadra and sends his young son, Vishwa (Vijay), to Australia with a family friend, Ratnam (Nassar), to keep him away from the violent world. Years later, in Sydney, Vishwa owns a water business by his mother's name and lives a calm life as a dancer. He meets Meera (Amala Paul), who falsifies herself to be a restaurateur's daughter but is really a Crime Branch police officer. When Vishwa visits Mumbai to meet his father and discuss marriage, he learns about Ramadurai’s past and current image as a local don who fights for justice. Meera's actual task is to arrest Ramadurai. Upon his arrest, a bomb placed by Bhima (Abhimanyu Singh), the son of Bhadra, explodes and kills Ramadurai. Vishwa, heartbroken, chooses to remain behind and assume his father's position.

Vishwa wins over the people's trust and slowly becomes their protector, taking on the name 'Thalaivaa.' As bloodshed returns to Mumbai on Bhima's orders, Vishwa proves himself to be a leader. A video, leaked into the public domain, shows Bhima's involvement in the bomb blast, and he gets arrested for it but later escapes and kills Vishwa's top lieutenants. Vishwa also learns of betrayal from his own uncle, Ranga (Ponvannan), who prefers Bhima. In a final showdown, Vishwa kills Bhima. Meera, who had betrayed him initially, also joins his side, resigns from work, and gets married to Vishwa. The film ends with Vishwa fully assuming his father's role as the new king of the people.

"Thalaivaa" tries to blend emotional drama with politics and action in a transformation and legacy saga. Vijay keeps the film anchored by his presence on screen and intensity, especially in the second half. While the film has its own powerful scenes and massiness, its tedious length and slow first half reduce its overall impact. Still, for action drama fans and Vijay's charisma, Thalaivaa is worth a watch.