Udhaya

“Udhaya” (2004) is an action film directed by Azhagam Perumal. Also starring Vijay, Simran, and Vivek. It tells the story of a man who gets caught in a honey trap and is arrested after he unknowingly passes a bomb on to a crime lord who goes on to use it to blow up a train. As he races against time to prove his innocence, he tries to win back the love of his life.

Udhayakumaran, a brilliant college student researching subatomic physics, earns international recognition with an offer from Princeton University. However, he chooses to remain in India and takes up a lecturer position at his college, where he falls in love with Vasanthi. Their romance is cut short when Udhaya learns she is already engaged. Heartbroken, he relocates to Chennai and, with the help of his friend Basheer, becomes a reporter. Tragedy strikes when Basheer is killed in a bomb blast. In a twist of fate, Udhaya meets the group responsible and is introduced to their enigmatic leader, Dhananjay Veeran, who claims to fight for the rights of labourers.

Sympathising with their cause, Udhaya uses his scientific knowledge to help build a device to ease manual labour and later constructs a bomb to support their struggle, unaware of Veeran’s true intentions. Veeran uses the bomb in a deadly train attack, killing civilians and framing Udhaya for the crime. Arrested and on the run after a narrow escape, Udhaya discovers Veeran’s plan to bomb a school bus. Risking everything, he saves the children and confronts Veeran in a fiery showdown, where Veeran meets his end. Udhaya is later proven innocent in court and reunited with Vasanthi, bringing the story to an emotional close.

“Udhaya” sci-fi, romance, and revenge are all combined into a hard-hitting action thriller, Udhaya. As someone swept into a dangerous conspiracy of people who’ve changed the world but not for the better, Vijay gives a full-hearted performance befitting a gifted intellectual. Director Azhagam Perumal spins an interesting premise, but the execution falters on pacing and tone at points. Put aside the clunky exposition and character development, and this sweeping story of idealism being eclipsed by manipulation touches on a lot of deeply emotional themes and ends on a very satisfying, redemptive higher note.