Vikram

<p>Amar, the leader of a squad, is called upon by Jose to bring justice against a group of masked vigilantes responsible for the murder of Stephen Raj, Prabhanjan and his foster father, Karnan. The gang killed Stephen after being arrested and subsequently released following his imprisonment for assisting criminals Adaikalam and Anbu. Amar leads the investigation by digging into Karnan’s life, as he finds the murder out of place since Karnan was an ordinary man while the other two were high-ranking officials. Amar discovers Karnan’s addiction to alcohol and prostitutes while overprotecting his foster grandson. He found two drug containers missing that Sandhanam, who runs a larger syndicate than Adaikalam, called , is hunting. The other two containers were part of a shipment to Rolex, Sandhanam’s boss, who promised to help form his government if he received the drugs. If not, Rolex would kill Sandhanam and his family. Amar discovers Karnan’s addictions are a ruse to cover a covert operation he was running. Meanwhile, Veerapandian, a (PWD) officer, and a contractor named Rudra Prathap plot to take the drug containers to Sandhanam, but the masked vigilantes arrive and kill Veerapandian at a theatre. Amar and his team capture Bejoy, one of the vigilantes. Bejoy reveals the syndicate killed his family for his role in leading a drug bust at , leading him to join the vigilantes. Amar and his team realise Rudra Prathap is the vigilantes’ next target, and they sneak into Rudra Prathap’s daughter’s wedding ceremony. Rudra Prathap invites Sandhanam for protection. The masked men and his gang arrive at the wedding and threaten him. The leader drags Rudra Prathap and escapes on a bike. Amar chases and catches the vigilantes’ leader and reveals himself as Karnan, who had faked his death. Karnan kills Rudra Prathap by slitting his throat and escapes the police. Amar tells Jose that Karnan is Vikram, the former commander of the black ops squad’s 1986 pilot batch. Only Vikram and three other team members survived after the government tried to kill them because of a botched mission in 1991. Amar also theorises Jose is Sandhanam’s mole in the department and was involved in Prabhanjan’s death. Amar organises a bomb blast at Sandhanam’s bungalow that destroys it and a drug lab. Jose hears of the bombing and informs Sandhanam. Jose tells Sandhanam about Vikram’s and Amar’s identities. Vikram frees Bejoy and his team from prison, stating that his vengeance for Prabhanjan’s death did not drive his actions; he wanted to bust a in the city. He claims Prabhanjan is his biological son and knows Vikram’s true identity. Sandhanam kills Amar’s wife, Gayathri, and sends his men to kill Vikram’s daughter-in-law and grandson at Prabhanjan’s house. Agent Tina, disguised as Vikram’s housekeeper, Valiammal, kills the gang and dies in the process. Amar kills Jose, avenging Gayathri’s death. Vikram and his grandson reach , where the hidden containers are stored. Sandhanam learns about the containers’ location and attacks Vikram. Vikram kills Sandhanam’s men with a cannon and an , but the remaining members of his black ops squad, Agents Uppiliappan and Lawrence die in the scuffle. After a fistfight with Sandhanam, Vikram triggers a massive blast at the port that kills Sandhanam and destroys the drug containers. A week later, Adaikalam and Anbu arrive with their men at , , and meet with the gangsters affiliated with Sandhanam for a meeting with Rolex. Adaikalam and Anbu explain Dilli’s involvement in the Trichy drug ambush, and Sandhanam’s men reveal Vikram’s and Amar’s involvement in destroying their drug syndicate. After Gayathri’s funeral in , Amar joins Vikram’s gang to continue building a drug-free society. Anbu informs Rolex that Dilli is hiding somewhere in , while Sandhanam’s men tell him Vikram’s family are abroad (shown to be in ). Rolex announces a massive bounty for the execution of Amar, Dilli, and Vikram’s team. Unknown to everyone else, Vikram is at the meeting and walks away after learning about the bounty placed on all of them.In the post credit, Vikram receives a letter from Dilli and in the letter he tells about a person in Himchal pradesh who is none other than Parthiban(Leo Das). And it is also shown that he is making a call to Parthiban. ‘s production house signed to direct a film for the studio during November 2019. Lokesh had previously mentioned his admiration of Haasan’s work, noting the actor’s films (1988) and (2004) had influenced him to become a film director. Despite agreeing terms, Lokesh and the studio opted to prioritise other films before beginning production work. Lokesh narrated the script of the proposed film to in December 2019. The project, which was tentatively titled , was scheduled to be launched in March 2020. Despite the progress of discussions, the delayed the film’s launch. In September 2020, Lokesh announced a different project that would feature Haasan in the lead role. The film’s official poster was released on 16 September 2020, which had the working titles and , a line from the title song from Haasan’s (2013). In October 2020, the team made a promotional teaser of the film in Chennai, adhering to the Indian government’s safety regulations. Coinciding with the actor’s 66th birthday on 7 November 2020, the makers released a title teaser of the film, featuring Kamal Haasan, in which the film’s title was revealed to be , the same title as that also stars Haasan. On 7 April, after Haasan’s commitments during the , Lokesh shared a post through his social media accounts announcing pre-production work for the film had begun. Because Haasan had decided to shoot for the film only after the election results, in which he contested the constituency, he demanded Lokesh alter the script; but the pandemic delayed this. Initially, the project was planned with a single 60-day filming schedule with a new, undisclosed technology that would shorten film production but this did not happen as planned. Haasan was reported to be playing a retired police officer and media reports stated he would wear a khaki uniform for this film after 15 years since (2006). He was reported to sport a thick beard in the film. For the flashback portions, Lokesh would use . In April 2022, Lokesh submitted the film’s script to the Copyright Office, New Delhi, for legal copyrights. Lokesh chose to work with his norm technicians, cinematographer and editor , with whom he worked on (2019) and (2021). Due to scheduling conflicts, Sooryan left the production and was replaced by , who had made his debut in with (2018). Twin stunt choreographers were announced as part of the film’s technical crew, marking their second collaboration with Lokesh after (2019). In December 2020 was announced to play an important role in the film but declined the role due to scheduling conflicts. In April 2021, confirmed his presence in the film, making it his third project in Tamil after (2017) and (2019). has stated he was the original choice for the antagonist, which he declined because he felt the character’s violent nature would alienate family audiences so the role went to . , who appeared in a pivotal role in Lokesh’s , signed the project in June 2021. was approached to be cast as Haasan’s son, a pivotal role, in July 2021. It was later revealed also was approached for a role in the film, his third-consecutive association with Lokesh after and . Later, it was confirmed he would have a cameo role, reprising his character from . In August 2021, was chosen to play one of the three female leads opposite Sethupathi’s character. In September, Mynaa Nandhini and Maheshwari Chanakyan were confirmed as the other two female actors. Swathishta Krishnan and Malayalam actor were cast in pivotal roles, the latter in his Tamil film debut. In October, popular Tamil-language team—M. Periyathambi, the grandson V. Subramanian, and his cousins—were cast in the film during the third schedule for a wedding sequence. In November 2021, was also confirmed to star in a pivotal role. In early January 2022, joined the film. confirmed he would also be seen in a cameo. Haasan talked about Suriya’s role at the at , stating: “It’s no more a rumour. We had to put up our hand and admit that Suriya is playing an incredible last minute appearance. That should take the story a little further, probably into part 3.” Suriya charged no fee for acting in the film, and only received a watch for playing a character named Rolex. had been offered to reprise his role from but was then filming the two-part production (2022 and 2023) and could not change looks; he only has a vocal cameo in . began on 16 July 2021. The team began the film’s first schedule in on 6 August, which was delayed by the filming of Suriya’s at the same location and, to comply with COVID-19 safety regulations, the crew had to wait until the crew had finished filming and left the location. The first schedule began in Karaikudi on 20 August and filming continued for a month. The second schedule of the film began in Chennai on 19 September and later moved to . The second schedule ended on 2 October 2021. On 13 October, the third schedule began. The team planned to film two sequences for four days at , including two days of set work on 24–25 October, and two days of filming on 27–28 October 2021 but officials denied permission to film there, citing pandemic restrictions. The filmmakers later decided to postpone the shoot because they needed an alternative location. The team began the final month-long schedule on 17 November 2021 in , filming scenes featuring Haasan, Sethupathi and Fahadh. Filming was halted after Haasan was diagnosed with COVID-19 after visiting the United States for the inauguration of his clothing brand. This resulted in the team filmting major stunt sequences indoors. A set work with more than 50 damaged cars had been filmed in Coimbatore during this schedule; following the actor’s diagnosis, the team decided to shift location to for continuity. Filming resumed on 10 December 2021 with important sequences with other actors. Haasan joined the sets on 22 December. In late December 2021, the production quickly filmed sequences at a house in but in early January, filming stopped after some technicians working on the film were diagnosed with COVID-19. The production cost increased because the cost of renting the house, even on non-filming days, was enormous. Haasan’s medical commitments and his participation in further delayed filming, which resulted in the team skipping an entire schedule. Due to the rise in , the team planned film with a minimal crew. On 24 January 2022, the team filmed sequences at the Vettri Theatres in , Chennai. The final schedule began on 5 February 2022 with 15 days’ filming of face-off scenes with Haasan and Sethupathi. To prioritise the filming, Haasan stepped down as the host for . Principal photography at the end of February. The music and background score is composed by , in his first collaboration with Haasan; and second with Lokesh after (2021). purchased the music rights. The film’s audio launch took place at , Chennai, on 15 May 2022. A 45-second teaser trailer depicting an action sequence set in a prison was released on 7 November 2021. In April 2022, the teaser was attached to prints of and in theatres. As part of promotion, in collaboration with , the production’s marketing team placed advertisements on locomotives travelling across India. The film’s trailer was released at the audio launch event on 15 May 2022 and within 24 hours, it exceeded 12 million views. Raajkamal Films International collaborated with Vistas Media Capital’s Fantico and Lotus Metaentertainment for the film’s launch in the platform . Vistaverse announced the launch of utilities through (NFT) at the on 18 May 2022. Raajkamal led the film’s marketing campaign; pre-release events were held in , New Delhi, , , , and Malaysia. Haasan promoted the film on , , the of , and in his YouTube debut on , which appears in one of the film’s scenes. At a pre-release event held at PVR Priya-Vasant Vihar theatre in Delhi, in collaboration with Raajkamal Films announced all theatres in Delhi owned by PVR would be rebranded as “PVR Vikram Hitlist”. The film’s Kerala distributor Shibu Thameens hosted a pre-release event at , on 27 May 2022. On 28 May, an event was held in Mumbai to promote the film’s Hindi version. On 29 May, the film’s press screening was held in Malaysia with opposition leader as the chief guest. On 31 May, a pre-release event with and in attendance was held in . On 1 June, Haasan attended the film’s pre-release event in Dubai and the theatrical trailer was screened at . The packaged water company unveiled a limited-edition bottle featuring the cast of . The film’s official emoji was released on 23 May 2022. On 27 May 2022, a special promotion teasing the conference-call sequence from Haasan’s fim (2002) was released; it featured lead actors from the original film , , and . Post-release, was promoted at , New York City. released a doodle inspired by the film to celebrate its success. was released in theatres on 3 June 2022. It was initially scheduled for release in mid-April but was preponed to 31 March, postponed to 29 April, and then to June 2022, both times after the producers adjusted the release date due to the scheduling of several other big-budget films and production delays caused by the pandemic. was dubbed in Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam under the title . According to Tiruppur Subramanian, president of Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association (TNTOA), received the “widest ever release for a Kamal Haasan film”. opened in 700–800 screens in , 100 screens in and 200 screens in . The Hindi-dubbed version was released in over 1,000–1,500 screens in North India, competing with and . Prime Media, which acquired the theatrical rights in the United States, hosted special shows in the country on 2 June, ahead of its Indian release. The film was screened in on over 2,000 screens in 500 theatres. Rakesh Gowthaman, managing director of Vettri Theatres, stated anticipation form was attributed to rigorous promotions from the team. Film distributor and exhibitor Akshaye Rathi talked about the possibilities of the film’s performance in the Northern belt, stating: “Vikram has an urban look and feel but the storytelling syntax seems very mass friendly. Kamal’s recent movies were abstract and intellectually inaccessible for many. Vikram is a simple, hard-hitting, commercial cinema. It is as mainstream as it gets.” The film earned over from pre-ticket sales, according to . Early morning shows were held at 4:00 a.m. across Tamil Nadu. In May 2022, a petition was filed to stop screening of 4:00 a.m. shows of the film; the petition said theatre owners may charge high prices for the tickets and alleged tax evasion on these shows that would cause a huge loss for the government, though the issue was later resolved. Horizon Studios, which distributed the film in Karnataka, allotted early morning shows beginning at 6:30 a.m. Tony Raj, the film’s distributor, said he estimated the film would receive over 1,200 shows a day in the state. A week ahead of its release, restrained Internet service providers (ISPs) and over 1,000 unauthorised piracy sites from illegally streaming and downloading of after one of the production company’s executives filed an ordering the websites not to screen the film. According to Sify, was “hot in the trade”. Before its release, earned about from theatrical and non-theatrical revenues, including sales of its satellite, digital, audio and Hindi-dubbing rights. In late-March 2022, ‘s firm acquired the film’s theatrical distribution rights in . ‘s company acquired the theatrical rights for the Hindi-dubbed version, which it distributed through its division . Shibu Thameens’ firm acquired distribution right for Kerala for . Shree Karpaga Vinayaga Film Circuits acquired the film’s distribution rights, Sreshth Movies acquired the and distribution rights. In late February 2022, the film’s satellite and rights were sold to Network for . began streaming on from 8 July 2022 in Tamil and dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada languages; and on 13 September 2022, streaming in all five languages started on . The Telugu-language version premiered on television on 11 September 2022 on . The Hindi-language version premiered on 24 September 2022 on . The original Tamil-language version premiered on 24 October 2022 on , coinciding with the festival. The Malayalam-dubbed version of the film had its television premiere on 6 November 2022 on . In January 2023, Pesamozhi Publications published the film’s screenplay in book form. The film made it to the “Open Cinema” section of the and was screened at an outdoor theatre on 7 October 2022. On the first day of its release, earned 66 worldwide, including in Tamil Nadu, in Kerala, in Karnataka, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and in other territories of India. Within two days of its release, the film had earned . It had collected worldwide at the end of its third day, including in India. At the end of seven days, had grossed over , and close to at the end of 14 days. According to , on the 27th day of its release, the film’s worldwide box-office revenue was approaching . broke several records, becoming the first Tamil film to garner share in Tamil Nadu with a gross collection in the state of nearly . reported the worldwide collection to be ( 53 million). estimated the film had earned a gross of ( 54 million), estimated its revenue at ( 56 million), and estimated earnings of ( 62 million). According to , at the end of its 113-day theatrical run, became the highest-grossing film ever in Tamil Nadu, registered a record attendance and grossed over worldwide. Critics gave generally positive reviews. On the website , 59% of 17 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.6/10. Divya Nair of rated the film four stars out of five, and wrote: “With ample whistle podu moments, is a macho blockbuster that shouldn’t be missed”. Soundarya Athimuthu of rated the film four stars out of five, and wrote; “Lokesh Kanagaraj has loaded with a battalion of characters but he has ensured that all of them have their due scope to perform, even though some might have lesser screen time including Ulaganaayagan”. A critic for rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: “Kamal Haasan is a visual delight in this action thriller”. Ashameera Aiyappan of also rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: “One glimpse of Kamal Haasan in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s and you just know he is the G.O.A.T”. of rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: “Lokesh must be applauded for not wasting time on fanboy tributes to the superstar on board, and sticking to telling the story”. Manoj Kumar R of rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five and wrote: ” is only the beginning. In the climax, Lokesh teases at least three separate movies that could branch out from this one”. A critic for rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: ” works if one looks at it as just an action entertainer”. Vivek M V of rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: “Lokesh has found his own voice and his fast yet admirable growth promises exciting things going forward”. Josh Hurtado of rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: “An incredible booming background score from Anirudh Ravichander, and some very fun surprises throughout, Vikram is definitely among the year’s best Tamil films”. Haricharan Pudipeddi of stated: “Anirudh Ravichander’s music, especially the background score, plays a pivotal role in amplifying the overall experience of watching Vikram on the big screen, apart from the terrific action sequences. Suriya’s brief but powerful cameo is just the high one needs as you step out of Vikram”. Srivatsan S of stated: “The new disappoints the fans of the 1986 original and could have been a standalone film with Fahadh Faasil carrying on the legacy of the agent like in the James Bond films”. Lakshmi Subramanian of rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: “Vikram is packed with thrilling moments from the very first minute. With technical superiority and terrific casting, the first half is an interesting watch, while the narration and a few long rants tire you in the second half”. of rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: “Kamal Haasan is fabulous. Vijay Sethupathi fleshes out an edgy criminal whose frazzled heart and addled mind push him in startling directions.” M Suganth of rated the film three-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: “In a film filled with action heroes, the biggest mass moment comes in a stunt scene involving a female character. needed a few more such moments to have been truly memorable”. Janani K of rated the film three stars out of five, and wrote: ” has several whistle-worthy moments. But, the plot becomes too generic after a point”. Gautaman Bhaskaran of rated the film two-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote: ” is drama, drama, drama all the way in which the director has not only bitten more than he can chew but exhibits his diehard admiration for Kamal Haasan”. Sudhir Srinivasan of rated the film three out of five, and wrote: “Much like the morality of both characters, I’ll have to say it lies somewhere in between, and much like those two men, the film does tilt towards the good”. rated the film 44 out of 100. gave it three stars out of five, and wrote: “On the whole, is all for action lovers and movie buffs as it is the best entertaining movie that hit the screens these days! A perfect concoction of action and mystery turned it out into a blockbuster!” rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars. At the , Haasan won the award for Best Actor and the film won the award for Best Crew. Owing to the film’s success, Kamal Haasan told there was a possibility of a sequel to , and there were also reports stating a third sequel to , which will be part of the (LCU), might be produced. In (2023), the third instalment of the LCU, Haasan reprised his role as Vikram in a voice-over and reprised her role in a cameo.</p>