Yennai Arindhaal () (stylised on-screen as Yennai Arindhaal...) is a 2015 Indian Tamil language-language action thriller film written and directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon and produced by S. Aishwarya. The film stars Ajith Kumar, Trisha Krishnan, Anushka Shetty and Arun Vijay in the lead roles, while Vivek, Anikha, Parvatii Nair, Ashish Vidyarthi, Suman and Avinash Yelandur appear in supporting roles. It is also the final film of Menon's police trilogy after Kaakha Kaakha and Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu. The film revolves around a former police officer's battle to protect his step-daughter from his arch-enemy.
Menon decided to finalise the script in October 2013 with Shridhar Raghavan and Thiagarajan Kumararaja as the script consultants. Principal photography was launched on 9 April 2014, and its first schedule took place in Chennai on 11 April 2014 within 12 days. The second schedule of the film took place in May 2014, where the filming took place in Chennai, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Sikkim and a few parts of Malaysia. The music was composed by Harris Jayaraj, reuniting with Menon after Vaaranam Aayiram (2008). Dan Macarthur handled the cinematography, while Anthony edited the film.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Ajith is a Myth and an Enigma: Gautham Menon Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 28 January 2015
Yennai Arindhaal was released theatrically on 5 February 2015 to positive reviews from critics. At the 63rd Filmfare Awards South, the film was nominated under five categories including Best Actor for Ajith Kumar, Best Supporting Actor for Arun Vijay, Best Music Director for Harris Jayaraj and Best Lyricist for Thamarai. The film was nominated for six categories under the 5th South Indian International Movie Awards, in which Arun Vijay won the award for Best Actor in a Negative Role – Tamil.
In 1989, Sathya's father gets killed by a gangster, after which the 14-year-old Sathya makes a decision. In 2002, Sathya is seen in prison with Victor, where he fights along with Victor in a botched attempt to kill the latter. They escape jail, and Sathya arranges Victor's marriage to his love interest, Elizabeth "Lisa". Sathya and Victor meet Matthew, an illegal organ dealer, and Sathya infiltrates the gang, revealing himself as an IPS of the T.N.P.D Crime Branch. Sathya kills Matthew and engages in combat with Victor, where Sathya brutally wounds Victor, who swears vengeance on Sathya.
Two years later, in an attempt to nab a gangster at Egmore Railway Station, Sathya helps a pregnant woman named Hemanika, who immediately needs to get to a hospital for delivery. Two years later, Sathya meets Hemanika and her child Isha again. After meeting and getting to know each other over 3 years, they plan to get married. On the eve of their marriage, Hemanika is brutally murdered, which leaves Sathya heartbroken, but Isha is saved as she was with him that night. Sathya meets and kills his adversary, Golden Raj and his men but was severely injured. He also know that Raj didn't killed Hemanika. Sathya hides the fact from Isha by telling her that Hemanika had left somewhere far away and that she wanted him to take care of her. Sathya decides to quit his job and travels with Isha around India, with his colleague DCP Richard's help.
Sathya returns to Chennai after 4 years, where he learns that his friend Saravanan's 15-year-old daughter Niranjana has gone missing. He discovers that Victor has resurfaced and is Organ theft illegally with foreign doctors to earn millions. Victor is trying to save his wealthy customer Muruganandham, who needs a heart transplant. Sathya finds the child and eventually the organ theft network's next target, Thenmozhi. Sathya is reinstated in the police department and leaves for Boston.
In the present, Sathya lets Thenmozhi stay in their house with Isha. In an attempt to get Thenmozhi, Victor and his team kidnap Isha, who is held captive by Lisa. Victor tells Sathya that he will release Isha only if he surrenders Thenmozhi, which Sathya accepts. When they arrive at the location, they kill Muruganandham. Sathya finds Thenmozhi's location and leaves to locate Isha, who is held at knifepoint by Lisa and attempts to stab Isha, which makes Sathya shoot and kill Lisa, leaving Victor heartbroken.
Victor sneaks into Sathya's house, kills all the officers positioned in Sathya's house, and reveals himself as Hemanika's killer. The duo engages in a bloody fight, where Sathya mortally wounds Victor in the same way Hemanika was killed. Sathya drags a wounded Victor outside and leaves his colleagues to kill him. Isha and Thenmozhi plan out the former's birthday. Thenmozhi promises to be with Isha throughout the day. Before taking Isha home, Sathya reminds Thenmozhi of the pending coffee that Thenmozhi wants to have with Sathya, indicating that Sathya is ready to move on with Thenmozhi.
Anirudh Ravichander had hinted about himself working in the film, but his inclusion remained unconfirmed and ultimately proved to be untrue. Australia-based cinematographer Dan Macarthur was selected to do the film's cinematography. On 29 October 2014, Suresh Chandra, Ajith's agent, confirmed the title for the film to be Yennai Arindhaal ( Well, if you know me...). MGR to the rescue – Chennai . The Hindu (8 March 2015). Retrieved 24 July 2015. The title of the dubbed Telugu version was announced as Entha Vaadu Gani ( No matter how strong the opponent is...) along with a few poster designs on 23 November 2014.
On 18 April 2014, comedian Vivek joined the cast, collaborating with Gautham Menon after the director's first venture Minnale (2001).Seshagiri, Sangeetha (18 April 2014). Bangalore-based Amit Bhargav was selected to play the role of Anushka's beau in the film.Sampath, Parinatha (3 May 2014). Trisha was officially cast as another lead of the film, collaborating with Gautham Menon for the second time after Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010).Karthi, Janani (15 May 2014). Her role was later confirmed as the love interest of Ajith's character. Actor Arun Vijay was chosen to play a supporting role. Ajith's salary was reported to be around for the film.Shankar (20 August 2014). Parvathy Nair was cast in a role paired opposite Arun Vijay, making this film the second she signed in Tamil, after the later-released Uttama Villain. Daniel Balaji played a cameo, thus becoming a part of all films in Gautham Menon's cop trilogy. Nassar made a cameo appearance as the father of Ajith's character.
The second schedule began shooting on 14 May 2014. A lot of nighttime shooting was said to have taken place in the film, especially on Anna Salai. Shooting also took place in Malaysia. Dan Macarthur confirmed that the second schedule was completed by the end of May 2014. A wedlock scene between Ajith and Trisha was canned in the last week of July 2014. Shooting continued in Chennai along the ECR stretch up to the first week of August, during which the portions involving Baby Ankitha were completed. In the second week of August 2014, about 75% of the filming was reported to be completed and a few scenes, including a train sequence, were shot in Hyderabad. A scene featuring Ajith and Trisha and background artists was filmed in a theatre.
Filming moved to Rajasthan where a song sequence was shot in segments in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer for 10 days. A romantic song, "Mazhai Vara Pogudhae", which featured Ajith, was shot in September 2014. Filming then proceeded in Sikkim, where a "lullaby" song sequence featuring Ajith and Baby Ankitha was shot. The final schedule of filming began at Hyderabad again, where filming continued for 15 days. By late November, the shoots of all the songs have been done, and a fight sequence was shot in Binny Mills in Meenambakkam, Chennai. A solo song with Trisha was also completed. In early December, shooting of the climax chase sequence was done in guerrilla filmmaking mode in some busy roads of Chennai without the knowledge of the public. Shooting of the climax fight sequences began on 8 December 2014. A few key scenes were shot at Hyderabad Railway Station in mid-December 2014. Later, a few patchwork scenes were shot at Chennai for three days with which principal photography came to an end.
The film was shot entirely on the Arri Alexa "சினிமாவின் தீவிர காதலர்கள்... இந்தியர்கள் : என்னை அறிந்தால்... ஒளிப்பதிவாளர் டான் மெகார்தர்" . dinamalar.com.
The first teaser trailer was released on 3 December 2014, and gained over 5 lakh views within 12 hours of its release on YouTube. "Ajith's 'Yennai Arindhaal' Teaser: Dhanush, Simbu and Other Celebrities Tweet about Video" . International Business Times. 4 December 2014. The teaser received over 15,000 likes in YouTube, the highest number of likes for a South Indian film, in just over a day. The teaser later went on to cross 55,000 likes in three days. The teaser became the most-liked Indian film teaser, which was previously held by Bang Bang! with 61,429 likes at that time. The teaser has crossed five million views on YouTube, becoming the second South Indian film after 'I' to cross this mark, and has received a 92,000 plus likes so far. "After 'I', it's Yennai Arindhaal" . behindwoods.com. 25 January 2015 The official trailer was released on the New Year's Day on 1 January 2015.
In March 2015, the website Herotalkies.com (VS Ecommerce Ventures) legally released Yennai Arindhaal online in Full HD 1080p with English subtitles, but only for audiences who live outside India. Yennai Arindhaal released online – Chennai . The Hindu (17 March 2015). Retrieved 2016-04-28.
Karthik of CNN-IBN gave 4/5 stars and stated "Ajith as the cop, the gangster, the father, and the lover will win you over". M. Suganth of The Times of India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "It does seem less punchy than Kaakha Kaakha and Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, but the film belongs to Ajith, and the star is in such fine form here". IANS gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Despite some tonal and length issues, Gautham impresses mostly in Yennai Arindhaal and gives this tale of a police officer a much need emotional tug". "'Yennai Arindhaal': Human drama beneath policeman's story" . The Indian Express. 6 February 2015.
Karthik Subramanian of The Hindu wrote "Performances lift an otherwise predicatable fare from Gautam Vasudev Menon". Sudhir Srinivasan of The Hindu wrote "A rushed climax, a problematic organ trafficking angle, a repeated plot device, a predictable ending… and yet Yennai Arindhaal comes as a breath of fresh air...There's just that one thin line that stops it from being terrific".Srinivasan, Sudhir (5 February 2015). "'Yennai Arindhaal': A thin line stops it from being terrific" . The Hindu.
Sify gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Watch Yennai Arindhaal for Ajith’s majestic screen presence and the underlying emotional current". Rediff gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "The backdrop of Yennai Arindhaal is new and the plot is engaging, but the characters, the situation, and even the dialogues are reminiscences of director Gautham Menon's previous cop films".
Themes and influences
Music
Marketing
Release
Theatrical
Home media
Reception
Critical response
Accolades
2016 IBNLive Movie Awards Best Actor (South) Ajith Kumar 18 June 2016 Filmfare Awards South Best Actor – Tamil Ajith Kumar Best Supporting Actor – Tamil Arun Vijay Best Supporting Actress – Tamil Parvatii Nair Best Music Director – Tamil Harris Jayaraj Best Lyricist – Tamil Thamarai ("Unakenna Venum Sollu") 30 June & 1 July 2016 South Indian International Movie Awards Best Director – Tamil Gautham Vasudev Menon Best Actor in a Negative Role – Tamil Arun Vijay Best Music Director – Tamil Harris Jayaraj Best Lyricist – Tamil Thamarai ("Unakenna Vaenum Sollu") Best Playback Singer Male – Tamil Benny Dayal ("Unakenna Vaenum Sollu") Best Playback Singer Female – Tamil Chinmayi Sripada ("Idhayathai Yedho Ondru")
Other versions
Legacy
Sequel
Footnotes
External links
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