Virumaandi

Dr. Angela Kaatthamutthu -human rights activist and researcher in civil law -is inside the Chennai Central Jail, interviewing for research purposes convicts sentenced to death. She is a staunch advocate of the abolition of capital punishment. The reason for her dedication was the fact that her own father died on the gallows for a crime performed out of compassion for her. The prison is full. Not all were justly sentenced, but most could be generally termed as hardened criminals. The problem is that Dr Kaatthamutthu is a woman and a widow and, to make things even more complicated, she is fairly good looking! Two convicts awaiting capital punishment, Virumaandi (Kamal Haasan himself) and Koththaala Thevar, are case studies in Dr Angela’s research. The two men are sworn enemies and would gladly lay down their respective lives if there were even a remote chance to kill the other. On the fateful day when Dr Angela gets into the jail, a riot is brewing. For those inside, the riots offer many choices: permanent freedom, temporary escape, life or death. For those outside, it’s a nail-biting crisis. This exciting saga has been made in the best traditions of the Indian popular ‘formula’ films, spiced with dance and song sequences, action and romance. The extraordinary film personality Kamal Haasan scripted, produced and directed the film, wrote the lyrics, choreographed some dances and sung his songs himself.