Kabali


Kabali is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by Pa. Ranjith and produced by Kalaipuli S. Thanu under V Creations. The film stars Rajinikanth, Winston Chao, Radhika Apte, Sai Dhanshika, Kishore, Dinesh Ravi, Kalaiyarasan, John Vijay, Rosyam Nor, Nassar and Mime Gopi. In the film, Kabali, an aged gangster released from prison, sets out to exact revenge on his rivals while searching for his wife Kumudhavalli and daughter Yogitha who were presumed dead.
Principal photography for the film commenced on 21 August 2015 in Chennai. While filming mostly occurred in Malaysia, some scenes were shot in Bangkok and Hong Kong, with shoot being completed in February 2016. The music was composed by Santhosh Narayanan, while cinematography and editing were handled by Murali G., and Praveen K. L.
Kabali was released worldwide on 22 July 2016, in Tamil, and dubbed versions in Telugu and Hindi, with a premiere held in Malaysia on 21 July 2016, a day before its actual release. The film was released in Malay language on 29 July 2016.
Kabali became the first Indian film to be officially released in Thailand, marking a significant milestone for Indian cinema’s theatrical presence in the country.
At the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards, the film was nominated for five categories, winning all of them. The film received two awards out of eight nominations at the 64th Filmfare Awards South, with one for Best Supporting Actress. The film received eight nominations at the IIFA Utsavam 2017, winning one of them. The film won five awards, at the Edison Awards, and two nominations at the 6th South Indian International Movie Awards.

Plot

A Kuala Lumpur–based gangster Kabaleeswaran alias Kabali is released after spending 25 years in prison on a false charge of starting a massacre at a local temple that killed many, including his wife Kumudhavalli. His opposite gang group '43' consists of 4 people: Tony Lee, a Malaysian gangster; Veerasekaran alias Veera, the second head of the gang; Loganathan alias Loga, the main drug supplier and Seeni, who is the main money launderer. Kabali soon reunites with his old gang mate Ameer, where he also confronts Seeni and injures him badly.
Loga encounters Kabali and tells him that if his wife was alive, Veera would have sold her for prostitution, Kabali became enraged and drives his car on Loga, killing him. However, this incident makes Kabali think that Kumudha may be still alive. Later, Kabali survives an assassination attempt by Tamizh Kumaran alias Kumaran, whose father Tamilmaaran was killed by Kabali when Kumaran was a young child, he also met Kabali on the day he released. The next day, at a function organised by the Free Life Foundation School, a school started by Kabali and his friend Ameer to reform youngsters involved in criminal activities, Tamizh Kumaran also works there as a teacher. There, Kabali talks about his past and mentions how the Tamil community in general have the "Crabs in the bucket mentality" which was the reason to his downfall.
Past: Kabali was the protege of Tamilmaaran's father Tamilnesan, a gangster who fought for the rights of Tamil Malaysians. Tamilnesan was killed by Veera who was a member of his gang who disliked his rules such as not involving in illegal activities. There were also his gang friends, Tony Lee, Velu and Loga. Following Tamilnesan's death, Kabali took charge of Tamilnesan's gang. Veera provoked Tamilmaaran by telling him that he, being Tamilnesan's son, should lead the gang and not Kabali. He immediately opposed, but relented where Tamilmaaran invited Kabali and a pregnant Kumudha for a temple function in Madurai as forgiveness. However, this was revealed to be a trap as Veera and his men confronted Kabali and Kumudha at the function. In the ensuing scuffle, Kabali was brutally attacked while Kumudha was shot and seemingly killed by Tony Lee. Kabali then killed Tamilmaaran for his betrayal in front of a young Kumaran and was soon arrested on a false charge of instigating the massacre.
Present: Kumaran, after hearing Kabali's speech, realises his mistake and apologises to him. He tells him that Velu, who was present at the temple massacre, is aware of what happened to Kumudha. Kabali then leaves for Thailand, where Velu is residing. On confronting Velu, he learns that his daughter is still alive. At this juncture, Kabali is confronted by Yogi, a contract killer hired by Veera and Tony Lee. Yogi instead kills Seeni and his men who had come with her to kill Kabali, and reveals herself as Kabali's daughter, who had been raised by Velu. On that night, Tony Lee's henchman shot Kabali and was taken to the hospital. When Kabali recovers, he calls Tony Lee giving him a heads up that he is coming back to hunt him. Yogi tells Kabali that Kumudha is still alive and is living with a French family in Puducherry. Kabali, Yogi and others leave for Puducherry, where, after several days of searching, they reunite with Kumudha.
While in Puducherry, Kabali and his family are attacked by men sent by Tony. However, Kabali and Yogi fight them off and escape safely with Kumudha. Kabali and his family soon return to Kuala Lumpur, where he is told that Ameer has been severely injured in a car accident set up by Tony; his henchman Jeeva was brutally chopped to pieces after refusing to join Gang 43; they also had destroyed the Free Life Foundation School and started to control the Kuala Lumpur underworld, eliminating any gang who dared to oppose them. On hearing all this, Kabali decides to finish Veera and Tony. He and his family attend the 100th birthday party for a respected Malaysian don Ang Lee. At the party, Kabali destroys the Gang 43's activities by providing a tip to the police. After this, Kabali kills Veera and instigates a gangwar where he, Yogi and Kumaran massacre Tony's gang. Eventually Kabali corners Tony and guns him down.
Some months later, Kabali, Kumudha, Kumaran, and Yogi attend a function organised by the Free Life Foundation. One of the Free Life alumni, a youngster named Tiger, who is known to be aggressive and reckless, walks up to Kabali, with scenes showing him speaking to the police prior to the function. The screen cuts to black, and the sound of a gun clicking and a gunshot afterwards is heard.

Cast

  • Rajinikanth as Kabaleeswaran, the head of the Malaysian Gangster group '00'.
  • Winston Chao as Tony Lee, head of Gang '43', and Kabali's enemy
  • Radhika Apte as Kumudhavalli Kabaleeswaran, Kabali's wife and Yogi's mother
  • Dhansika as Yogitha Kabaleeswaran, Kabali's and Kumudha's daughter, who is a contract killer in Thailand.
  • Kishore as Veerasekaran, the second head of '43'
  • Dinesh as Jeeva, Kabali's gang member.
  • Kalaiyarasan as Tamizh Kumaran, Tamilnesan's grandson and Tamilmaaran's son. He is a teacher in Kabali's school.
  • John Vijay as Ameer, Kabali's sidekick/trusted aide.
  • Rosyam Nor as Pak Bacak, Tony's sidekick
  • Nassar as Tamizh Nesan, the founder of '00' to protect Malaysian Tamizhans
  • Riythvika as Meena, a drug-addicted girl who joins Kabali's school to stay safe from drugs. Later, Kabali adopts her as his daughter.
  • Sangili Murugan as Palace Owner
  • Charles Vinoth as Tamizh Maaran, Tamizha Nesan's son and Kabali's best friend.
  • Mime Gopi as Loganathan, '43' second main member to do drug supply.
  • R. Amarendran as Velu
  • Lijeesh as Seeni, '43' main member to do money laundry.
  • Vanessa Cruez as Singari
  • Visvanth as Jai
  • Hari Krishnan as Tiger, a school student who encounters Kabali in the end.
  • Gajaraj as Marthandam, Kabali's teammate in young, but later works for Gang '43'.
  • Sampath Ram as Sampath, Kabali's teammate.
  • Rama as Mallika
  • Uday Mahesh as Durai
  • Gabriella Sellus
  • Nandakumar as Anbu
  • Ramesh Thilak as a Malaysian Tamil
  • Soundarya Bala Nandakumar as Pub Singer in "Thendral Vanthu" song
  • Darkkey Nagaraja as a singer in "Ulagam Oruvanukka" song
  • Norman Hakim as Tony Lee's bodyguard
  • Yank Kassim as Malaysian Thug
  • Zack Taipan as Malaysian Thug

    Production

Pre Production

In March 2015, Rajinikanth was reported to sign his next film with A. R. Murugadoss and backed by V. Ravichandran of Aascar Films; the project was reported to be put on hold until Rajinikanth's issue with the distributors over the financial losses of his film Lingaa, being sorted out. However, the project failed to materialise, citing Ravichandran's bankruptcy. Rajnikanth discussed the idea of remaking Drishyam, in Tamil, with producer Kalaipuli S. Thanu. But the latter was not interested in the remake. In January 2016, Gautham Vasudev Menon narrated the script of Dhruva Natchathiram to producer Thanu, who set up a meeting for Menon to discuss the script with Rajinikanth. The actor liked the idea of the film, but later turned down the offer, citing his age. Rajinikanth had been impressed with Pa. Ranjith's work in Madras and subsequently Rajinikanth's daughter, Soundarya asked Ranjith to work on a script for her father.

Development

In June 2015, director Pa. Ranjith announced his third directorial venture, which would follow his previous two films Attakathi and Madras, with Rajinikanth, via Twitter, and Thanu was announced to bankroll the project. Kabali would make Rajinikanth's first film with a novel director, for the first time, since his collaboration with S. Shankar in 2007, with Sivaji. In an interview with IndiaGlitz, producer S. Thanu revealed that Rajinikanth had personally asked him to produce the Ranjith-directed film. The producer's commercially successful Bairavi was Rajinikanth's first lead role film and the two had not collaborated since. It was speculated that Rajinikanth's role would be based on a real-life mob boss from Chennai. Santhosh Narayanan was confirmed as the film's music composer, continuing his partnership with Ranjith after the latter's previous two films. Ranjith also retained G. Murali, the cinematographer of Madras.
On 17 August 2015, Ranjith announced the title of the film to be Kabali and that Rajinikanth would play the role of Kabaliswaran. The makers of the film had earlier considered using title Kaali, which was the title of Rajinikanth's 1980 film. As that film did not do well in the Tamil Nadu box office at the time, the makers passed on using it for the new film. Another title, Kannabhiran, was also considered but it was later found that the title's rights were already held by director Ameer Sultan for a future film.