Karnan is indeed a Tamil-language action movie directed by Mari Selvaraj and produced by Kalaipuli S. Thanu that was released in India in 2021. Dhanush, Lal, Yogi Babu, Natarajan Subramaniam, and Rajisha Vijayan appear in the movie (in her Tamil debut). Santhosh Narayanan wrote the soundtrack, Theni Eswar managed the cinematography, and Selva R. K. edited the movie. The movie portrays the eponymous protagonist Karnan, who comes from such a traditional family and fights for his people’s rights. It really is loosely based upon that 1995 Kodiyankulam caste conflict.
The movie was released in January 2020, following a brief pre-production period, with both the title Karnan also revealed. The majority of the movies took place in rural areas Thoothukudi area. Following the release, the movie was made and finished in December 2020, despite the fact that production was postponed due to the COVID-19 epidemic. It received strong critical reviews upon its theatrical debut on April 9, 2021, with acclaim for the plot, casting, setting, director, performances, and key technological components of the picture. It had been one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2021, despite the fact that its theatre run was cut short due to COVID-19 pandemic limitations. Karnan was rated one of the greatest Tamil films of 2021 by publications such as The Indian Express.
Melur and Podiyankulam, two neighbouring villages in southern Tamil Nadu, are at odds because the latter is refused a bus stop. Residents of Podiyankulam who belong to oppressed communities are compelled to commute to Melur’s bus station, which irritates the residents who belong to the dominant castes. Podiyankulam has consistently refused a bus stop, despite repeated requests, due to Melur’s municipal government’s influence.
In 1997, Karnan of Podiyankulam wins the sword of the local god in a competition that had been going on for years. He attends an open Reserve Police selection camp a few weeks later. Karnan’s grandpa, Yaema Raja, is constantly in search of him, fearful that he will lose his chance to enter the government service if his rashness gets him into legal problems with the Melur people. Karnan and Yaeman are considered rowdy by many in Podiyankulam, save by its leader Duryodhanan, who likes them both. Vadamaalaiyan, one of the village’s leaders, is enraged by this since he wants to marry Karnan’s younger sister, Padmini.
Draupadhi, Vadamaalaiyan’s sister and Karnan’s girlfriend, misreads the circumstances after the latter’s altercation with her brother and splits up with him. However, tensions among Melur and Podiyankulam rise when Karnan, his pals, and Yaema Raja vandalise a bus for failing to stop to assist a pregnant woman. The bus driver files a police report, and Kannabiran, the district’s Superintendent of Police, arrives upon that scene. Kannabiran, although being an IPS officer, believes that caste dominance is natural and acceptable, that he adheres to Melur’s dominant group.
Though the dispute between the bus driver and the inhabitants of Podiyankulam is resolved amicably, the episode damages Kannabiran’s ego, who believes that the villagers must constantly be put in their place.
He invites the village chiefs of Podiyankulam to sign a document at the Area police station, only to severely attack them for an hour and imprison them overnight. He angrily abuses them and directs local cops to pursue irrelevant charges against them. Karnan and others come to the Station early the next morning to inquire about the elders. The cops act as though they don’t know what they’re doing and send them on their way. Karnan storms into the Station when the young kid at the tea store outside tells him about the previous night’s events. The gang fights off the cops, locates the seniors on a rooftop inside the scorching heat, and transports them home on a seized tractor. To deal with the ramifications of Karnan’s actions, Podiyankulam barricades itself and prepares for a police invasion. Kannabiran, on the other hand, is warned by the District Collector to avoid casualties at all costs.
Draupadhi and Vadamaalaiyan resolve their differences with Karnan, while Yaema Raja strives to keep the villagers safe. Karnan, on the other hand, receives his CRPF appointment letter. He refuses to go, but Yaema Raja and the villagers compel him to leave in order for him to have a better future. The cops assault the community violently minutes after Karnan has left. Yaema Raja self-immolates to rescue his village, and Karnan is compelled to rejoin with the sword in his hands.
He and Kannabiran confront each other, and he uses the sword to trap him. He holds him captive inside a cabin, putting a stop to the fight. Within an hour, Karnan instructs the police to bring in the MP, MLA, and other important personnel. Kannabiran and Karnan battle within the hut, with Karnan eventually defeating Kannabiran. Kannabiran displays his caste pride once more, predicting that Karnan’s hamlet will be destroyed soon as a result of his deeds. Karnan, enraged to the point of decapitation, arrests Kannabiran.
After ten years in prison, Karnan gets freed. Padmini is married, as well as the village of Podiyankulam does have a bus station, several of the village youths now are educated, however, most of the older village heads have died as a result of medical problems created by the police brutality, Padmini is married, as well as the village’s community centre does have a picture of Yaema Raja painted on a large wall. Karnan’s homecoming is being welcomed by the locals.
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