Vithagan

Rowdran (R. Parthiban) is an upright cop who is fighting not only the scums of the society but also his seniors who are hand-in-glove with the goondas. For this, he takes law into his hands and goes on an unstoppable killing spree wiping out the wanted criminals in police files, one by one in carefully planned operations.

But soon, the film goes from a legitimate thriller to a typical revenge drama without much warning. In a flashback, we are told that our orphan cop had a picture-perfect family which was wiped out by Badri (Milind Soman). And now to bring the don back from a foreign destination and take revenge, Rowdran who is put behind bars turns a goonda and joins Sena (another don) and takes on Badri.

{{Cast listing|

• R. Parthiban as ACP Rowdhran
• Poorna as Mercy
• Milind Soman as Badri
• Ravishankar as Sena
• Vincent Asokan as Vishwa
• L. Raja as DC Gopal
• Lakshmi Ramakrishnan
• Mohan Natarajan
• M. J. Shriram
• Singamuthu
• Mahanadhi Shankar
• Sampath Ram
• Krishnamoorthy
• Raaki Parthiban (Special appearance)

}}

Two years after his last venture Pachchak Kuthira bombed at the box office, Parthiban commenced his next directorial titled as Vithagan in 2008, while also playing the lead role in the film - that of an intelligent assistant commissioner who is "crooked and cunning at the same time".{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-02/news-interviews/28162165_1_quality-films-vithagan-poorna |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104064831/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-02/news-interviews/28162165_1_quality-films-vithagan-poorna |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-04 |title=Parthiban's one man show |date=2009-05-02 |work=The Times of India |access-date=2011-11-03}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/07/25/stories/2008072550411600.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080728071313/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/07/25/stories/2008072550411600.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-07-28 |title=Cinema Plus / Columns : Grillmill - R. PARTHEPAN |work=The Hindu |date=2008-07-25 |access-date=2011-11-03}} He added that he would have two different looks in the film.{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/oct-09-04/vithagan-parthiban-aayirathil-oruvan-21-10-09.html |title=Parthiban talks about Viththagan - Tamil Movie News - Parthiban | Viththagan | Poorna | Aayirathil Oruvan |website=Behindwoods.com |date=2009-10-21 |access-date=2011-11-03}} Poorna was selected to portray the female lead as a Christian girl named Mercy. Hindi character actor Milind Soman, who was last seen in Paiyaa was finalized for the main antagonist role.{{cite web|author=Super Admin |url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/tamil/news/2009/milind-soman-villain-vithagan-070509.html |title=Milind Soman, the baddie is back |publisher=Oneindia.in |date=2009-05-07 |access-date=2011-11-03}} In October 2010, reports claimed that director-producer Gautham Vasudev Menon would provide his voice for Milind Soman.{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/oct-10-05/gautham-menon-vithagan-27-10-10.html |title=Gautham Menon's role in Vithagan - Gautham Menon - Vithagan - Parthiban - Tamil Movie News |website=Behindwoods.com |date=2010-10-27 |access-date=2011-11-03}} Parthiban's son Radhakrishnan (Raaki) would appear in a one-minute cameo role during a song sequence.{{cite web|author=S. R. Ashok Kuma |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article2579866.ece |title=Arts / Cinema : Audio Beat - Medley of emotions |work=The Hindu |date=2011-10-29 |access-date=2011-11-03}}{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/68078.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924115050/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/68078.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 September 2015 |title=Parthiban's son turns photographer - Bollywood Movie News |website=IndiaGlitz |access-date=2011-11-03}} Vadivelu was supposedly considered for a comedy role in the film,{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-12-21/news-interviews/27934361_1_comic-act-vadivelu-parthiban |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707143147/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-12-21/news-interviews/27934361_1_comic-act-vadivelu-parthiban |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-07 |title=Getting even? |work=The Times of India |date=2008-12-21 |access-date=2011-11-03}} which did not materialize eventually. While Joshua Sridhar was roped in to compose the film's score, M. S. Prabhu was signed as the cinematographer and Nalini Sriram as the costume designer. A bungalow set was constructed in an 18-storey building in Chennai as well as a helipad where the climax fight sequence was to be filmed.{{cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news-1/july-09-04/parthiban-20-07-09.html |title=What's happening at Parthiban's bungalow? - Behindwoods.com - Tamil Movie News - Vithagan Parthiban Seventh Channel Manicam Narayanan |website=Behindwoods.com |date=2009-07-20 |access-date=2011-11-03}} Parts of the film were shot in Vienna, Austria and the Czech Republic.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/67704.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601083725/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/67704.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 June 2015 |title='Vithagan' in Vienna - Bollywood Movie News |website=IndiaGlitz |access-date=2011-11-03}}

Soundtrack was composed by Joshua Sridhar and lyrics for all songs written by Parthiban.{{Cite web|url=https://www.moviecrow.com/movie/492/vithagan/songs|title = Vithagan Tamil Movie - Music}}

• Gappu Aappu - Benny Dayal
• Ikkuthe - Hariharan, Shreya Ghoshal
• Thanana - Swetha Mohan
• Un Zone La - Sayanora Philips, Suchitra
• Kadalirandu - Chinmayi
• Vegamaai - Benny Dayal, Sunitha Sarathy

Rohit Ramachandran of Nowrunning rated it 1.5/5 stating that "The experience feels like chewing on coarse, indigestible cud."{{cite web|author=${FullName} |url=http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/6597/tamil/vithagan/3431/review.htm |title=Vithagan Review - Tamil Movie Review by Rohit Ramachandran |publisher=Nowrunning.com |date=2011-11-18 |access-date=2012-11-09}}

Pavithra Srinivasan of rediff rated it 1.5/5 stating that "Vithgan is a silly movie."{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/south-review-vithagan-is-silly/20111118.htm |title=Review: Vithagan is silly - Rediff.com Movies |work=Rediff.com |date=2011-11-18 |access-date=2012-11-09}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.filmics.com/Tamil-Movie-Reviews-In-English/vithagan-movie-review.html Vithagan Movie Review]
• {{IMDb title|tt4339098}}

{{R. Parthiepan}}

Category:2011 films

Category:2010s Tamil-language films

Category:Fictional portrayals of the Tamil Nadu Police

Category:Films shot in Vienna

Category:Films shot in the Czech Republic

Category:Films scored by Joshua Sridhar

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