Pudupettai is the finest gangster movie in Tamil cinema. If Aaranya Kaandam is a classic, then Pudupettai is a mass classic.
The film meticulously captures how Kumar, a young boy, transforms into a devil due to the darkness of a city.
From drug trafficking to business murders and political assassinations, the movie portrays a man who rises to become the kingpin of all the city’s vices. Yet, it also shows his long journey of moving away from his cruelty, shedding tears for his child and his enemy’s death, all packed into a three-hour narrative that delivers an experience akin to reading a novel.
When Pudupettai first hit the theaters, my friends and I went in expecting another Selvaraghavan love story. But as the scenes unfolded, it felt like an entirely different kind of cinema.
Having already watched The Godfather and City of God on DVDs, and experienced Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya, Pudupettai felt instantly relatable from the first viewing.
While Satya depicted the underworld of Mumbai, Pudupettai is set in Madras (Chennai). It elevated Tamil cinema to a new level.
As far as gangster movies go, they didn’t originate in Bombay. They began in South India, specifically in Karnataka, centered around Bangalore. Director Upendra and actor Shivarajkumar created Om, a raw depiction of the underworld.
Cities naturally create environments conducive to crime. Local politicians and businessmen need foot soldiers to run these operations, giving rise to mafias. Films like Om and Satya reflect this reality.
However, Pudupettai shows that children growing up in the shadow of crime learn deceit, perversion, and criminality on their own. This is evident in Dhanush’s introductory scene.
Fearing that his father, who killed his mother, might kill him too, Kumar (Dhanush) runs away, resorts to begging, gets caught by the police, and eventually finds refuge with a mafia gang. This is how Kumar, later known as Kokki Kumar, begins his journey.
Unlike Om or Satya, Pudupettai starts here.
Every murder Kumar commits—whether it’s Moorthy’s brother or Anbu for Krishnaveni—is to ensure his survival.
Through his association with Tamilselvan, he evolves into a gangster, cripples Moorthy, and even kills his own father.
When he meets Selvi, his inner depravity surfaces, marking the beginning of his downfall. Her brother Mani reveals all of Kumar’s truths to the police, leading to a rift with Tamilselvan and his eventual decline.
As he stands at the threshold of political power, Kokki Kumar plummets into the abyss. This is the essence of Pudupettai, which is why I call it India’s greatest mafia movie.
Another highlight of Pudupettai is Yuvan Shankar Raja’s background score and Arvind Krishna’s cinematography. Together, they transform the film into an immersive experience of the dark underworld.
Arvind Krishna used a Super 35mm camera for Pudupettai. Unlike regular cameras where background details blur in close-up shots, the Super 35mm keeps both the subject and background crystal clear.
All of Dhanush’s shots were filmed this way, making Pudupettai a technically brilliant film.
Balakumaran’s dialogues and Muthukumar’s lyrics perfectly reflect the characters’ mental states.
Director Selvaraghavan extracted the best from everyone involved. No matter how many times you watch it, Pudupettai tells a new story each time.
Dhanush didn’t kill his father solely for murdering his mother; it was also because his father tortured his stepmother. In a single glance at his father’s house, Dhanush’s character senses her plight.
The film is filled with such profound moments.
On the night of his marriage to Selvi, Dhanush sacrifices Mani, who was like a brother, to a gunshot. Yet, without any remorse, he engages with Sonia and marries Sneha the next day.
Watch the film’s beginning and end, and you’ll understand why Pudupettai is such a remarkable movie.
Pudupettai is an immensely significant film in Tamil cinema.