''Krodham'' () is 1982 Indian
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
-language
crime thriller film
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
, directed by
A. Jagannathan
A. Jagannathan (26 November 19357 October 2012) was an Indian film director who worked in the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi film industries and he was introduced by R.M. Veerappan in his Sathya Movies banner for Manipayal. He directed nearly ...
. The screenplay and story were written by
Prem Menon
Prem Menon (born 28 July 1952) is a prominent media personality, businessman and philanthropist based in Chennai. Prem was the Vice President of India's first regional television channel Asianet in 1992. He also served as the Business Head of ...
and dialogue written by K. Rangarajan respectively. Music was by
Shankar–Ganesh
Shankar–Ganesh is an Indian music director duo who has worked on Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada movies for around 50 years.
Career
They started as assistants to Tamil music composers M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy in 1964 an ...
. The film stars Prem Menon,
Rani Padmini
Padmini, also known as Padmavati, was a 13th–14th century Rani (queen) of the Mewar kingdom of present-day India. Several medieval texts mention her, although these versions are disparate and many modern historians question the extent of o ...
and
S. A. Ashokan. Inspired by the American film ''
Death Wish'' (1974), it revolves around a man who becomes a ruthless vigilante after his wife is murdered by street punks, after which he randomly goes out and kills would-be muggers on the streets after dark. In 2000, Prem Menon acted and directed the sequel to this film ''
Krodham 2
''Krodham 2'' () is a 2000 Indian Tamil language thriller film, produced, written and directed by Prem Menon. The film stars Prem Menon himself, alongside Radhika Chaudhari and Khushbu, while Nassar and Mansoor Ali Khan portray supporting rol ...
''.
Plot
Prem is an architect living in
Madras with his wife Indhu and sister Subha and her husband Siva. The film begins with scenes of a recent outing Prem and their family and had taken to a restaurant. One day, Indhu and Subha are followed from a
shopping mall
A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a North American term for a large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores. The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it (that is, the term was used to refe ...
by two thugs who invade the house posing as delivery men. They fatally injure Indhu and sexually assault Subha.
After his wife's funeral in Madras and shortly following his return to work. Prem's boss gives him an extended business vacation, and he flies to
Mysore district
Mysore district, officially Mysuru district is an administrative district located in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mysore division.Chamarajanagar District was carved out of the origi ...
,
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
to meet a client, Kavitha, and his father. While working in the Mysore district, Prem witnesses a mock gunfight at
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
, a reconstructed western frontier town used as a movie set. A few days later, while he is working late at the office, Prem is invited to dinner by Kavitha's father at his gun club. At the gun club, Kavitha's father is impressed when Prem shoots with accuracy at the targets. Prem had been taught to handle firearms at a young age by his father, who was a hunter, but after his father was killed in a hunting accident, Prem decided to swear on his mother never to use guns again. After Prem makes improvements to Kavitha's father's plans for a residential development, a thoroughly pleased Kavitha drives Prem back to the Mysore district airport with a gift, which he places into Prem's checked luggage.
Back in Madras city, Prem learns from Siva that his sister is severely depressed from the trauma of the assault. Prem visits his sister, who is now catatonic, at the hospital. Heartbroken, Prem and his brother-in-law have his sister committed to a mental hospital in Brooklyn, United States for intensive treatment. Late upon his return to Madras city, he opens his suitcase and discovers that Kavitha's father's gift was a nickel-plated .32 Colt Police positive revolver, places it into his overcoat, and takes a late night stroll. Prem encounters a mugger, an ex-convict, who attempts to rob two women at knife-point. Prem shoots the mugger with the revolver Kavitha's father had given him.
Shocked that he just killed a human being, Prem runs home and throws up. But motivated by his desire for revenge, he continues to walk the city streets at night, looking for violent criminals. The following night, Prem deliberately walks through the city in order to invite an attack. He guns down three muggers who are robbing a defenceless old man in an alley. A few nights later, two muggers see Prem on a subway. They attempt to rob him at knife-point, but Prem shoots them both with his revolver.
On another night, Prem sits as bait in a sleazy restaurant coffee shop surrounded by prostitutes and assorted street people. He pays his bill to the cashier, purposely revealing a wallet full of cash. He leaves, followed by two thugs, who have taken the bait. Yet again, a robbery attempt is made. Prem shoots one, but the other manages to stab him in his shoulder. As a wounded Prem stumbles off, the one who stabbed him runs away, but he is mortally shot, later dying at a hospital.
Inspector Prasad investigates the vigilante killings. His department narrows it down to a list of men who have had a family members recently killed by muggers and who are
war veterans
A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military.
A military veteran that h ...
. The public, meanwhile, is happy that somebody is doing something about crime. Prasad soon suspects Prem. He is about to make an arrest when the district Madras intervenes and tells Prasad to "let him loose in another city instead". The D. A. and the police commissioner do not want the fact to get out that street crimes in Madras city have dropped dramatically, since Prem has become a vigilante. And they fear that if he isn't stopped, the whole city will explode into anarchy. Prasad doesn't like the idea, but relents, and Prasad says that he will try to "Scare him off".
Prem shoots two muggers on the stairs before being wounded by a third mugger with a
M1911A1
The M1911 (Colt 1911 or Colt Government) is a single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The pistol's formal U.S. military designation as of 1940 was ''Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911'' for the ...
pistol at a warehouse. His gun is discovered by a young patrolman who hands it to Inspector Prasad, who tells him to forget that he even saw it and additionally tells the press that the wounded Prem is just another mugging victim. Hospitalised, Prem is ordered by Prasad to leave Madras city permanently. Prasad tells Prem to have his company transfer him to another city in exchange. Prasad will dispose of Prem's revolver. As Prasad walks out of Prem's hospital room, Prem replies, "By sundown?"
Prem arrives in
Egmore Railway Station
Chennai Egmore, formerly known as Madras Egmore, also known as Chennai Elumbur (station code: MS), is a railway station in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Situated in the neighborhood of Egmore, it is one of the four intercity railway terminals in t ...
by train. Being greeted by a company representative, he notices a group of
hoodlums
A hoodlum is a thug, usually in a group of misfits who are associated with crime or theft.
Early use
The earliest reference to the word "hoodlum" was in the December 14, 1866, ''San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin'' after the Hoodlum Band was ...
harassing a young woman. He excuses himself and helps the woman. The hoodlums make obscene gestures, but Prem points his right hand like a gun and smiles, suggesting that his vigilantism will continue.
Cast
*
Prem Menon
Prem Menon (born 28 July 1952) is a prominent media personality, businessman and philanthropist based in Chennai. Prem was the Vice President of India's first regional television channel Asianet in 1992. He also served as the Business Head of ...
as Prem
*
Rani Padmini
Padmini, also known as Padmavati, was a 13th–14th century Rani (queen) of the Mewar kingdom of present-day India. Several medieval texts mention her, although these versions are disparate and many modern historians question the extent of o ...
as Kavitha
*
S. A. Ashokan as Inspector Prasad
* Anjali as Indhu, Prem's first wife
*
K. A. Thangavelu as Kavitha's Father
*
Sridhar as Siva, Prem's brother-in-law
*
Chithra
Krishnan Nair Shantakumari Chithra (born 27 July 1963), always credited as K. S. Chithra or Chithra, is an Indian playback singer and Carnatic musician. In a career spanning over four decades, she has recorded over 25,000 songs in various I ...
as Subha, Prem's Sister & Siva's Wife
*
Loose Mohan
Arumugam Mohanasundaram (8 February 1928 – 16 September 2012), popularly known as Loose Mohan and Raja Gopalakrishnan, was an Indian actor who had acted as a comedian in over 1000 Tamil films. He is credited with popularizing Madras Basha ...
as Vandu, Kavitha's home servant
*
Jayamalini
Jayamalini (or Jaya Malini) is an Indian actress who has acted in more than 500 Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi movies.
Career
She was introduced to Tollywood in 1975 by Vittalacharya in the movie he produced, ''Aadadani Adrustam ...
as Kamala, Fruit seller woman
Soundtrack
Music was by
Shankar–Ganesh
Shankar–Ganesh is an Indian music director duo who has worked on Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada movies for around 50 years.
Career
They started as assistants to Tamil music composers M. S. Viswanathan and T. K. Ramamoorthy in 1964 an ...
and lyrics were written by
Vaali,
Vairamuthu
Vairamuthu Ramasamy (born 13 July 1953) is an Indian lyricist, poet, and novelist working in the Tamil film industry. He is a prominent figure in the Tamil literary world. A master's graduate from the Pachaiyappa's College in Chennai, he first ...
and Udhayanan.
References
External links
*
{{A. Jagannathan
1980s crime action films
1980s crime thriller films
1980s Tamil-language films
1980s vigilante films
1982 action thriller films
1982 films
Fictional portrayals of the Tamil Nadu Police
Fictional vigilantes
Films about rape in India
Films directed by A. Jagannathan
Films scored by Shankar–Ganesh
Films set in 1982
Films set in Chennai
Films shot in Bangalore
Films shot in Chennai
Films shot in Mysore
Indian action thriller films
Indian crime action films
Indian crime thriller films
Indian rape and revenge films
Indian vigilante films