Naadodigal

Naadodigal (transl. Vagabonds) is a 2009 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by Samuthirakani and produced by S. Michael Rayappan of Global Infotainment. The film stars Sasikumar along with Vijay Vasanth and Bharani, while Ananya and Abhinaya made their debut in Tamil cinema and Malaysia-based Shanthini Deva enacting the lead female roles and Ganja Karuppu playing a pivotal role, providing comical relief. The plot focuses on a trio who attempt to unite their friend with his lover against the wishes of all families involved, and at heavy cost to themselves, only to realise that the lovers separate after a short while.

Cinematography was handled by S. R. Kathir, songs composed and score by Sundar C Babu, editing done by A. L. Ramesh, stunt coordinated by Dhilip Subbarayan, dance choreography Dinesh, produced designed by R. K. Vijay Murugan and lyrics written by Vaali, Na. Muthukumar, Kabilan and Yugabharathi. The film released on 26 June 2009, became a critical and commercial success. The success of the film spawned several remakes and a stand-alone sequel titled Naadodigal 2 (2020).

The film revolves around Karunakaran Natraj (Sasikumar), Paandi (Bharani), and Chandran (Vijay Vasanth). The trio eats, sleeps, and parties together in Rajapalayam. They also have their individual ambitions in life. Karuna is a history graduate and a university rank holder, although his father Natraj (L. Raja) sometimes ridicules the value of his degree, B.A. History, as many colleges do not even offer such a course any more. Despite this, his father, mother, grandmother, and sister Pavithra (Abhinaya) love him dearly and view him as a source of inspiration for their family. Karuna is in love with Nallammal (Ananya), the daughter of a distant relative Sudalai (Gopal). He is madly pursuing a government job because Nallamal's father will agree to the marriage only if he obtains one. Paandi, who is often discriminated at home by his father to appease Pandi's stepmother, is desperate to go abroad and get rich. Chandran, who is working as a software teacher, is committed to start a computer centre and is in love with Pavithra. Chandran's father is a widowed army veteran and is all decent to help his son's love.

All goes well until Saravanan (Ranga), Karuna's childhood friend from Kanyakumari, arrives in town. The son of a former MP and a prominent politician, he is in love with Prabha (Shanthini Devi), the daughter of a rich bigwig Pazhanivelraman (Jayaprakash) in Namakkal. Shocked by Saravana's suicide attempt due to love failure, the trio promises to help him out and unite the two lovers. They set out to Namakkal, where they enlist the help of their friend Maariyappan (Ganja Karuppu).

The trio manages to help the couple get married by abducting the girl while she is visiting the famous anjaneya temple with her family. In an ensuing fracas between the two families, Karuna gets scarred near one of his eyes; Paandi is hit on the ear by a pipe, thereby becoming deaf; and Chandran loses his leg due to an injury by falling under a passing truck. Palanivelraman, on realising who aided his ward escape, sends his goons to attack Karuna's family, which ends with Karuna's grandmother being killed.

During the funeral, the family members have a fight due to Karuna being arrested, hence hindering his ambition of obtaining a government job. Sudalai insults Karuna, angering Natraj and Karuna's mother. Natraj angrily tells him that anything Karuna does will always be correct and that he is proud of Karuna for the man he is. Sudalai questions his daughter's loyalty, as she wants to marry Karuna as well, and she breaks down, and he realises she is still hoping for Karuna to be her husband. Sudalai angrily leaves and says she can have Karuna, but after he is dead, hanging himself from a fan in their house in front of Nallammal and her mother, before being let down by the help of their neighbours. This results in Nallammal being coaxed by her parents to give up on him, and marry a better suitor. Nallammal sadly follows her father's orders to stay away from Karuna and that should she ever be seen speaking to him, she would never see her father alive again.

The three friends end up being put in jail and getting entangled in a kidnapping case. However, they are released as time goes by. After slowly experiencing hell upon return to their native town, they begin working alongside a local wedding food caterer and eventually begin to adjust to their new lifestyle.

Pandi leaves his house, and even though his father insults him publicly, Pandi cannot hear anything being said. After being hit by his father, Pandi tells him that he always loved him, but he could not the son his father wanted to be. Pandi's father realises his selfishness and feels saddened at this and tries to call Pandi back, but Pandi cannot hear him and simply walks away despite his father's cries to come back home.