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Sura (film)

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Sura
Release Poster
Directed byS.P. Rajkumar
Written byS. P. Rajkumar
Produced bySangili Murugan
Starring
Cinematography
Edited byDon Max
Music byMani Sharma
Production
company
Distributed bySun Pictures
Release date
  • 30 April 2010 (2010-04-30)
Running time
173 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil
Box officeest.₹20 crore[2][3][4][5]

Sura (transl. Shark) is a 2010 Indian Tamil-language action comedy film written and directed by S. P. Rajkumar, starring Vijay in the title role along with Tamannaah Bhatia, Dev Gill and Vadivelu in supporting roles. The film, produced by Sangili Murugan and distributed by Sun Pictures features film's soundtrack and score was composed by Mani Sharma. Cinematography was handled by N. K. Ekambaram and M. S. Prabhu, respectively and editing was handled by Don Max. The film was the 50th film of Vijay.

Sura follows a merman battling a cruel, greedy and corrupt minister to save land for his merfolks homes. It tracks Sura's journey as he secures the land and foils the minister's plans. It was theatrically released worldwide on 30 April 2010. The film was critically panned and underperformed at the box office, earning about ₹20 crore.[6][7][5] The Indonesian Times cited Vijay's Sura as an Indian Aquaman.[8]

Plot

[edit]

In the picturesque coastal town of Yaazh Nagar, a merfolks hamlet in Tamil Nadu, Sura, a brave and compassionate young merman, grows up with his loyal friend, Ambar La, known affectionately as Umbrella. Sura is known for his good deeds and selflessness in helping his fellow merfolks, earning him admiration and respect from all around.

Meanwhile, a heartbroken young woman named Poornima arrives in Yaazh Nagar, seeking solace after the tragic loss of her beloved pet dog, Ramesh. Overwhelmed with grief and struggling to find purpose, Poornima is drawn to Sura's kindness and finds comfort in his presence. As they spend time together, a genuine connection forms between them, and they fall deeply in love.

Enter Samuthira Raja, a ruthless, corrupt minister with a sinister agenda. Samuthira Raja desires to seize control of Yaazh Nagar's beautiful coastal land to build a grand fairground, exploiting the merfolks' simplicity and innocence for his own gains. He employs every crooked tactic in the book, using his political power to threaten and intimidate the merfolks.

Sura, however, refuses to be bullied into submission. He becomes the voice of resistance and leads the merfolks in fighting back against Samuthira Raja's malicious intentions. In a thrilling series of events, Sura takes on Samuthira Raja's cronies single-handedly, showcasing his intelligence, resourcefulness, and unparalleled bravery. With the support of the merfolks, Sura outsmarts the corrupt minister and saves their homes and livelihoods.

But Samuthira Raja is not one to accept defeat easily. Consumed by his lust for vengeance, he devises a diabolical plan to eliminate Sura once and for all. He plants a deadly bomb in Yaazh Nagar, intending to destroy the entire village and Sura with it. In a heart-stopping confrontation, Samuthira Raja captures Sura, gloating over his impending victory.

However, Sura reveals a startling truth that leaves Samuthira Raja dumbfounded – the chief guest for the hamlet's upcoming inauguration is none other than Samuthira Raja's wife, a compassionate and kind-hearted woman unaware of her husband's evil deeds. This revelation sends shockwaves through Samuthira Raja, questioning his actions and his moral compass.

Faced with a dilemma, Samuthira Raja is torn between his thirst for revenge and the possibility of redemption through his wife's innocence. As the clock ticks, Sura urges Samuthira Raja to choose the path of compassion and forgiveness, to end the cycle of violence and corruption.

In a nail-biting climax, Samuthira Raja plans were destroyed and he was hanged to death by Sura. Sura the merman later jumps in to sea and comes to Yaazh Nagar after saving his merfolk hamlet and marries Poornima.

Cast

[edit]
Uncredited
  • King Kong as a fake policeman
  • Halwa Vasu as Umbrella's sidekick
  • Meesai Rajendran as police inspector
  • Vengal Rao as drummer
  • Soumyan as district collector
Cameo appearance
  • Robert in the song "Naan Nadanthal Athiradi"

Production

[edit]

After the completion of Vettaikaaran (2009), Vijay announced that his 50th film was to be named as Urimaikural named after M. G. Ramachandran starrer of same name but it was titled as Sura.[9][10] Many directors were considered for the 50th film of Vijay:[11][12] Selvaraghavan, S. P. Rajkumar, K. V. Anand, Dharani,[13] Prabhu Deva,[14] Siddique, Mohan Raja,[15][16] R. Madhesh,[17] K. S. Ravikumar[18] and Perarasu.[19] Perarasu was initially selected as director,[20] but later opted out. S. P. Rajkumar, who directed Azhagar Malai (2009) was selected as director. Prior to this, S. P. Rajkumar previously worked in Vijay starrer Once More (1997) as a dialogue writer.[21] In May 2009, Tamannaah Bhatia was confirmed to play a role in the film.[22][23] Originally, Pasupathy was selected to portray the negative role but he was replaced by Dev Gill who appeared in Telugu film Magadheera (2009),[24] after Vijay was impressed by his performance in that film.[25]

The shooting of the film commenced in Kerala in November 2009[26] and was continued in different places in Tamil Nadu like Marakkanam, Villupuram, Mamallapuram, Chennai, Alleppey and Pondicherry.[27] The shoot continued on 21 October and canned a few stunt sequences on the Uppaneri Bridge near Marakkanam Salt Lake. Vijay fought with villain Dev's gang for almost three days. After a three-day gap, the shoot resumed in Prasad Studios and the song "Thanjavur Jillakari" was shot at AVM Productions on 27 October.[28][29] The unit created a slum set at East Coast Road.[30] A song was shot at Ooty.[31] During the shooting, cameraman M. S. Prabhu and Rajakumar had a misunderstanding and he was replaced by N. K. Ekhambharam.[32] Ekambaram reveals that one of the fight sequences, which were shot in the high seas in Tuticorin at 2 am, was choreographed by Kanal Kannan and has stuntmen from Bangkok. Ekambaram says that he has used high speed cameras considering the risks involved in shooting in the seas. The opening song has been pictured in a scenic location in Dhanushkodi.[33]

Music

[edit]
Sura
Soundtrack album by
Mani Sharma
Released29 March 2010 (2010-03-29)
Recorded2010
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length28:06
Label
ProducerMani Sharma
Mani Sharma chronology
Maanja Velu
(2010) 		Sura
(2010) 		Varudu
(2010)

The soundtrack of the film, composed by Mani Sharma, was released on 29 March 2010 at Lady Aandal Venkat Subbarao School. The prominent guest list includes Sundar C, Sibi Sathyaraj, Riyaz Khan and Uma Riyaz Khan, Ramanarayanan, K. S. Ravikumar, R. Parthiban, Vadivelu, Sonia Agarwal, Srikanth along with the lead stars of the film and the technical crew.[34] Kabilan revealed that lyrics for all songs from the film were written even before Vettaikaran was released.[35] The album features six songs all of which have been reused from his previous films. "Vetri Kodi Yethu", "Vanga Kadal Ellai", "Siragadikkum Nilavu", "Thamizhan Veera Thamizhan", "Thanjavoor Jillakkari", and "Naan Nadanthal Athiradi" are based on the Telugu songs "Inthe Inthinthe", "Nuvvasalu", "Tagilinadi Rabba", "Hut Hutja", "Bommali" and "My Name Is Billa", respectively.[36][37]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Vetri Kodi Yethu"Vaali, S.P. RajkumarRanjith, Mukesh5:21
2."Siragadikkum Nilavu"SnehanKarthik, Rita Thyagarajan4:27
3."Vanga Kadal Ellai"KabilanNaveen Madhav, Malathy Lakshman4:42
4."Thamizhan Veera Thamizhan"KabilanRahul Nambiar3:44
5."Thanjavoor Jillakkari"Na. MuthukumarHemachandra, Saindhavi5:18
6."Naan Nadanthal Athiradi"KabilanNaveen Madhav, Janani Madhan4:34
Total length:28:06

Release

[edit]

Sura was originally scheduled for release on 23 April 2010, but it was postponed and released on 30 April.[38][39]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

The film received negative reviews from critics.

Pavithra Srinivasan of Rediff.com rated the film 2/5 stars and mentioned, "Give your brains a rest, and enjoy this mass masala entertainer." She also noted that Sura is a milestone film for Tamil actor Vijay, marking his 50th film and his last "mass" movie before transitioning to different script choices. The movie blends typical masala entertainment elements with Vijay's political aspirations, featuring his signature style, dance sequences, and punch dialogues, while serving as a platform for his potential future in Tamil politics.[40] Bhama Devi Ravi of The Times of India gave the film 1.5/5 stars, commenting, "It is yet another Vijay formula film, but you would be wise to leave your logical brain behind at home." She expressed that the film lacks a compelling script and logical coherence, relying heavily on Vijay's screen presence and recycled elements from his previous films. The story revolves around Sura, a fisherman who battles a corrupt minister to protect his village, interspersed with gravity-defying action, political references, and predictable romance.[1] Renju Joseph of News18 India reviewed and wrote, "The first half is tiresome but tolerable however the second half is a fan's sacrifice to his cult hero. The film could be recommended to only very, very hardcore fanatic fans of Vijay. Otherwise don’t even bother to get misled by the posters."[41]

Behindwoods gave the film 1.5/5 stars, stating it is "a usual Vijay fare" and highlighting its lack of variety, repetitive elements, and shortcomings in storytelling and character development, ultimately failing to fully showcase Vijay's talents.[42] Sify gave it 3/5 stars and wrote, "On the whole, [Sura] is a roller coaster ride of pure unadulterated masala." Despite its familiar tropes and predictable narrative, the film succeeds in captivating audiences with Vijay's charismatic performance and a blend of comedy, action, and sentimentality.[43] Ananda Vikatan gave the film a rating of 37 out of 100.[44] Indiaglitz, in their review, highlights it as Vijay's 50th film, set in a coastal Tamil Nadu fishing village, where he plays a good Samaritan who fights a corrupt minister to protect the fisherfolk. Directed by S. P. Rajakumar, the film features romance, humor and action, with strong performances from Vijay, Tamannaah and Vadivelu.[45]

Box office

[edit]

Sura grossed ₹11 crore at the TN box office, $897 thousand (₹4.13 crore[a]) at the Malaysian box office, ₹6 crore at the Kerala box office[5] and €104 thousand (₹63 lakh[b]) at the UK box office.[2][3][4] Producer Sangili Murugan noted that the film merely recouped its budget during its theatrical run.[46]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Calculated using an approximate average exchange rate of 46 INR per USD in 2010
  2. ^ Calculated using an approximate average exchange rate of 60.45 INR per EUR in 2010

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Ravi, Bhama Devi (1 May 2010). "Sura Movie Review {1.5/5}: Critic Review of Sura by Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b "தோல்வியை தழுவிய விஜய்யின் சுறா... வசூல் செய்தது எவ்வளவு தெரியுமா?". News18 தமிழ் (in Tamil). 2 May 2022. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Sura (2010)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Sura tamil Movie". Overview. 29 March 2010. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Sura – 20 Housefull Days In Kerala". KollyInsider - Tamil Cinema, Kollywood Movie News. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  6. ^ "This Day in 2010: Thalapathy Vijay's 50th film 'Sura' released, check out some UNKNOWN FACTS about the film". The Times of India. 30 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  7. ^ K, Janani (31 July 2023). "Tamannaah opens up about Thalapathy Vijay's Sura failure: I knew it while shooting". India Today. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  8. ^ Times, IDN; Triadanti (19 December 2018). "Filmnya Sukses, 11 Meme Aquaman yang Bikin Ngakak Sampai Atit Peyut". IDN Times (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Vijay is 'MGR'!". Sify. 22 July 2008. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
  10. ^ "sura collected more than 1000 crores'Urimai Kural'". Ayngaran International. 17 May 2009. Archived from the original on 26 May 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
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  12. ^ "Vijay's 50th film director finalized?". Behindwoods. 25 June 2009. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  13. ^ Shankar, Sethu (28 January 2009). "Jayam Raja to direct Vijay's 50th Film!". One India. Archived from the original on 9 December 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
  14. ^ "Prabhu Deva directs Vijay's 50th film". Newspaper. Malaysia Nanban. 2009.
  15. ^ "Vijay to revive Kaadhalukku Mariyadhai days". Yahoo! Movies. 29 April 2009. Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
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  20. ^ "Vijay's 50th film may be directed by Perarasu!". Yahoo! Movies. 14 September 2019. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  21. ^ "Rajakumar directs Vijay's 50th film". Ayngaran International. 25 June 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
  22. ^ "Tamannaah on top in Kollywood?". The Times of India. 3 July 2009. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
  23. ^ "Vijay's 50th film: Director Announced". India Glitz. 25 June 2009. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  24. ^ "'Sura' starts the hunt – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 3 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 October 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  25. ^ "Dev Gill – Tamil Movie News – "I have become so close to Vijay" – Sura | Magadheera". Behindwoods.com. 29 April 2010. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  26. ^ "Vijay moves to Marakkanam – Tamil Movie News – Vijay | Tamanna". Behindwoods.com. 19 October 2009. Archived from the original on 18 November 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  27. ^ "Vijay and Tamannah in Pondy – Tamil Movie News – Vijay | Sun Pictures". Behindwoods.com. 6 January 2010. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  28. ^ "Where is Sura? – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 31 October 2009. Archived from the original on 1 November 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  29. ^ "What's cooking with Sura? – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. 13 November 2009. Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  30. ^ "Vijay – a change of producers – Tamil Movie News – Vijay | Jayam Raja". Behindwoods.com. 4 December 2009. Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  31. ^ "Vijay moves to a hotter destination – Tamil Movie News – Vijay | Ramanathapuram". Behindwoods.com. 2 March 2010. Archived from the original on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  32. ^ "Sura's cameraman replaced – Tamil Movie News – Sura | Prabhu". Behindwoods.com. 9 January 2010. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  33. ^ "Sura – Tamil Movie News – The highlight in Sura – Vijay | Cameraman Ekambaram". Behindwoods.com. 8 April 2010. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  34. ^ "Sura audio released – Tamil Movie News – Sura | Tamannah". Behindwoods.com. 30 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  35. ^ "Vijay – Tamil Movie News – Vijay's gold ring gift – Vijay | Vettaikaran". Behindwoods.com. 20 April 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  36. ^ "Sura - Sun Pictures -Mani Sharma Music". Mayyam. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  37. ^ "Review: Sura's music is for Vijay fans". Rediff. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  38. ^ "Sura – Tamil Movie News – Sura's release date – Ilayathalapthi Vijay | Vadivelu". Behindwoods.com. 6 April 2010. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  39. ^ "Sura – Tamil Movie News – Sura release date confirmed – Vijay | Sun TV". Behindwoods.com. 19 April 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  40. ^ "Leave your brains at home and enjoy Sura". Rediff.com. 30 April 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  41. ^ Joseph, Renju (3 May 2010). "REVIEW 2: 'Sura' is a hardcore Vijay film". News18. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  42. ^ "Sura – Tamil Movie Reviews – Sura | Tamannah". Behindwoods.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  43. ^ "Movie Review:Sura". Sify. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  44. ^ சார்லஸ், தேவன் (22 June 2021). "பீஸ்ட் : 'நாளைய தீர்ப்பு' டு 'மாஸ்டர்'... விஜய்க்கு விகடனின் மார்க்கும், விமர்சனமும் என்ன? #Beast". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  45. ^ "Sura review. Sura Tamil movie review, story, rating". IndiaGlitz.com. 30 April 2010. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  46. ^ "Did you know Vijay's 'Sura' director SP Rajkumar was going to team up with Ajith a few years back?". The Times of India. 30 April 2020. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
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