{{Short description|2016 Indian Tamil action-mystery film by Prasath Murugesan}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox film | image = Kidaari.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Prasath Murugesan | producer = Sasikumar | writer = Prasath Murugesan | starring = Sasikumar<br />Nikhila Vimal<br />Napoleon<br />Vela Ramamoorthy | music = Darbuka Siva | cinematography = S. R. Kathir | editing = Praveen Antony | studio = Company Productions | distributor = | released = {{film date|df=y|2016|9|2}} | runtime = 131 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil | budget = <!--Must be attributed to a reliable published source with an established reputation for fact-checking. No blogs, no IMDb.--> | gross = <!--Must be attributed to a reliable published source with an established reputation for fact-checking. No blogs, no IMDb.--> }}
'''''Kidaari''''' ({{translation|The rough man}}){{efn|"Kidaari" has different meanings and interpretations in different regions of Tamil Nadu, but means a short-tempered "rough guy" in Sattur, where the story is set.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Subhakeerthana |first=S |date=23 Aug 2016 |title=Sasikumar is content with village-based movies |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2016/Aug/23/sasikumar-is-content-with-village-based-movies-1512161.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260417141215/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2016/Aug/23/sasikumar-is-content-with-village-based-movies-1512161.html |archive-date=2026-04-17 |access-date=2026-04-22 |work=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>}} is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language mystery action thriller film written and directed by Prasath Murugesan, starring Sasikumar and Nikhila Vimal in the lead roles. The film, which is also produced by Sasikumar, features Napoleon, Vela Ramamoorthy, Suja Varunee, O. A. K. Sundar, and Hareesh Peradi in supporting roles. Darbuka Siva composed the music, while S. R. Kathir handled the cinematography and Praveen Anthony handled the editing. The film was released on 2 September 2016.
== Plot == In Sattur town, Kombaiah Pandian (Vela Ramamoorthy) is the local don and controls the entire town. Kidaari (Sasikumar) is Kombaiah's loyal henchman who is ready to sacrifice his life for the sake of his boss. One day, Kombaiah is stabbed in his neck by someone, and the news comes as a shock to the entire town. Now, Kidaari sets stage to find the culprit behind the assault and lists out all the suspects. The movie goes into flashback mode, frequently detailing the rivalry between Kombaiah and each suspect. Finally, Kidaari finds out that Kombaiah's brother in-law and close aide, Kombaiah's friend (Mu Ramaswamy), was responsible for the assault. Kombaiah's friend admits that Kombaiah was stabbed accidentally when he tried to safeguard himself from Kombaiah. A flashback is shown detailing the rivalry between Kombaiah and his own son Nambi (Vasumithra).
The only daughter of Kombaiah's friend was married to Kombaiah's son Nambi. Trouble erupts between Nambi and his father Kombaiah, which leads to Kombaiah killing his own son. This worries Kombaiah's friend as his daughter has become a widow because of Kombaiah. This was the reason for his anger over Kombaiah. He also discloses the truth to Kidaari about the death of his father Kottur Durai (Napoleon). Years back, Kotur Durai was a henchman to a politician named S. N. Kaalai (Hareesh Peradi), while Kombaiah was a sidekick to Kotur Durai. However, Kombaiah betrays and kills Kottur Durai and then Kaalai. He then stages a drama that Kaalai killed Kottur Durai and he had revenged by killing Kaalai, which helped him establish himself as a don in the town. Knowing this, Kidaari feels bad as Kombaiah's affection towards him was fake. He visits him in the hospital and informs him that he had understood Kombaiah's true intentions. Kombaiah is saved but loses his speech, and Kidaari becomes the don of the town. Kidaari spares Kombaiah but has instigated a fear of death in his mind, which Kidaari thinks is a bigger punishment.
== Cast == {{cast listing| *Sasikumar as Kidari *Nikhila Vimal as Chembha *Napoleon as Kottur Durai, Kidari's Father *Vela Ramamoorthy as Kombaiah Pandian *O. A. K. Sundar as Pulikutthi Pandian *Hareesh Peradi as S. N. Kaalai *Suja Varunee as Loganayaki *Shobha Mohan as Kombaiah's wife *Vasumithra as Udaiya Nambi, Kombaiah's son *Naadodigal Gopal as Pulikutthi's brother *Mu Ramaswamy as Kombaiah's friend *Phathmen as Kadakkarai *Raam as Ananth Velankar *Deepa Shankar as Ponnamma *Thenali (Dindugal Thendral) *K. N. Kaalai *R. S. Sathish as S.N.Kaalai's Son *Anthony Daasan as singer in song "Vandiyile Nellu Varum" }}
== Production == Sasikumar began work on the film directed by Prasath Murugesan during March 2016 in Chennai.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 March 2016 |title=Sasikumar-Prasad Murugesan's Film Goes on Floors |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2016/mar/26/sasikumar-prasad-murugesan%e2%80%99s-film-goes-on-floors-916163.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101225344/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2016/mar/26/Sasikumar-Prasad-Murugesan%E2%80%99s-Film-Goes-on-Floors-916163.html |archive-date=1 November 2016 |access-date=18 September 2021 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> Sasikumar attained the title ''Kidaari'' from P. Samuthirakani, who had previously registered the title.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manohar |first=Niveda |date=11 May 2016 |title=Sasikumar's Next Film Is Kidaari |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/sasikumars-next-film-is-kidaari/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725062317/https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/sasikumars-next-film-is-kidaari/ |archive-date=25 July 2024 |access-date=15 October 2024 |website=Silverscreen India |language=en-US}}</ref> Filming ended in July 2016, after 62 working days.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jyothsna |date=6 July 2016 |title=Three important writers in one film |url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/sasikumar-talks-on-completing-kidari.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912032602/http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/sasikumar-talks-on-completing-kidari.html |archive-date=12 September 2016 |access-date=7 September 2016 |website=Behindwoods}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == Darbuka Siva composed the soundtrack. One of the songs, "Vandiyila Nellu Varum", was earlier featured in the debut album of La Pongal, a musical project founded by Siva.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vandhana |date=19 October 2017 |title=Mystery No Longer: Interview With 'Enai Noki Paayum Thotta' Composer 'Mr X', Who Loves Football Just Like Darbuka Siva |url=https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/mystery-no-longer-interview-with-enai-noki-paayum-thotta-composer-mr-x-who-loves-football-just-like-darbuka-siva/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804020558/https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/features/mystery-no-longer-interview-with-enai-noki-paayum-thotta-composer-mr-x-who-loves-football-just-like-darbuka-siva/ |archive-date=4 August 2020 |access-date=18 September 2021 |website=Silverscreen India}}</ref> The audio rights were bought by Think Music.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 August 2016 |title=Kidaari (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/kidaari-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1139155517 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312052424/https://music.apple.com/us/album/kidaari-original-motion-picture-soundtrack/1139155517 |archive-date=12 March 2023 |access-date=12 March 2023 |website=Apple Music}}</ref> Karthik of ''Milliblog'' wrote, "Darbuka Siva's film debut extends his style of music to great effect".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Karthik |author-link=Karthik Srinivasan |date=2 August 2016 |title=Kidaari (Music review), Tamil – Darbuka Siva |url=https://milliblog.com/2016/08/02/kidaari-music-review-tamil-darbuka-siva/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251206184923/https://milliblog.com/2016/08/02/kidaari-music-review-tamil-darbuka-siva/ |archive-date=2025-12-06 |access-date=2026-02-17 |website=Milliblog |language=en}}</ref>
{{Track listing | headline = Track listing | extra_column = Singer(s) | title1 = Vandiyile Nellu Varum | length1 = 3:54 | lyrics1 = Anthony Daasan, Ekadesi | extra1 = Anthony Daasan, Sanjana Divaker Kalmanje | title2 = Vettaruva Veecharuva | length2 = 3:08 | lyrics2 = Ekadesi | extra2 = D.Velmurugan | title3 = Thalakaalu Puriyalaiyae | length3 = 3:58 | lyrics3 = Mohanrajan | extra3 = Anitha Karthikeya, Velmurugan | title4 = Nenjukkulla Ninnu Kittu | length4 = 2:34 | lyrics4 = Ekadesi | extra4 = Sanjana Divaker Kalmanje | title5 = Pagaivanukku Arulvaai | length5 = 4:22 | lyrics5 = Bharathiyar | extra5 = Haricharan | title6 = Kaathu Veesudhu Kaathu | length6 = 1:38 | lyrics6 = Mohanrajan | extra6 = Darbuka Siva, Gowtham Bharadwaj | title7 = Velivarum Ulmugam | note7 = instrumental | length7 = 2:55 | total_length = 22:29<!-- Automatically generated with User:JPxG/TrackSum.js --> }}
== Reception == Baradwaj Rangan wrote in ''The Hindu'', "This murder mystery needed more than flavour. It needed focus."<ref name="Rangan">{{Cite news |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=2 September 2016 |title=Kidaari: new genre of 'Aruvaa Christie'? |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Kidaari-new-genre-of-Aruvaa-Christie/article14620057.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014111534/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Kidaari-new-genre-of-Aruvaa-Christie/article14620057.ece |archive-date=14 October 2020 |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> Anupama Subramanian of ''Deccan Chronicle'' wrote, "Though most of the scenes are contrived, ''Kidaari'' still is an interesting film that uses a narrator to drive the viewer and the scenes".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Subramanian |first=Anupama |date=3 September 2016 |title=Kidaari movie review: Interesting film with violence, gore and contrivances |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/030916/kidaari-is-an-interesting-film-with-a-lot-of-violence-gore-and-contrivances.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231023004908/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/030916/kidaari-is-an-interesting-film-with-a-lot-of-violence-gore-and-contrivances.html |archive-date=23 October 2023 |access-date=15 October 2024 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en}}</ref> M. Suganth of ''The Times of India'' wrote, "The film manages to be engaging enough, with Murugesan nicely introducing humour (one old character who makes empty boasts is a scene-stealer) into the violent scenes. It is only in the final denouement that the film resorts to cliché".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Suganth |first=M |date=3 September 2016 |title=Kidaari Movie Review |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/kidaari/movie-review/53990885.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231028153137/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/kidaari/movie-review/53990885.cms |archive-date=28 October 2023 |access-date=15 October 2024 |work=The Times of India}}</ref> Karthik Keramalu of ''News18'' wrote, "''Kidaari'' is something all the members of the film can be proud of", lauding the casting and calling the film a "fine example of a dog-eat-dog world".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keramalu |first=Karthik |date=3 September 2016 |title=Kidaari Movie Review: Sasikumar's Film Makes for an Interesting Watch |url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/kidaari-movie-review-sasikumars-action-drama-makes-for-an-interesting-watch-1288792.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108113720/http://www.news18.com/news/movies/kidaari-movie-review-sasikumars-action-drama-makes-for-an-interesting-watch-1288792.html |archive-date=8 January 2023 |access-date=15 October 2024 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref>
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
Category:2010s mystery thriller films Category:2016 action thriller films Category:2016 films Category:2016 Indian films Category:2016 Tamil-language films Category:Films about murder Category:Films produced by M. Sasikumar Category:Films scored by Darbuka Siva Category:Indian action thriller films Category:Indian murder mystery films Category:Indian mystery thriller films Category:Tamil-language action thriller films Category:Tamil-language Indian films Category:Tamil-language mystery thriller films