{{Use Indian English|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox film | image = Thenavattu.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = V. V. Kathir | writer = V. V. Kathir | producer = Anthony | starring = Jiiva<br />Poonam Bajwa | cinematography = Vetri | editing = Raja Mohammad | music = Srikanth Deva | studio = ELK Productions | distributor = Sun Pictures<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 February 2009 |title=Why did Enthiran shift to Sun Pictures? |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2009/Feb/03/why-did-enthiran-shift-to-sun-pictures-22720.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260511051848/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2009/Feb/03/why-did-enthiran-shift-to-sun-pictures-22720.html |archive-date=11 May 2026 |access-date=11 May 2026 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> | released = {{Film date|2008|11|21|df=y}} | runtime = 140 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Thenavattu''''' ({{translation|Courage}}) is a 2008 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by V. V. Kathir, starring Jiiva and Poonam Bajwa in the lead roles, with Ganja Karuppu, Ravi Kale, Shafi, Saikumar, and Rajan P. Dev in supporting roles. The music of the film was composed by Srikanth Deva. ''Thenavattu'' was released on 21 November 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Thenavattu (2008) |url=https://screen4screen.com/movies/thenavattu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241107170400/https://screen4screen.com/movies/thenavattu |archive-date=2024-11-07 |access-date=2026-05-20 |work=Screen 4 Screen |language=en}}</ref>
==Plot== Kailasam, a somber bigwig, performs the last rites of someone dear to him, while Kottai appears swinging a scythe. In a flashback from a few months ago in Ramnad, Kottai's mother cuts down logs while boasting about her son; a god that deserves to see the world. Kottai then journeys to Chennai with Vellaiayan, a dimwit friend. The two end up at a massive house of Kailasam, a local terror.
Kottai and Vellaiayan think that Kailasam only uses their blacksmithing skills for instruments to chop trees, but Kottai discovers that he was hired by Kailasam to make sickles to kill people. Kottai then feeds crying children milk and helping men with epileptic seizures. Later, he falls in love with kind-hearted music teacher Gayathri.
Santhosh, Kailasam's son who regularly rapes women, is helplessly watched by a cop called Suryaprakash. Kottai continues making arrivals until he sees Santhosh touching Gayathri inappropriately. Kottai then beats Santhosh to death, unbeknownst to him that he is Kailasam's son, when he learns about this, he attempts to get revenge on Kottai, but he and the minister is killed by him along with Suryaprakash. Kottai later returns to his home.
==Cast== {{cast listing| * Jiiva as Kottai * Poonam Bajwa as Gayathri (voice dubbed by Renuka Kathir) * Ganja Karuppu as Vellaiayan * P. Sai Kumar as Suryaprakash (voice dubbed by P. Ravi Shankar) * Shafi as Santhosh * Ravi Kale as Kailasam * Rajan P. Dev as Minister * Saranya as Kottai's mother * Delhi Ganesh as Gayatri's father * Manobala as a man who works under Kailasam * Kovai Babu as a baby's father * Vishalini as a baby's mother * Bava Lakshmanan as Bonda Mani's lover * Siva Narayana Murthy as priest * A. Revathi as Transgender Chief * Suja Varunee in a special appearance * Vimal as Santhosh's henchman (uncredited) }}
==Production== The film was shot in places including Panruti, Chennai, Kumbakonam, Araku Valley and Rajahmundry. The song "Usilampatti Sandhaiyile" was shot at Madurai and Theni.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 April 2008 |title=Song shot at Madurai, Theni for 'Thenavattu' |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/10042008-4.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414200230/http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/10042008-4.shtml |archive-date=14 April 2008 |access-date=11 April 2025 |website=Cinesouth |language=en}}</ref> During the first day of filming, a painting factory near the filming location caught fire, leading to filming being briefly halted.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 May 2008 |title=I had a testing time – Jeeva on 'Thenavattu' |url=http://cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/08052008-5.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723172300/http://cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/08052008-5.shtml |archive-date=23 July 2008 |access-date=11 May 2026 |website=Cinesouth |language=en}}</ref>
==Soundtrack== The soundtrack was composed by Srikanth Deva in his second collaboration with Jiiva after ''E'' (2006), with lyrics by Na. Muthukumar.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2008 |title=Thenavattu |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/thenavattu/OZAO0TQ3W5Q_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250414020239/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/thenavattu/OZAO0TQ3W5Q_ |archive-date=14 April 2025 |access-date=1 September 2024 |website=JioSaavn |language=en}}</ref> The audio launch was held at Sathyam Cinemas in May 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 May 2008 |title=Jeeva for more masala! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/jeeva-for-more-masala/articleshow/3022018.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810091420/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/jeeva-for-more-masala/articleshow/3022018.cms |archive-date=10 August 2023 |access-date=11 May 2026 |work=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" |- ! Song !! Singers |- | "Enakkena Pirandhavalo" || Karthik, Suchitra, Arun |- | "Enge Irundhai" || Harish Raghavendra |- | "Onnu Rendu" || Tippu, Ganga |- | "Pattampoochi" || Krish, Chinmayi |- | "Usilampatti Sandhaiyila" || Shankar Mahadevan, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Senthildass Velayutham |}
==Reception== Pavithra Srinivasan of ''Rediff.com'' called it "silly and ridiculous" and also added "the culprit here clearly is V. V. Kathir's half-baked script that manages to destroy Jiiva's credibility. This flick is all ''aruvaal'' and no brains".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=Pavithra |date=21 November 2008 |title=Silly and ridiculous |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/nov/21silly-and-ridiculous.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415184032/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/nov/21silly-and-ridiculous.htm |archive-date=15 April 2009 |access-date=28 October 2009 |website=Rediff.com}}</ref> Magimairajan of ''Kalki'' praised the acting of Jiiva and also praised the director for portraying transgenders in dignified manner but panned Srikanth Deva's music, Anal Arasu's stunt choreography and Ganja Karuppu's humour and felt the director who concentrated on racy dialogues should have done the same for screenplay.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=மகிமைராஜன் |date=7 December 2008 |title=தெனாவட்டு |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki2008-12-07/page/32/mode/2up |access-date=1 September 2024 |magazine=Kalki |page=32 |language=ta |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> ''Cinesouth'' wrote, "Director Kadir has courageously used a far fetched story line and made a film out of it".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thenavattu |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/scopes/reviews/new/thenavattue.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221120743/http://www.cinesouth.com/scopes/reviews/new/thenavattue.shtml |archive-date=21 December 2008 |access-date=2 September 2024 |website=Cinesouth |language=en}}</ref> ''Bangalore Mirror'' wrote, "Director Kadhir seems unaware of the strides made in storytelling methods in Tamil films. Not only has he stuck to an age-old narrative style, but also handed over the important responsibility of composing the musical score to Srikanth Deva whose work is ear-splitting".<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 November 2008 |title=Thenavattu: Mindless mayhem |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/thenavattu-mindless-mayhem/articleshow/22333344.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241221144115/https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/thenavattu-mindless-mayhem/articleshow/22333344.cms |archive-date=21 December 2024 |access-date=11 May 2026 |work=Bangalore Mirror |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb title}} *{{Rotten Tomatoes}}
Category:2000s masala films Category:2008 action films Category:2008 directorial debut films Category:2008 films Category:2008 Indian films Category:2008 LGBTQ-related films Category:2008 Tamil-language films Category:Films about rape in India Category:Films scored by Srikanth Deva Category:Films set in Chennai Category:Films shot in Chennai Category:Films shot in Madurai Category:Films shot in Rajahmundry Category:Films shot in Theni Category:Indian action films Category:Indian LGBTQ-related films Category:Indian transgender-related films Category:Tamil-language action films Category:Tamil-language Indian films