{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox film | name = Vezham | image = Vezham_film_poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Sandeep Shyam | producer = Kesevan | writer = Sandeep Shyam | based_on = | starring = Ashok Selvan<br />Janani<br />Iswarya Menon | music = Jhanu Chanthar | cinematography = Shakthi Aravind | editing = | studio = K4 Kreations | distributor = SP Cinemas | released = {{Film date|df=y|2022|06|24}} | runtime = 129 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil | budget = | gross = }} '''''Vezham''''' ({{translation|Mammoth}}) is a 2022 Indian Tamil language action thriller film written and directed by Sandeep Shyam. Produced by K4 Kreations, the film stars Ashok Selvan, Janani, and Iswarya Menon in lead roles. The film's music is composed by Jhanu Chanthar<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vezham {{!}} Song - Meendum |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/music/tamil/meendum-video-song-vezham-ashok-selvan-iswarya-menon-shakthisree-gopalan-jhanu-chanthar/videoshow/94229105.cms |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>, with cinematography by Shakthi Aravind <ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-08 |title=Ashok Selvan, Janani and Iswarya Menon's Vezham trailer |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/ashok-selvan-janani-and-iswarya-menons-vezham-trailer/articleshow/92086976.cms |access-date=2026-05-02 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>(an associate of George C. Williams) and editing is by AK Prasath<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-08 |title=Ashok Selvan, Janani and Iswarya Menon's Vezham trailer |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/ashok-selvan-janani-and-iswarya-menons-vezham-trailer/articleshow/92086976.cms |access-date=2026-05-02 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>. The film was released in theatres on 24 June 2022.
==Plot== Vezham begins with a series of murders in the Nilgiri Hills. The killing pattern points towards a serial killer on the loose. From there, we randomly move to a romantic song featuring the lead pair, Ashok (Ashok Selvan) and Leena (Iswarya Menon), who share lovely moments in the misty hills. On their way back through the woods, they are attacked. Five years after this horrific incident, Ashok is still reeling in trauma of being the only survivor of the attack. His only purpose in life is to find the killer.
Ashok visits Ooty and stumbles upon killer brothers. Before killing them both, Ashok learns about a contract killer Kaasi, but Kaasi also turns out dead. Ashok persists and finds out that Francis was involved somehow. Ashok confronts Francis and comes to know that Leena kills the rapist of her maid in fit of rage. He turns out to be the minister’s son, who arrange for the contract killing of Leena as a revenge. Ashok goes on a murder spree and kills all of them. Finally, Ashok gets to know that all these were orchestrated by Francis to usurp Leena’s wealth and that Leena is in fact alive, married, and has a kid. Francis in order to claim ancestral home, he planted a scenario that Leena has died during accident and switched her with a look alike dead body. Ashok also finally murders Francis.
==Cast== * Ashok Selvan as Ashok Chandrashekhar * Janani as Preethi * Iswarya Menon as Leena Joseph * Mohan Agashe as Leena's grandfather * Kitty as Joseph, Leena's father * Sangili Murugan as Grocery Shop Owner * Abhishek Vinod as Selvam * Vela Ramamoorthy as Mageshwaran * P. L. Thenappan as Minister Mariappan Gounder * Yogi Babu as Dilip * Ajai Prasath as Karthik * Shathiga as Dhivya * Radha Vairavelan as Ashok's sister * Poraali Dileepan as Ashok's brother-in-law * Muthuraman as Detective * Krishna Kumar Menon as Chandrashekhar, Ashok's father * Shyam Sunder as DSP Francis * D. R. K. Kiran as Father John Stephen * Leo Sivadass as Francis's father * Ravi Mariya as Petchiappan
==Production== In 2019, the production team announced the principal cast of the film included Ashok Selvan, Janani, and Iswarya Menon. Janani reunited with Ashok Selvan, which marks their second collaboration after the critically acclaimed movie ''Thegidi'' (2014).<ref>{{Cite news |title=Bigg Boss Janani Iyer to romance Ashok Selvan again |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/bigg-boss-janani-iyer-to-romance-ashok-selvan-again-1438199-2019-01-24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201132749/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/bigg-boss-janani-iyer-to-romance-ashok-selvan-again-1438199-2019-01-24 |archive-date=1 February 2019 |access-date=9 May 2022 |work=India Today}}</ref> The team later roped in veteran actors Raja Krishnamoorthy, Sangili Murugan, Marathi actor Mohan Agashe, and producer P. L. Thenappan. Shyam Sunder, a newcomer who had earlier been part of the director's short film, was also announced as a part of the cast.
==Music==
The film's music is composed by Jhanu Chanthar, who is primarily a guitarist and has played for many composers and has been part of various bands. Deepika Karthik Kumar made her singing debut with "Maarum Urave".
{{Infobox album | name = Vezham | type = Soundtrack | artist = Jhanu Chanthar | cover = | alt = | released = 2 June 2022 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Feature film soundtrack | length = 18:16 | language = Tamil | label = Divo Music | producer = Jhanu Chanthar | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = Kaantha | next_year = 2025 }}
{{track listing | headline = Tracklist | extra_column = Singer(s) | total_length = 18:16 | title1 = Dhooram | lyrics1 = Pradeep Kumar | extra1 = Pradeep Kumar | length1 = 4:35 | title2 = Maarum Uravae | lyrics2 = Deepika Karthik Kumar | extra2 = Deepika Karthik Kumar | length2 = 4:00 | title3 = Dhooram (Sad) | lyrics3 = Pradeep Kumar | extra3 = Pradeep Kumar | length3 = 5:19 | title4 = Meendum | lyrics4 = Sivam | extra4 = Shakthisree Gopalan | length4 = 4:23 }}
==Release== The film was released in theatres on 24 June 2022 with the production associating with SP Cinemas for worldwide release.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Actor Ashok Selvan's next film titled Vezham scheduled to release on June 2022 |url=http://news24hours.in/2022/05/05/actor-ashok-selvans-next-film-titled-vezham-scheduled-to-release-on-june-2022/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611163842/http://news24hours.in/2022/05/05/actor-ashok-selvans-next-film-titled-vezham-scheduled-to-release-on-june-2022/ |archive-date=11 June 2022 |access-date=12 May 2022 |work=News24}}</ref>
== Reception == The film was released in theatres on 24 June 2022. M Suganth, the critic from ''The Times of India'' gave 2.5 stars out of 5 and wrote that "But the biggest disappointment is the ineffective antagonists. In fact, the bad guys are one too many and none feel like real threats.".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Vezham Movie Review : A dull revenge drama with convoluted writing |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/vezham/movie-review/92440075.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319015605/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/vezham/movie-review/92440075.cms |archive-date=19 March 2024 |access-date=2023-03-16 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> Vignesh Madhu - critic from ''Cinema Express'' stated that " ''Vezham'' also suffers from writing inconsistencies. In the second half, the film has an array of twists"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vezham Movie Review: A middling thriller with a pensive ending |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2022/jun/24/vezham-movie-review-a-middling-thriller-with-a-pensive-ending-32312.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250417000900/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2022/Jun/24/vezham-movie-review-a-middling-thriller-with-a-pensive-ending-32312.html |archive-date=17 April 2025 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Cinema Express |language=en}}</ref> S Subhakeerthana - critic from OTTplay noted that "What good is a thriller if it doesn’t take you to the edge of the seat and hold you there?" <ref>{{Cite web |title=Vezham movie review: Ashok Selvan, Janani Iyer and Iswarya Menon lead a below-average thriller |url=https://www.ottplay.com/review/vezham-movie-review-ashok-selvan-janani-iyer-and-iswarya-menon-lead-a-below-average-thriller/8e652304d3176 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=OTTPlay |language=en}}</ref>
However, G Gowtham, a critic from India Herald, gave a mixed review.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vezham Tamil Movie Review - A Dull and Boring Revenge Drama |url=http://www.indiaherald.com/Breaking/Read/994518105/Vezham-Tamil-Movie-Review-A-Dull-and-Boring-Revenge-Drama |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316170059/https://www.indiaherald.com/Breaking/Read/994518105/Vezham-Tamil-Movie-Review-A-Dull-and-Boring-Revenge-Drama |archive-date=16 March 2023 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=indiaherald.com |language=en}}</ref> Firstpost critic wrote that "Ashok Selvan has essayed the role of Ashok well on screen and has in fact, carried the film on his shoulders"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-28 |title=Vezham: A murder mystery that tries too hard to thrill |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/vezham-a-murder-mystery-that-tries-too-hard-to-thrill-10846191.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316170211/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/vezham-a-murder-mystery-that-tries-too-hard-to-thrill-10846191.html |archive-date=16 March 2023 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Firstpost |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|tt12345200}}
Category:2022 films Category:Indian romantic thriller films Category:2022 romance films Category:2022 thriller films Category:Tamil-language Indian films Category:2022 Tamil-language films Category:2022 Indian films