SARKAR

SARKAR (2018)

Summary:

Sarkar (meaning Government) is a landmark 2018 Indian Tamil-language political action thriller film directed by A. R. Murugadoss and produced by Sun Pictures. The film stars Vijay as Sundar Ramasamy, a ruthless, world-renowned NRI corporate mogul who returns to Chennai to cast his vote in the regional elections, only to realize that someone has already fraudulently cast his vote. Rather than letting the violation slide, Sundar decides to utilize legal avenues, invoking the obscure Section 49P of the Conduct of Elections Rules. This spark of personal protest ignites a massive, state-wide revolution as Sundar challenges the deep-seated corruption of established political dynasties led by Masilamani and his ruthless daughter, Komalavalli. With chart-buster music by A. R. Rahman and sharp political commentary, Sarkar is a stylish and hard-hitting drama about civic responsibility and the power of a single vote. Keywords: Sarkar 2018 Tamil Movie, Vijay Political Thriller, A. R. Murugadoss, Section 49P Voting, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar Komalavalli, Keerthy Suresh Nila.

Plot:

The story of Sarkar begins with the highly anticipated arrival of Sundar Ramasamy in Chennai, India. Globally notorious as a "corporate monster" and a ruthless corporate raider, Sundar’s sudden presence in the state capital triggers a wave of panic among local business magnates, who fear that his massive US-based company is about to host a hostile takeover of regional enterprises. However, Sundar reveals that he has not returned for corporate greed; his sole purpose is to participate in the democratic process and cast his vote in the ongoing Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. When he reaches his local polling booth, he is shocked to discover that his fundamental right has already been stolen—someone has fraudulently cast a vote under his name. Refusing to walk away quietly, Sundar decides to stand up to the system, setting off a chain reaction that will fundamentally reshape the political landscape of the state.

Sundar approaches the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission, legally demanding a stay on the election results, the annulment of the fake vote, and his right to cast his vote legitimately. Utilizing his deep knowledge of corporate law and legal codes, he demands the execution of the obscure Section 49P of the Conduct of Elections Rules, which allows a voter to claim a challenged ballot if someone has already voted in their place. His bold legal stance forces the State Election Commission’s hand, leading to a landmark court decision that halts the declaration of results and schedules fresh elections for his constituency within fifteen days. This victory is not merely personal; Sundar uses his massive public platform to raise widespread awareness about electoral fraud, motivating thousands of ordinary citizens who had faced similar issues of stolen identity to step forward and reclaim their democratic rights.

This sudden legal challenge brings Sundar into direct, violent conflict with the ruling political elite. The main culprits are the veteran Chief Minister M. Masilamani and his cunning, aggressive brother Malarvannan "Rendu". The corrupt politicians had already distributed suitcases of black money to buy votes and secure their re-election. In their bid to hide their corrupt dealings, Masilamani brutally murders an activist journalist named Muthukumar, who had managed to record concrete evidence of their financial malpractice. As Rendu's henchmen launch multiple assassination attempts on Sundar to silence him, the corporate giant realizes that the legal victory in one constituency is a drop in the ocean. Deciding that the entire political system is infested with rot, Sundar decides to resign from his multi-million dollar corporate position to completely commit himself to public service, announcing his decision to contest the upcoming election as an independent candidate.

Initially, the masses are highly skeptical of Sundar's motives, viewing him as a detached, wealthy outsider who is merely playing a game with the lives of the working class. However, during a massive public assembly, Sundar delivers a powerful and emotional speech, tracing his roots back to a humble fishermen’s community, and detailing his grueling struggle from poverty to global corporate success. This revelation of his personal history strikes a deep chord with the youth and the working-class voters, earning him unprecedented support across the state. Sensing a major political threat, Sundar expands his vision, deciding to fields his honest supporters, including social activists and diligent young minds, as independent candidates across all constituencies in Tamil Nadu, aiming for a complete systemic overhaul.

The political battle enters its deadliest phase when Masilamani’s daughter, Komalavalli "Pappa", returns to Chennai from Canada. Unlike her old-school politician father, Komalavalli is a modern, cold-blooded, and highly manipulative strategist. Realizing that her family is rapidly losing public support to Sundar's movement, she decides to engage in a vicious smear campaign. She orchestrates a massive highway accident, planting stolen black money to frame Sundar as a corrupt and hypocritical opportunist, which temporarily damages his public reputation. When she realizes that even this has not fully broken Sundar's momentum, she takes the ultimate, horrific step of poisoning her own diabetic father with an overdose of medication, calculating that his sudden "martyrdom" will generate a massive wave of sympathy votes for her party, securing her own seat as the new Chief Ministerial candidate.

Despite the emotional and physical onslaught, Sundar remains analytical, treating the political campaign like a hostile corporate takeover where the truth is his ultimate asset. He manages to obtain vital video evidence containing confessions from Masilamani’s wife about Komalavalli's patricide and their various criminal acts. The film builds to a high-tension climax as Komalavalli and her heavily armed henchmen attempt to physically intercept Sundar at a prominent state monument to stop him from exposing the truth. In a spectacular physical and tactical confrontation, Sundar subdues the henchmen, and the damning confession is live-streamed directly to millions of viewers across the state, completely destroying the credibility of the ruling party. Sundar’s coalition of independent candidates wins a landslide victory in the elections, while the police arrest Komalavalli and Rendu for their heinous crimes. The film ends on an inspiring note; despite winning the mandate to become the Chief Minister, Sundar declines the post, choosing instead to nominate an honest and experienced government collector to lead the state, proving that true power lies in empowering the people, not holding onto a throne.

Cast:

• Vijay as Sundar Ramasamy (The Corporate Raider-turned-Politician)

• Keerthy Suresh as Nila (Sundar's Love Interest)

• Varalaxmi Sarathkumar as Komalavalli "Pappa" (The Main Antagonist)

• Radha Ravi as Malarvannan "Rendu" (Masilamani's Brother)

• Pala. Karuppiah as M. Masilamani (The Former Chief Minister)

• Yogi Babu as Kaushik (A Fraudulent Voter)

• Rajesh as T. N. Chari (The Election Commissioner)

• Livingston as Venkatesan (Nila's Father)

• Tulasi as Masilamani's Wife

• Kalyani Natarajan as Sundar's Mother

• Prem as Sundar's Brother

Crew:

• Director: A. R. Murugadoss

• Writers: A. R. Murugadoss (Story & Screenplay), B. Jeyamohan (Dialogues)

• Producer: Kalanithi Maran

• Production House: Sun Pictures

• Music Director (Songs & BGM): A. R. Rahman

• Lyrics: Vivek

• Cinematography: Girish Gangadharan

• Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad

• Art Direction: T. Santhanam

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: November 6, 2018 (Diwali Release)

• Language: Tamil (Dubbed in Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada)

• Genre: Political Thriller / Action / Drama

• Running Time: 164 Minutes (2 Hours 44 Minutes)

• Censor Certification: UA

• Box Office: Blockbuster (Estimated ₹250+ Crore Worldwide)

• Streaming Platform: Netflix / Sun NXT