★ Sarkar (2018) · Vijay's 62nd Film · Director: A.R. Murugadoss · Music: A.R. Rahman · ₹244-253Cr Worldwide · Blockbuster — 8.8 Vijay Meter · ★ Sarkar (2018) · Vijay's 62nd Film · Director: A.R. Murugadoss · Music: A.R. Rahman · ₹244-253Cr Worldwide · Blockbuster — 8.8 Vijay Meter ·
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SARKAR

சர்கார்  ·  2018  ·  Diwali Release

Political Action Thriller 164 min ⭐ 8.8 Vijay Meter ✓ Blockbuster Diwali 2018 4 Scene Cuts After Release Political Controversy
₹244-253CrWorldwide
164Minutes
₹110CrBudget
8.8Vijay Meter
Overview

The Film

Sarkar (transl. "Government") is a 2018 Tamil political action thriller written and directed by A. R. Murugadoss, who co-wrote the dialogues with novelist B. Jeyamohan. Produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures, it is Vijay's 62nd film as lead actor.

Vijay plays Sundar Ramasamy, an NRI corporate executive who returns to India solely to cast his vote, only to discover his vote has already been fraudulently cast by someone else. What begins as a personal fight to reclaim his democratic right escalates into a confrontation with two corrupt politicians and the electoral system that enables them.

Released worldwide on 6 November 2018 for Diwali, Sarkar became a major commercial success despite — and partly because of — a political storm that erupted within days of release, when the ruling AIADMK objected to scenes widely seen as referencing the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

DirectorA. R. Murugadoss
ProducerKalanithi Maran
BannerSun Pictures
MusicA. R. Rahman
Release6 Nov 2018 (Diwali)
Runtime164 minutes
CensorU/A Certificate
CinematographyGirish Gangadharan
EditorA. Sreekar Prasad
Budget₹110 crore
Vijay's Film No.62 of 69 as lead actor
IMDb8.3/10
Complete Cast

People Behind the Characters

🗳️
Vijay
Sundar Ramasamy
Lead
🎭
Keerthy Suresh
Journalist, love interest
Female Lead
😈
Varalaxmi Sarathkumar
Komalavalli — chief antagonist
Antagonist
😈
Radha Ravi
Corrupt politician
Antagonist
😂
Yogi Babu
Comic relief
Comedy
🎭
Tulasi
Supporting
😈
Pala. Karuppiah
Antagonist's associate
Supporting Villain
🎬 Second Vijay–Murugadoss collaboration after Kaththi (2014) 🎤 Keerthy Suresh's first pairing with Vijay
Complete Crew

Behind the Camera

DirectorA. R. Murugadoss
StoryA. R. Murugadoss, Varun Rajendran
ScreenplayA. R. Murugadoss
DialoguesA. R. Murugadoss, B. Jeyamohan
ProducerKalanithi Maran
BannerSun Pictures
CinematographyGirish Gangadharan
EditorA. Sreekar Prasad
Music & ScoreA. R. Rahman (with Qutub-E-Kripa on score)
LyricsVivek
Runtime164 minutes
CensorU/A Certificate
DistributorSun Pictures
Budget₹110 crore
ResultBlockbuster
Music · A. R. Rahman

Every Note. Every Word.

A. R. Rahman's soundtrack for Sarkar — 5 songs, released 2 October 2018 under Sony Music India.

01
Simtaangaran சிம்டாங்காரன்
Bamba Bakya, Vipin Aneja, Aparna Narayanan | Lyrics: Vivek | 4:43
SingersBamba Bakya, Vipin Aneja, Aparna Narayanan
LyricistVivek
SituationIntroduces Sundar's wealth and fame as a corporate powerhouse
Streams100M+ (approx.)
★ Lead SingleReleased as the first single on 24 September 2018, launched exclusively on Sun NXT before YouTube.
A dub-influenced opener establishing Sundar's larger-than-life status. Full lyrics on licensed platforms — cannot be reproduced here due to copyright.
02
Oru Viral Puratchi ஒரு விரல் புரட்சி
Srinidhi Venkatesh | Lyrics: Vivek | 5:29
SingerSrinidhi Venkatesh
LyricistVivek
SituationSecond single, tied to the film's "one vote" campaign theme
Streams5M+ (approx.)
★ Genre BlendA traditional-styled melody where Rahman reframes hip-hop elements over violin strings.
A melodic call to civic participation, tied to the film's central message about the power of a single vote. Full lyrics on licensed platforms.
03
Top Tucker டாப் டக்கர்
Mohit Chauhan | Lyrics: Vivek | 3:44
SingerMohit Chauhan
LyricistVivek
SituationMass energy number showcasing Sundar's swagger
Streams145M+ (approx.)
★ Most StreamedThe soundtrack's highest-streaming track, and one of its most recognisable hooks.
A high-energy mass number. Full lyrics on licensed platforms.
04
OMG Ponnu ஓஎம்ஜி பொண்ணு
Sid Sriram, Jonita Gandhi | Lyrics: Vivek | 4:44
SingersSid Sriram, Jonita Gandhi
LyricistVivek
SituationRomantic track between Sundar and the female lead
Streams28M+ (approx.)
★ Vocal PairingOne of Sid Sriram and Jonita Gandhi's most popular collaborations of 2018.
A romantic duet blending Rahman's melodic sensibility with contemporary vocals. Full lyrics on licensed platforms.
05
CEO in the House சிஇஓ இன் தி ஹவுஸ்
Nakul Abhyankar, Blaaze | Lyrics: Vivek | 3:53
SingersNakul Abhyankar, Blaaze
LyricistVivek
SituationClosing track celebrating Sundar's corporate persona
Streams33M+ (approx.)
★ English-Tamil FusionBlaaze's rap verses blend English and Tamil, a signature of his collaborations with Rahman.
An upbeat closer built around English-Tamil rap verses. Full lyrics on licensed platforms.
Collections · Business

The Numbers

Worldwide Total₹244-253CrBlockbuster verdict
Budget₹110CrEstimated production cost
Opening 6 Days₹107CrChennai city alone, per trackers
First 2 Days₹100Cr+Worldwide, despite the controversy breaking

Sarkar opened to massive numbers on its Diwali release despite mixed reviews, crossing ₹100 crore worldwide within two days. Collections dipped in some markets — including a notable drop in Kerala — once the AIADMK backlash intensified, but the film crossed the ₹150 crore mark even while still mired in controversy over its scene cuts, eventually settling in the ₹244–253 crore range worldwide.

Overall Verdict

Commercial blockbuster despite a major political controversy mid-run

✓ BLOCKBUSTER
Release Week Flashpoint

Complete Timeline

2 October 2018
🎵 Audio Launch
A. R. Rahman's soundtrack released digitally under Sony Music India.
6 November 2018
👑 WORLDWIDE THEATRICAL RELEASE
Released worldwide for Diwali; opens to over ₹100 crore worldwide within two days.
7-8 November 2018
⚠️ AIADMK Objects to Scenes
Ministers allege scenes depicting freebies being burned, and the antagonist "Komalavalli," reference the late J. Jayalalithaa. Party workers tear posters and burn effigies of Vijay across the state.
8 November 2018
⚖️ Anticipatory Bail Sought
Director A. R. Murugadoss, apprehending arrest after complaints were lodged, approaches the Madras High Court; police visit his residence while he is away.
9 November 2018
🎬 Rajinikanth & Kamal Haasan Speak Out
Both actors publicly condemn the protests, calling it unlawful to demand removal of scenes from a censor-certified film.
9 November 2018
👨‍⚖️ Madras High Court Grants Interim Protection
Court restrains police from arresting Murugadoss until 27 November, on condition he cooperate with the investigation.
9 November 2018
✂️ Sun Pictures Agrees to Cuts
Producers voluntarily agree to make edits — including the scene of freebies being burned and muting the name "Komalavalli" — after resubmitting to the Censor Board.
10 November 2018
🕊️ Government Declares Issue "Resolved"
Four cuts made in total; Tamil Nadu's Information Minister says the AIADMK will stage no further protests, and theatres resume screening the edited version.
Editorial Assessment

Vijay Meter

Story
8.4
Music
8.7
Action
8.6
Dialogues
9.2
Political Relevance
9.3
Vijay's Perf.
9.0
Rewatch Value
8.3

Vs Other Recent Vijay Films

FilmYearScore
Master20219.44 / 10
Bigil20199.25 / 10
Leo20239.2 / 10
Sarkar20188.8 / 10
GOAT20248.5 / 10
Varisu20238.4 / 10
Overall Vijay Meter 8.8

A politically charged thriller that turned electoral integrity into mass entertainment — elevated by Vijay's commanding performance, A.R. Rahman's music, and dialogues sharp enough to spark a real political storm.

✓ Blockbuster Dialogues 9.2 Political Relevance 9.3
Plot · Theme · Analysis

The Story

One-Line Plot (Spoiler Free)

"A corporate executive returning home only to vote discovers his vote has been stolen — and takes on the entire electoral system to reclaim it."

⚠️ Full Plot — Spoilers Below

Sundar Ramasamy, a successful NRI corporate executive based in the United States, returns to India with a single purpose: to cast his vote. At the polling booth, he discovers someone has already voted in his name — a case of electoral fraud enabled by corrupt local politicians. Rather than let the matter go, Sundar files a case demanding a re-election in his constituency.

His pursuit of justice draws him into direct conflict with two entrenched, corrupt politicians who have long manipulated the electoral system for personal gain. As Sundar digs deeper, he uncovers a wider network of institutional corruption reaching into the Election Commission itself, and becomes a target of increasingly dangerous political retaliation.

In the climax, Sundar exposes the fraud publicly, forcing accountability onto a system built to protect the powerful, and delivers a call to action for citizens to treat their vote as both a right and a responsibility rather than something to be taken for granted.

Key Scenes Worth Watching

The Polling Booth Discovery — Sundar learns his vote was stolen, the inciting moment of the entire film.

Election Commission Confrontation — A pointed exchange over constitutional rights and electoral accountability.

Public Awareness Speech — One of the film's most quoted politically charged monologues.

Climax Address — Sundar's closing message on democracy surviving only through active citizen participation.

Themes

The sanctity and power of a single vote

Accountability of elected power to the people, not the reverse

Institutional corruption within the electoral process

Civic responsibility as the foundation of democracy

An original screenplay by A. R. Murugadoss, developed from a story he wrote with Varun Rajendran.

Iconic Lines

Famous Dialogues

Only short, iconic excerpts are included below to respect copyright — not full or lengthy quotations.

"நான் ஓட்டு போடத்தான் வந்தேன்."
"I came here to cast my vote."
Sundar Ramasamy states his sole purpose for returning from the United States — the line that sets the entire story in motion.
"என் ஓட்டை யார் போட்டது?"
"Who cast my vote?"
Sundar's confrontation with election officials after discovering someone has fraudulently voted in his name — the film's defining turning point.
"நீங்க அரசாங்கம்... நாங்க மக்கள்."
"You are the government... we are the people."
Sundar reminds those in power that governments derive their authority from the people, not the other way around.
"மக்கள் விழித்தா... அரசியல் மாறும்."
"When people awaken, politics changes."
From the climax, urging citizens to become politically aware and protect democracy through informed voting rather than fear or money.
"ஓட்டு என்பது உரிமை மட்டுமல்ல... பொறுப்பும்."
"Voting is not only a right — it is also a responsibility."
The film's central message, echoed throughout Sundar's public campaign speeches.

Most Memorable Dialogue Moments

🗳️ Polling booth scene — the vote-theft discovery
⚖️ Election Commission & courtroom exchanges
🎤 Public awareness speeches on the value of a vote
👥 Climax address on democratic accountability
Behind the Headlines

The Political Storm

🔥 The "Komalavalli" and Freebies Scenes
Within a day of release, AIADMK ministers objected to scenes showing government-distributed household items — mixers, grinders, fans — being burned, widely read as a reference to Jayalalithaa's landmark 2011 freebie scheme, and to the antagonist's name "Komalavalli," said by many to be Jayalalithaa's birth name (a claim AMMK leader T. T. V. Dhinakaran disputed). Law Minister C. Ve Shanmugam warned that the scenes "amount to inciting violence" and that the producers, Vijay, or theatres could face action.
🔥 Protests, Effigy Burning and Vandalism
AIADMK cadres tore down posters and burned effigies of Vijay at theatres across Tamil Nadu, including organised protests outside a Madurai cinema. Minister D. Jayakumar publicly said Vijay would "never realise his dream" of following M. G. Ramachandran's path into politics.
⚖️ Anticipatory Bail for the Director
Facing possible arrest after complaints were lodged against him, director A. R. Murugadoss sought anticipatory bail. The Madras High Court granted interim protection restraining police from arresting him until 27 November 2018, on the condition he cooperate with the investigation.
✂️ Four Scenes Cut, Censor Board Resubmission
Sun Pictures voluntarily agreed to four cuts — including the freebies-burning scene and muting the name "Komalavalli" — resubmitting the edited version to the Censor Board for fresh clearance before resuming screenings from matinee shows on 9 November. DMK actor Pazha. Karuppiah, who appeared in the film, publicly questioned how a Censor-cleared film could be edited after release under political pressure.
🎬 Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan Speak Out
Superstar Rajinikanth publicly condemned the protests as unlawful, given the film had already cleared Censor Board certification. Kamal Haasan echoed the criticism, saying "a government that can't face criticism can go off the tangent." The government declared the matter resolved on 10 November, with Information Minister Kadambur C. Raju confirming no further protests would follow.
Where to Watch

Streaming & Links

Rating 8.3/10IMDb

Streaming availability varies by region and changes over time — check current OTT platforms for the latest.

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