Directed by Ramana · Music by Vidyasagar · December 2003
Rural mass entertainer. Vijay-Jyothika chemistry was a highlight. Major hit.
This was Vijay's film 36 of 69 as a lead actor — counted from his debut Naalaiya Theerpu (1992) — released in 2003 during the 2000s.
Soundtrack composed by Vidyasagar
Widely seen as the turning point that established Vijay's mass action-hero image for the 2000s.
The 'mass mechanic' template — an ordinary working-class hero facing off against the powerful — became a Vijay signature after this film.
Thirumalai (2003) was a well-received chapter in Vijay's steadily rising career, part of the remarkable consistency that defined his run through the 2000s and built the enormous fan base that would later power his political movement.