If the people give you way,
you get to either Vanarapet or Saidapet.
You mess with them,
you'll end up at the Kanamapet cemetery!
What's your take on the Kaveri issue, sir?
The minute I land in Chennai,
a permanent solution will be ready.
'Wonder who's gonna put you in a spot?'
'Wonder who's gonna stroke your ego?'
'Wonder who's gonna steal your dreams?'
'For this is life
and it has no preview whatsoever.'
'There can be no merriment
on one's own.'
'And there can be no worriment
on one's own.'
'In the mirror of our hearts...'
'...there is no dearth of people
who want to glimpse at themselves.'
Show a profit on my investment first.
Become the best.
I'll raise your funding.
How many of you,
in the film department?
And how many of you,
in the documentary department?
Our political rivals cannot force our hand.
Don't just stand there.
Get them out of here!
This is another attempt by the opposition
to humiliate us.
'One day, love blooms with so-and-so.'
'One day, conflict arises with so-and-so.'
'Who knows who desires whom?'
'Is wisdom just a state of ignorance?'
'There can be no merriment
on one's own.'
'And there can be no worriment
on one's own.'
'In the mirror of our hearts...'
'...there is no dearth of people
who want to glimpse themselves.'
'Wonder who's gonna put you in a spot?'
'Wonder who's gonna stroke your ego?'
'Wonder who's gonna steal your dream?'
Thilak, this is my final diploma project.
Don't screw it up.
You're going to part ways.
We cut to the last shot, which is the hug.
The hug should be divine and gentle.
Not sexual. Do you get it?
Just do what I say.
That's enough.
But, can we do away with the hug?
I feel nervous.
Look at me, I'm sweating bullets.
-It's just acting. Nothing more.
Think of her as a doll.
A wooden doll at that!
Nimmi, spit it out now!
Creep! What did I tell you to do?
And what the hell are you doing?
I'm sorry, Malar.
I'm so sorry.
Idiot! She dumped you
and kicked you out of her life.
Why the hell do you mope around
dreaming about her?
To what do you owe this fall?
She was the one who directed me.
She was the one who told me to hug.
To make the scene more effective,
I improvised a kiss.
Ok, come here now.
-Why don't you get serious and settle down?
You wasted all your dad's money
in making pointless documentaries.
And who ended up watching it?
Only your father and I.
In the name of making a documentary
you have forced me to live in poverty.
Dad, life is too short to stand around.
One has to live it up.
You loafer!
You claim that your future is in TV.
You start work at Zen1 TV today.
It's eight A.M. and you aren't ready yet.
At least try and hold on to this job,
you slacker.
Else you'll end up as peddler
not far from here.
What are you protesting against, sir?
-I'm protesting against Gandhi.
Not against! For Gandhi!
-That's right. For Gandhi.
Brother, why are they protesting?
-There is this sleazy talk show on Zen1.
Someone sparked a controversy
by slandering Gandhi.
And these politicians are protesting
to gain publicity.
When I was twelve, I bumped off a guy,
because he messed with my father.
Well, just bumped him around a bit.
If I'd do that for my dud of a father...
Think I'll let anyone dishonor
the father of the nation?
We shouldn't.
-That's right. We shouldn't.
But my dear folks,
Gandhi has tied my hands.
This will be a non-violent protest.
For showing him in negative light.
What's the name again?
Zen1 TV
-I condemn Zen1 TV.
Zen1 TV should go down,
for speaking ill of Mahatma Gandhi.
Ashok, why has it not started yet?
It will be done and dusted in two minutes.
You all look like thugs.
Get changed guys.
Get changed soon!
Hurry up.
You've only got two minutes.
Sir, with cops and politicians around,
we need more money for this job.
There you go hiking it in the 11th hour.
We're not going anywhere.
Don't worry.
-This is no easy job.
We should blend in with the crowd
and not arouse any suspicion.
This isn't something new for us.
We got to get it done and escape
before the cops get wind of it.
'Thug' written on your face.
Get changed soon. Remove your chain.
Take only the tomatoes and eggs.
Leave the weapons.
Else in the heat of the moment,
you might kill someone.
Use tomatoes and eggs.
No bulbs and flares yet.
Mom, do you want tomatoes or eggs?
Who the hell are you?
Buzz off!
Are you guys selling tomatoes and eggs?
-Yeah right. We are cooking up a feast.
Whoa, bulbs with wicks!
Can one use it without electricity?
Just stay away and mind your business.
For defiling the name of the Mahatma,
-Death to Zen1 TV.
I condemn Zen1 TV which spoke against
the father of the nation.
Zen1 TV which spoke against Mahatma,
should go down.
Zen1 TV Down! Down!
-Down! Down!
Pass it on.
Let's get started.
- Zen1 TV. Down! Down!
Who are these guys?
They don't seem like our party men!
Open the gates.
Quick!
Don't spare a single cameraman.
You want to see the old 'Mannar' again?
Bring it on!
Who sent you guys?
Who do you think you are messing with?
Bring it on!
You don't want to mess with me.
The cops are here.
Let's scoot.
Who were they?
We aren't responsible.
-Don't cause any trouble. We have orders.
Why are you arresting us?
-Come with us. Please co-operate.
Blot on Gandhi's image,
so they say.
And a protest to condemn it,
ends up in violence.
How did a nonviolent protest
end up in violence?
How did Gandhians turn into rogues?
Do you know what really happened here?
Who were the thugs who disrupted this?
Are they henchmen?
If so, who orchestrated this?
Continue watching to find out the truth.
Thank you.
Politicians were looking
to gain publicity at our cost.
But you ripped them apart.
That's very smart of you, Kalyan.
Did your car get a nice egg-wash, Pillai?
Is it a laughing matter?
With all the ruckus and the damage caused.
That isn't an issue at all.
It'll be covered extensively in the papers.
Don't know if there will be a debate
about Gandhi on social media...
...but our channel and the show
will gain a lot of publicity.
Take it from me.
Our TRP ratings will skyrocket.
It isn't ethical
to cheat our own fraternity.
Stones from inside a glass house?
That's why I have rusty old people
like you, on my team.
The trend is to do the exact opposite
of what you have to say.
That kind of stuff is
popular among us youngsters.
Oh! You identify yourself with the youth?
You look more like a phone booth to me.
Are you the new hire?
Late on your very first day?
I was delayed because of the riot outside.
Were you just gawking at it?
-No sir, I was shooting it.
"How did a non-violent protest
end up in violence?"
"Who were the thugs who disrupted this?"
"Are they henchmen?
If so, who orchestrated this?"
Go to the conference hall
in the first floor.
Sir, the phone is mine.
-I'll give it back. Get going.
Who is Mr. Shifty Eyes? Does he work here?
-He is the news editor.
My dear, no one knows the how and when.
But when it's time, I'll arrive in style.
Malar, mimicry is the only thing
that justifies his salary here.
Sorry, I don't know what happened.
-Shut up, Thilak.
If Nimmi kissed you,
why didn't you pull back?
You were smooching away.
Did you not hear me yelling "cut"?
Did you say "cut"?
I heard it as "cuddle".
Yeah right.
You creep.
When I hugged her,
I closed my eyes.
With every touch,
I only thought about you.
But deep down in my heart
I knew that it wasn't you.
Oh boy, but with curves like those!
That's where I slipped.
Men are all the same.
Such creeps.
Men!
You'll make out even in a sewer.
Stop it, now!
What's the big deal?
Listen up!
Scorpions sting, serpents bite...
...and men will be men.
It's a biological urge.
Understand that.
I'll slap the hell out of you!
Would you be okay with it,
if I had done the same?
Stop it, Malar.
Enough.
Don't blow it out of proportion.
If you constantly suspect me,
how can we ever get along?
So you'll get along better with her?
Get lost!
-Sorry.
I don't want to see you again.
You cheat.
Don't ever come into my life.
I don't want to see your face
ever again in my life.
I don't want to see you
even in my dreams.
How are you, Malar?
Do you guys know each other?
I'm Jagan. Associate Producer.
And my disciple, the promo producer.
You are late. Go join the new recruits.
Is this your purse?
-Think you're being funny, do you?
The bag might actually fit you just right.
Guys, boss is here.
-Time for you to suck up.
Hello guys, I'm Kalyan.
He is the chairman of Zen network.
I'm Bavana. Introduce yourselves.
Sir, I'm Nishanti.
I was a producer with Terra TV.
Hello Sir, I'm Arthy.
News reader.
Sir, I'm Thilak.
-Enough, it's getting a little boring.
When you achieve something here,
I will care to learn your names.
Let's come to the point.
There is a new idea for a music show.
Something which no one has tried before.
Fresh talents.
A cheerful duo of anchors.
Three judges from the film industry.
Do we have a name for it yet?
-We have shortlisted a few names.
Don't we have such shows already?
Isn't it true?
Sir, this aunty is pulling my shirt.
-Don't call her that.
Go ahead and say what you want.
Can I use the board, sir?
-Sure.
CH stands for channel.
And we have many channels on the block.
Every channel tries to do something new.
Most of them flop
and a few make it to the top.
Soon, the other channels follow suit
and try to imitate their success.
Let's say he makes an omelette.
This guy peppers it up.
This guy adds a dash of salt.
Another adds vegetables.
And so on and so forth.
Everyone is busy reinventing the wheel.
And making photocopies of the same.
We end up with almost the same content
in all the channels.
We find ourselves stuck
in an indefinite loop.
We are caught in a vicious cycle.
No amount of drawing
is going to help woo any of these girls.
Girls, be wary of him.
Sometimes it is so hard
to tell the difference between channels.
Mr. Documentary, don't just talk the talk.
You must walk the talk.
Can you prove yourself by doing
something different?
I will give you a month's time.
"Today, a political party led by Dheeran
fought against our channel."
"A non-violent protest ends in violence."
"Rioters vandalized the property
by pelting stones."
"Based on the complaint raised by Zen1 TV,
Dheeran and his men have been arrested."
"Internal conflicts within the party
seem to be the primary cause for the riot."
"The rioter's rampage was valiantly
captured by our reporter Thilak."
This must be the handwork
of the opposition.
"Blot on Gandhi's image, they say."
"A non-violent protest ends in a riot."
"These people are capable of using
Gandhi's walking stick as a weapon."
"How did a non-violent protest
end in violence?"
"How did Gandhians turn into rogues?"
Wait, there is more.
Why did they edit it out?
That's a wonderful job.
A very interesting perspective.
I gave you a month's time.
But you've proved yourself in a minute.
Bavana, assign them
to their respective departments.
Malar and Jagan, show them around
when you guys have the time.
Sir, what just happened?
The footage has been edited.
Here is your phone.
-Why did you edit it out?
I had talked about the people
behind this riot. Why wasn't it aired?
Management will decide
what and what not to air.
This isn't fair, sir.
-Learn to live with it.
You and your ideas!
The primary studio which hosts live shows,
interviews and debates.
This is the primary edit suite.
All of post-production takes place here.
PCR stands for Production Control Room.
The broadcasts are controlled from here.
Instructions to anchors
and cameramen are given from here.
This is the Master Control Room.
This is CAR.
-Car? Where is the driver?
CAR stands for Central Apparatus Room.
All the programs are integrated
and broadcast from here.
From here, it is transmitted to the dish
and you get to watch Zen1 TV.
Looks like he is trying
to woo you already.
A ringtone in Malar's name?
-I've had it for two years.
'You once bestowed upon me
the very air I breathed.'
'When you left,
you robbed me off my very breath.'
'Like a leaf afloat on water,
days glide along the tides of time.'
'The moonlight showers upon the leaf
with intense heat.'
'You bruised me,
O beautiful one.'
'And you became erroneous,
O celestial cloud.'
'You arose as a wall at my door
and confined me within.'
'Have you surfaced again
to bait me with your charms?'
'You once bestowed upon me
the very air that I breathed.'
'When you left,
you robbed me off my breath.'
'We wandered together joyously
within the confines of our campus.'
'Your every caress is a breeze
that steals my heart away.'
'When the robe slides,
revealing a petite waist...'
'...my desire gets rekindled,
oh my dear Cinderella.'
'Far and wide in all of outer space,
I saw just your beautiful round face.'
'Deep within my heart,
I waged a war of love.'
'Love shall prevail,
beyond the edges of time and space.'
'But when you left me, my girl,
I killed my dream halfway.'
'You bestowed upon me,
the very air that I breathed.'
'When you left,
you robbed me off my very breath.'
'It is your stubbornness
that makes you wander in solitude.'
'And it is my self-esteem
that doesn't let me near your shadow.'
'My love isn't a weightless non-entity.'
'Its an enduring memory,
as heavy as a mountain.'
'Even in a vacant room,
being far away from you is pure agony.'
'Your heart will never know, my dear,
the pained words penned by my heart.'
'When you stand silently afar,
I am left with no burden.'
'To fall in love again,
I have no tears left.'
'You once bestowed upon me
the very air that I breathed.'
'When you left,
you robbed me off my very breath.'
'Like a leaf afloat on water,
days glide along the tides of time.'
'The moonlight showers upon the leaf
with intense heat.'
'You bruised me,
O beautiful one.'
'And you became erroneous,
O celestial cloud.'
'You arose as a wall at my door
and confined me within.'
Who is the special guest
for this music show?
We'll go with Harris or Vidyasagar
for the finals.
Please suggest someone
for this episode.
How about "Power Star" Srinivasan?
-Really?
What's he got to do with music?
-What's he got to do with cinema?
Please listen to me...
-This is my show. Don't ruin it.
Wonderful, Thilak.
We can really troll him.
I've been slaving away for years,
making movies...
...and you haven't awarded me yet.
But your lead actor will be nominated.
-Why do you give all the awards to him?
Pick me as Best Director,
and both my actors will perform on stage.
We will rock it.
-Who are you talking to, Bavana?
I'm with the jury that picks the winners.
If you try influencing my decision...
...I'll tell the press about it.
KV, Mr. Bhagyaraj is here!
He hung up.
Serves him right.
What a suck up!
What happened to Kalpana?
Why are you stopping us? Let us in!
-Get out of here!
Why won't you let us in?
We want to know what happened
to our friend!
She tried to kill herself
by jumping off a roof.
That's impossible!
She's an anti-suicide activist.
Please let us in.
We'll stop them, sir.
What's his name? Abdul?
Alright sir. I'll handle it.
Get these people out of here.
Leave!
-Seems to be a big problem.
I'm trying to be polite.
-Let me meet the doctor!
I won't go until I see him.
-Hands off the cops!
Get the hell out of here!
Let us go, sir!
Hey!
-Can you let us in now?
What are you doing?!
Take them to the Royapettah hospital.
Get in the van!
This guy Abdul cheated that Kalpana
and ruined her.
Poor girl!
She failed in love, and in suicide.
Mary 'chechi' ('sister' in Malayalam)...
-So, are all nurses manufactured in Kerala?
It's not 'Mary'.
It's 'Mariyamma'.
I'm sorry. There's a social activist
named Kalpana, who was admitted here.
I want to see her...
-Why the hell are you trying to bribe me?
Do I look like that kind of woman?
What the hell are you made of?
You and your stupid face!
Sorry, sister. Don't mistake us.
We're Kalpana's friends
and we're really worried about her.
Move aside, Ashok.
Sorry, ma'am. In times like this,
she'll need someone to talk to.
We need to see her.
Please help us. How is she now?
Poor girl has scratches all over her body.
It's as if she was torn apart by wolves.
How can one girl fight off so many people?
It's a miracle she survived.
-We need to see her. Please help us.
I'm taking a huge risk for you here.
Just do what I say.
That's an undercover cop.
One of the doctors just examined her.
She seems to have back pain.
Please see what's wrong.
I think it's a pelvic fracture.
We need to take an X-ray.
-Sure, doctor.
Stay here, ma'am.
We'll be back in five minutes.
Where are you taking her, nurse?
-To take an X-ray.
Wrap this up before the doctor comes back.
I'll return in ten minutes.
What happened Kalpana?
They're saying all kinds of things.
They're my colleagues from Zen1 TV.
They wanted to see how you are, too.
As far as you're concerned,
I'm just a news article, right?
Even now, you didn't come here
out of concern for me.
That's not true, Kalpana.
We came when we heard
that you tried to kill yourself.
Only after arriving
did we know of the real situation.
The cops are trying to cover this up.
Even now, they blamed your friend Abdul
for this, and took him away.
You won't get justice,
if you stay quiet.
We'll keep your name and face
out of this.
But we need to record your statement.
If you don't want to do it, that's okay.
We're here for you. So is our channel.
Stop. Turn off the camera.
-Why?
You don't have to face the camera.
Your voice is enough. Turn around.
What are you doing, Thilak?
She's agreed to show her face.
Why are you making her turn around?
Her face will boost up the ratings!
Shut up and do your work.
Come over here, Malar.
Let's roll, Ashok.
Our movement
is called 'Green Humanity'.
Our mission is to fight every crime
against nature.
A village called Kamangudi,
near Tiruvallur...
...is being heavily polluted
by the 'Global Dragon' pesticide company.
A factory owned by Dheeran Maniarasu,
businessman and political bigwig.
We protested outside the factory,
to raise awareness about this problem.
There are many ways to disperse crowds.
Lathi charges. Arrests. Attacks from goons.
Beyond all this, the women who protest
are subjected to extreme humiliation.
Many have been sexually assaulted.
Bodily organs have been maimed.
That day,
after Abdul dropped me home...
Come fast. Let's go.
-Shut the hell up, woman!
You like to protest
when nature gets ruined, eh?
We'll see who comes to protest
when you're ruined!
Don't let her get away!
"Shame me all you want."
"But you will have to answer
for every wound that befalls us."
"Try curbing one of us
and a hundred will rush to our defence."
"Sooner or later,
our resolve will conquer you."
"Despite your deception,
we will succeed."
In our society,
expectant parents want only a male child.
This is the very first crime against women.
This basic discrimination is the foundation
to every injustice faced by a woman.
Just recently,
to fight against the damage to nature...
...this lady protested outside
the factory owned by "Global Dragon".
Do her actions have anything to do
with the crime committed against her?
Despite her word that some savages
were responsible for this...
...why are the cops trying to cover it up,
by ruling it as a suicide attempt?
Who are those mongrels
who committed this horrendous crime?
Who do they work for?
It's not just this one woman.
Because of these heinous incidents...
...there are many,
who are ashamed to show their faces.
To those sisters who are forced to hide,
it is our duty to show them the way.
I don't know if we can feel their pain.
But at least, let us try to understand it.
Thank you.
You were just awesome.
In the two years we've been on air,
this is the best newscast.
Dheeran's on the line.
He's really angry.
Are you messing with me?
We're just broadcasting a statement
of a woman who was wronged.
What's she saying?
Why are you dragging me into this mess?
Was my company name
inscribed in the van she was raped in?
Enough with that crap!
Think you can give me soap
after slinging mud at me?
Think about it. You will need
our support during the election.
Many of my relationships
began with hostility.
But everything ended amicably.
First, retract the statement against me.
-We'll definitely do it.
But before that, let's talk over brunch.
'Bench'?
What are we? Lovers?
Is this a news channel
or a five-star hotel?
Now I understand why you won't work for me.
So, how many film rights
do you want to sell?
156. Even if I sell all 350 films I own,
I can't pay off my debts.
But the lord is with me.
He won't let the righteous down.
And you want me to work for you!
Times change.
-He's the Managing Director.
Even if it has the biggest star,
no more than 8 crores on satellite rights.
Be very clear on that.
-Sit down.
If he signs now, it'll be 8.
If he's back tomorrow to bargain...
...I'll cut it down to 5 crores.
He's Mr. Mayilvahanan
from Muthamizh TV.
Mr. Pillai told me about you.
How many films did you say you have?
I can give you three crores.
-Sir, each film is an epic in itself.
Even if it's 5 lakhs per film,
it comes up to 7 crores.
Your offer is nowhere close to that.
Even three crores is a lot for this.
I don't know how I can use any of it.
This rotten trash can't be used
as either music or film.
What did you say?
"Rotten trash"?
Have you seen Tamil films, mister?
"Crap"?
Let me break it down to you.
'Listen up, my little boy.
Listen to what I have to say.'
'Pay close attention to my words.
You better pay attention to it.'
This song's from the film
'Arasilankumari'.
Who sang it? The pride of the masses,
the prince of the poor...
...the divine scholar,
the pristine king...
...and he who is one in a thousand people.
Do you know of the legendary M.G.R.?
I'm the only one
who has every single one of his films.
"The sky pours. The earth provides.
For what reason do I owe you taxes?"
"Did you work in our fields,
plant our crops, pull our weeds...
...irrigate our land,
or grind turmeric for our women?"
"Shameless fellow!"
This dialogue is from
'Veerapandiya Kattabomman'.
Who spoke it? A roaring lion,
a soaring eagle, a noble Tamilian...
...a majestic artist, a statue of virtue,
a fiery dynasty...
...a symbol of hope, a jewel of pride.
The greatest of all time.
The iconic Sivaji Ganesan.
Is this "rotten trash"?
Mr. Mayil, you're testing my patience.
-A celluloid demigod, an oratorical gem...
...armed with a sharp tongue,
he turned Tamil Nadu on its head.
Do you know anything about him?
Have you seen the film 'Chandralekha'
by Gemini S.S. Vasan?
The movie where hundreds of women
dance away on huge drums?
Have you seen it before
or do you want to see it now?
Let go of me, Pillai.
Once you see that dance,
you'll never forget it.
I'll give you a chance. Have a glance.
Then carry on with your silly dance.
Fight this,
and it'll get worse.
Hey mister, you might be a millionaire,
but you don't own an inch of my hair.
Listen up. 23 of my men are in jail
for rioting outside your office.
Now with this girl,
you're defaming me during the election.
The press is relentlessly questioning me.
You said you'd fix this! What happened?
Other than your time of birth,
I can change everything else about you.
Mr. Pillai, do it.
-I'll add it to the next newscast.
Do you know the story of Saddam Hussein?
Script?
You want me to produce a film?
This is an incident from Iraq, sir.
Through a strategy called
'embedded journalism'...
...many media outlets convinced the world
that Saddam Hussein had nuclear weapons...
...which were a threat to world peace.
This induced fear among the public.
Several nations allied together.
They declared war against Iraq
and killed Saddam Hussein.
All of it was for oil.
Since then, there've been no traces...
...of a single nuclear weapon in Iraq.
When the media can rewrite history...
...it is child's play
to either boost or sink your image.
You're all talk, but no action.
-"Breaking News!"
"A few days ago, many individuals
associated with Dheeran Maniarasu..."
"...were arrested for rioting
outside our office."
"In a stunning turn of events,
new information has come to light."
"Take only the tomatoes and eggs.
Leave the weapons."
"Upon reviewing this footage,
it has been proved..."
"...that Dheeran's rivals staged this
to humiliate him and his party."
"The police are investigating
the true nature of the culprits..."
"...based on information
provided by Zen1 TV."
What kind of magic is this, Kalyan?
In one second, you changed everything!
You're a genius!
The media is so powerful!
Our research team has designed
some promotional strategies for you.
Your credibility with the public
is in the gutter.
What are you saying? Just by batting an eye
I set social media on fire.
Won't these become votes tomorrow?
They're just trolling you.
None of it will become votes.
30% of the public see you as a clown.
25% of them see you as a rogue.
15% see you as an alcoholic.
We must change that.
Our personality branding
is a clinical process.
Like legalizing black money,
you'll be in the top news...
...at least once a week, on our channel.
We'll script a few incidents on our end
to get you there.
This will be further reflected
in our proxy media outlets and websites.
And your public image will simply soar.
-Alright. I'm in!
Take me as high as you can.
I'll make sure the money keeps pouring.
Put your hands together,
for Zen1 TV's 'All in All Extravaganza'!
Tamil Nadu's most innovative musical show!
Tonight, we have five finalists.
They're going to perform
new age covers of Bharathiar's music!
Would you like anything to eat?
-No, thank you.
'Gushing light, you are, to me.
Perceiving sight, I am, to you.'
'Flowing honey, you are, to me.
Dazed bee, I am, to you.'
'Words aren't enough
to describe your splendour.'
'Dazzling light of the heavens.
Oh, you balmy breeze.'
'Kannamma, my love!'
'Kannamma, my love!'
'Eternal love, you are, to me.
Enchanting pull, I am, to you.'
'Mystical knowledge, you are, to me.
Skillful mastery, I am, to you.'
'You are the brimming ecstasy
at the very end of enlightenment.'
'The embodiment of music.
Oh, you pleasing soul!'
'An ever playful boy.
Kannan!'
Put the chicken away.
You're on camera.
'A constant source of woe
to many a damsel.'
Do our judges know what they have to say?
-Let them say what they want to say.
What do you think
about their performance?
Amazing.
The idea is refreshingly new.
You guys rocked the stage.
Fantastic.
Don't simply praise them.
Spice it up with a bit of controversy.
Sure, will do.
You call that a song?
They were braying like donkeys.
Jumping around like monkeys.
Think you are dancing at a local funeral?
If one sings like this,
love will cease to exist.
Thank god the poet isn't alive
to witness this horror.
Presenting to you, our special guest.
A man of smiles,
who goes many miles.
The one and only "Power Star".
A few words, sir.
What do I say?
-Tell us more about your doctorate title.
Sir, please talk about the performance.
It was fantastic. I was dazzled
by this rocking version of 'Bharathi'.
Sir, save this speech for another day.
This is no audio launch event.
Find a few faults.
Spruce it up a bit.
Just a small problem.
With your seat?
-No, with the beat.
The drummer is at fault.
The tempo was wrong.
-What?
Instead of setting it from six to four,
he went to three.
The notes were a little faulty too.
But he managed it well.
What? Are you kidding me?
Had any of the other judges said it,
I would've accepted it.
It's funny to hear you say it.
Funny, says the drummer!
He isn't at fault, says the drummer.
He is at fault, says Power Star.
Let's see who is right!
-Jagan, that's an interesting challenge.
Ask Power Star to play the drums.
-Challenge him to play a round.
You call yourself Power Star.
Do you really have it in you?
Oh! He's provoking the Death Star
by defying Power Star.
Why do I have to compete?
-Sir, be a sport and just play along.
It won't be a pretty sight.
Come on, sir. Go ahead.
-No, why do we need to do this?
We'll handle it in editing.
Hand him the sticks.
Look, his hands are trembling.
Capture it.
God, save me!
What is going to happen next?
You are a genius.
-You are too kind.
Please dont call me a genius.
Only as long as you see me as a buffoon,
will I be a hit with the public.
Don't ruin my career
by calling me a genius.
Still, fools don't always remain fools.
They might know a thing or two.
Next up, the Bombay Melody Girls.
Mr. Pillai, this is Lakshmi Mukund.
A branding expert
from the ABC Ad agency.
Ma'am, they look like dolls,
but they can't sing to save their lives.
They don't need to. Their costumes
and makeup have a far wider reach.
They aren't just show girls
but also showcases of commercial products.
Their performance is so poor.
They might get eliminated in this round.
These girls must reach the finals
if you intend to bag big brands.
Else you might have to settle
for run-of-the-mill brands.
Keep the CD ready.
'Kannamma, my beloved.'
'Kannamma...'
There is no lip sync.
-Don't look at the sync, look at the chick.
'Precious life, you are, to me.
Pulsating beat, I am, to you.'
'Immense wealth, you are, to me.
Endless reserve, I am, to you.'
'Eternal beauty.
Oh you all pervading radiance.'
'Your smile is akin to a blooming jasmine.
Oh you rush of joy.'
'An ever playful boy.'
Accept my apologies, my lord.
What was I even thinking?
You just turned the tide.
'Open Talk', a new talk show
is set to start with grandeur.
I'd like to discuss market prospects.
Who is the anchor?
-Mr. Pillai, show her the photos.
Looks like a guy
who performs at a circus.
Are we selecting a security guard?
I told you she wouldn't like any of them.
Why don't you rope in
some popular anchors?
We did try. No matter how much we offer,
they won't leave their channels.
I need someone young, bold
and knowledgeable.
Someone with a magnetic personality.
How about Thilak?
He is a sensible guy
but lacks clarity of speech.
It's like he's constantly chewing gum.
He might not be sensational
but he is endearing and honest.
'Kannamma...'
'...my love.'
'Kannamma...'
'...my beloved,
my love.'
'Precious life, you are, to me.
Pulsating beat, I am, to you.'
'Immense wealth, you are, to me.
Endless reserve, I am, to you.'
'Eternal beauty.
Oh you all pervading radiance.'
'Your smile is akin to a blooming jasmine.
Oh you rush of joy!'
Thilak, his work is done.
Can you ask Power Star to leave?
Brief the judges about the elimination.
Ask the audience to break for lunch.
Bro, you rocked.
Thank you so much for accepting our invite.
Your work is done here.
- Already? What about the results?
Is it okay?
- No problem at all. You may leave.
Fabulous. Fantastic. Amazing.
The performance was power packed.
Judges, please let us know if this team
is going to the next round.
Go ahead and declare it.
-Selection was tough.
The team to be eliminated
is Vanilla Folk Team.
You failed to use the lyrics of the poet
and tried to ride easy by rapping around.
Dancing like savages,
your performance lacked grace.
And dear boy,
is this a gymnastics show?
We will improve ourselves.
We feel proud in performing before you all.
We'll do better next time.
Jagan, ask him to show some emotion!
They are scolding you. Don't grin.
Act like you're hurt.
They will show you in close-up.
They haven't said anything wrong.
Why should I cry?
Let me come there.
Boy, if you lose,
you must cry.
Every one enjoyed our performance.
They applauded.
We don't consider this a failure.
Sorry but we don't feel like crying.
Look at the judges, okay?
What have you done?
Even his parents don't hit him.
Are you upset?
Then throw your instruments down...
...or throw the mike at the judges.
Do anything, but make it sensational.
-What? You want us throw the instruments?
Come on guys, let's leave.
Subu dear, please don't cry.
Thanks.
-For what?
Bringing Power Star on board
was the only real thing that happened.
Rest is just business.
And lies.
Are you free today?
-What do you mean by 'free'?
If you are free, we can...
-We can? What?
You want me to hang out with you
somewhere?
I felt like thanking you.
And I did. Thats all. Period!
Yet, this knight isn't going to giveth up.
Period!
At least a coffee at the canteen?
-Alright, come along.
Thilak, boss wants to see you.
-Sir, let me just have coffee.
A feast awaits you there.
I waited 3 years for this coffee.
-It would've gone cold by now.
Thilak, this is your best bet.
Don't screw it up.
Think of it as a show,
where you are the participant.
Look over there. That's Lakshmi.
Marketing head of ABC Ad agency.
She is playing the judge.
She will decide
if you are worth your salt.
Ma'am, he is Thilak,
the one I had mentioned earlier.
So Thilak, what is your idea
about a talk show?
What do you know about anchoring?
It's important for the anchor
to know the guest inside out.
An anchor can easily become a hero
by putting the guest in a spot.
But that's not the anchor's job.
-Should we make the guest a hero?
No, ma'am.
As per the ethics of journalism...
Don't bore me with your ethics theory.
Is journalism boring?
How can you say that?
Miss...?
Sir, is she a Miss or Mrs.?
Just give it a miss!
How can consumer products dictate
the proceedings of a current affairs show?
How can the market decide the concept?
Should media be a slave
to a soap company?
Is media your slave?
-Slave? I never said that.
It's not just my question.
The nation wants to know.
The nation is erupting!
It's a social anger of the moral fibre
of the Indian middle class society.
You have insulted the middle class.
Never ever interfere me
when I'm talking.
Listen to me, Lakshmi!
This is one way
to host a talk show.
Now for the other version?
Hello Lakshmi.
It's a dream to have you on our show.
ABC agency is a leading marketing giant.
As their employee,
you would be very busy.
Setting all that aside, you came here
to personally find the right anchor...
...and decide the content of the show.
You're gladly shouldering our burden.
Can you tell us how you acquired
such a sense of responsibility?
This is another way to ask questions.
One who thinks questions are important
raises his voice.
One who is looking for answers
speaks gently.
See if he would fit the bill?
-Sir, it's all done.
Already? What exactly did you do
to impress her?
Just a sample, sir.
-Let's have Dheeran as our first guest.
It will be a glorious start.
Mr. Dheeran, are you trying
to ignore the elephant in the room?
There has been a case registered
against you for torching a bus.
Do you or do you not accept your mistake?
-Hey!
Don't say a word.
Do you accept your mistakes or not?
The only mistake I committed in 1989
is giving birth to you.
Let's resume
after a short commercial break.
He was jailed for selling illicit liquor.
But the year of arrest is unknown.
That information is crucial.
Dig deeper.
Most of his wealth is in his wife's name.
Her name means 'lucky'.
He is indeed lucky to have a wife
who doesn't mind his many concubines.
But look how unlucky this guy is.
He was trying to deliver
an Oscar-winning performance.
He kissed
only because of his commitment to the role.
Is that even a mistake?
Does that warrant a breakup?
Dude, don't screw this up for me.
I just convinced her
to have coffee with me.
Coffee?
What do you mean?
Despite having a feast every day,
you weren't satisfied.
"According to recently obtained reports,
Kalpana is mentally unstable."
"Presenting to you,
Kalpana's parents."
"My daughter isn't mentally stable."
"It's been the case
for the last four years."
"I think it has aggravated now."
"She hallucinated that someone
stalked and violated her, that day..."
"...which made her jump off a moving taxi."
"Our daughter hasn't been raped."
"The fault lies with our daughter."
"Kalpana is a schizophrenic patient."
"She just visualized of being stalked
and sexually violated."
"It is all a figment of her imagination."
"It is dangerous to release her outside.
She should be cared for in an asylum."
"Thereby, we confirm that Ms. Kalpana
wasn't subjected to any violence."
"We apologize for airing false news..."
-How can they put her face on air?
Kalpana is currently undergoing treatment.
When was this shot taken?
No, Thilak, don't do anything now.
-Let go of me.
Where do you think you are going?
Thilak, please wait.
Let's talk about it later.
It's getting late for your show.
I'm not interested in the interview.
I'm going to bash Ashok up.
Did you think about Kalpana's situation?
-Thilak, calm down and listen to me.
Would bashing Ashok change anything?
Calm down and consider what I just said.
-She trusted me.
Ashok has branded her a lunatic.
You have known Kalpana for a week.
I have known her for six years.
Do you think I'm not upset or angry?
We haven't cheated anyone.
Please understand! As a media person,
one has to face many problems.
If you take all of it personally,
you can never be at peace.
You won't be able to work.
Politics has played a role in this issue.
And, our channel is an accomplice to this.
You do realize that,
don't you?
How do you expect me to be
a mute spectator?
What are you going to do now?
Who are you to question this?
What does that have to do with this?
-Do you have any standing in the media?
If you want to make a difference,
you must first reach a certain level.
You need to become a respectable anchor.
Until you prove your worth,
the world won't respect you.
Your chance to soar high
is waiting at your doorstep.
We have your back. Alright?
The spotlight that shines on you today
will pave the way forward.
Not just in your dreams,
I will be there with you forever.
Hello sir!
You changed the entire story, Ashok!
-It's nothing new to us, sir.
How long should I wait for you?
Why are you late?
Thilak, in that case of 100 deaths
due to illicit liquor supply...
...Maniarasu was arrested in 2004,
at Dharmapuri.
Stick with the questions
prepared by our research team. Got it?
I'll talk you through this segment.
Keep this, Malar. Don't confuse him.
"Upon watching a peacock dance..."
This way, sir.
-This language is way too classical.
Don't worry. If you forget,
I'll prompt you through the earpiece.
Please give me that cheat sheet.
-Can you hear me, Thilak?
Hurry!
-Bavana, these questions are ridiculous!
Stick with those questions.
-It's time, Malar.
That's enough, sir!
Start with a respectful greeting.
Not too formal.
Try it once. Let's check the audio.
-Greetings, honourable sir!
This is way too much.
Be serious! Do it properly.
Welcome. Hello sir!
-Hello, my friend.
You don't need an introduction, sir.
People sing your praises every day
on social media.
An eminent politician and industrialist.
Why don't you introduce yourself
in three sentences?
I'm Dheeran Maniarasu!
Public service is my life's purpose!
I walk the path of truth and honesty.
According to a proverb
in my ancestral home...
...there are no virgin mothers
or honest politicians.
What are you saying?
-Your introduction has proved that wrong.
You got the prefix 'Dheeran'
due to a valiant act, isn't it, sir?
This question should be asked boldly!
Don't be afraid.
Fifteen years ago, the government opened
several liquor shops in my town.
Every family suffered!
I couldn't just stand by
and watch the poor endure this pain.
That's why I led a protest
to shut these shops down.
Back in 2004, due to this liquor issue,
didn't they arrest you in Dharmapuri?
You idiot! What are you doing?
-It happened in Dharmapuri, right?
Yes, I protested against
all kinds of alcohol, in Dharmapuri!
I endured a lot of physical abuse,
pain, suffering, and resistance.
Resistance, is it?
Who resisted whom?
The government.
They tried to assault and deter me.
I should've died from all that gunfire.
Look at these wounds!
That's enough, sir. Children are watching.
Cover up those wounds.
I have a lot more scars in my body.
On noticing my resolve, our leader,
Tamizhselvan, praised me a lot.
To ensure his words remain etched
in people's minds...
...he named me "Dheeran Maniarasu".
This was truly historic, my friend.
Truly historic, yes.
Worthy of being engraved in stone!
He's trolling him splendidly.
-Stop teasing him!
Shall we talk about your contribution
to education?
With three engineering colleges,
two medical colleges...
...you promote higher learning
among students.
That's about it.
-What about Abdul Kalaam?
Did you say "ape", sir?
You were going to compare me
with the great Mr. Abdul Kalaam?
He is an inspiration to me.
I promote education among the youth,
to support his vision of progress.
When and why did you leave
your first party?
Listen up. He'll start with
"Upon watching a peacock dance..."
"Upon watching a peacock dance..."
-How did you know that?
"...a turkey yearns to upstage it."
-I wrote it.
Have you heard that verse?
This is just like that.
Lovely poem!
'Purananooru' or 'Agananooru'?
Sir, it's 'Purananooru'.
-Of course, it's the one about 400 birds!
Awesome! Please do it again.
-'400 birds'.
'400 birds' indeed!
-Just like that, my friend...
...out of jealousy over my friendship
with the leader, some tried to ruin me.
So, I left them.
-Did you leave or did they kick you out?
If you provoke him,
you can kiss your career goodbye.
"Kick me out"? I walked out!
-Ask him about his titles.
'The guiding light of the poor',
'The anchor of the youth'...
...'The eighth wonder of the world',
and 'The guardian of progress'.
You have many more revered titles.
Which is your favourite?
-My friend, you left out my doctorate!
I'm sorry, doctor.
Though I have so many titles,
'Protector of the poor', is my favourite.
Announce a commercial break.
Stay tuned for more excitement
after a short commercial break.
Hey kid! Why are you switching
the order of the questions?
How can I respond properly
if they're not in sequence?
Here you go, sir!
Why are you asking unnecessary questions?
Stick to the list.
Don't digress.
For goodness sake, look cheerful!
Have some water.
-Talk without looking at the cue cards.
They think I'm like the equipment here,
to turn on or off at the flick of a switch.
Put Thilak on the phone.
Put him on the line!
-It's alright.
You traitor!
I told her not to trust the media.
She didn't believe me.
Is this what you call 'journalism'?
You're mistaken, Abdul.
-It may as well be prostitution!
Please listen to me, Abdul.
-Aren't you ashamed?
Give me that.
-What are you going to say to him?
Brother...
-Please listen to me, Kalpana...
You said my face wasn't necessary
and I needn't worry.
You assured me of your support,
as well as that of your channel.
Why did your channel brand me a lunatic
and humiliate me like this?
They threatened my parents
and made them tell lies.
My hands are heavily tied, Kalpana...
-No! Let me finish what I have to say.
Weren't you the one who told me
that if I stayed quiet...
...I wouldn't get justice?
Didn't you make me tell my story?
When it's time for you to tell the truth,
you choose to stay quiet and nod along.
I truly feel like a lunatic, now!
The people who assaulted me that day
were evil to begin with.
But you came along
like a virtuous man...
Disconnect the call!
Why are you on the phone now?
Just focus on the show! Understand?
Just follow the cue cards
and my voice on your earpiece.
Ask him about his upcoming initiatives.
Be more cheerful.
Speak to him with respect,
and more importantly, bolster his image.
Mr. 'Theechatti' Mannar?
-What?
What did you say?
-Isn't that your real name?
Weren't you born after your mom
appeased God with a fire pot...
...following years of childlessness?
Who told you that?
-Saroja, your concubine.
Head of the women's division.
-Way to mess with him.
Don't be shy.
The whole city knows about it.
Our distinguished guest
started as an auto driver at 15...
...and became the auto union boss at 23.
After that, he joined a political party...
...burned down a bus, and was renamed
as 'Dheeran' Maniarasu.
After that, he saw nothing but growth.
With profits from unethical means...
...he set up 6 colleges...
...and several theatres under his name...
...as well as that of his family
and several proxies, right?
And in collaboration with China,
you set up a pesticide factory.
How did you grow from an auto driver
to a powerful industrialist?
You summed it all up in a few seconds.
My journey was far from easy.
I endured humiliations,
cruelties, and wounds...
You left out riots, betrayals,
and sexual assaults.
What the hell are you talking about?
Why are trying to mimic Raghuvaran
from the film 'Mudhalvan'?
Mr. Mannar, I was only referring
to the stepping stones you demolished.
Do you follow me?
Can I refresh your memory?
A few days ago, didn't a youth movement,
named 'Green Humanity'...
...protest the ecological damage done
by your company, outside your office?
Look at what he's doing!
Didn't you try dispersing them
with physical force?
Didn't you have a few rogues
brutally violate one of its women?
Does any of that ring a bell?
-This is such a load of crap!
Mr. Mannar,
I haven't gotten to my questions yet.
What questions? "Who was I born to"?
"Who are my kids?" Is it relevant to you?
Do we stop this?
-Let it record. It'll be useful later.
Go for a commercial break.
You know what I've done to get this far?
Just one stage. 500 rupees per person.
I'll kill you, and take this channel out!
Your words brim with passion, sir.
Relax. I'm just getting warmed up.
A statement from Abdul
about your death threat to him.
Listen up.
-"We won't stop until we stop you".
For the audience.
"You're threatening me
in the name of truce?"
"I called you not for a truce,
but to rip your throat out."
"Was defiling your friend Kalpana
not good enough for you?"
Give me that!
Please calm down!
-That's not even my voice.
You used someone to mimic me.
Who's Kalpana? Who's Abdul?
What protest do you mean?
What crap is this?
Please cool down.
-Don't worry, sir. We've cut to break.
Nothing here will be telecast.
What are you doing?
-What the hell do you think I'm doing?
Turn off the camera
or I'll kill you.
Obviously when there's manufacturing,
there will be waste.
Don't you take a dump
before going to work?
Has anyone died because of that dump?
Do you have a list of victims?
Hold on for a second.
I only said there was ecological damage.
Did people die?
So many that it warrants a list?
Shut the hell up!
Who the hell do you think you are?
Think you can humiliate me like this?
I'll kill you!
Did you record all of that?
-Some of it was off-camera.
Make sure you get all of this.
-Will do.
Let's assume you're innocent.
If you are, why are you getting angry?
Why are you sweating profusely?
It's all true, isn't it?
You know nothing about me!
You're hitting me for this question?
I've got a whole lot more for you!
Haven't you had enough?
You actually want more?
Oh no! Your dhoti is unravelling.
Did you trip and fall, sir?
Be careful, sir.
It might affect your blood pressure!
Or you might get a stroke!
Go and re-tie your dhoti.
Find your mini-bottle of booze
lying over there.
Take good care of yourself.
-Come with us, Thilak!
Take it easy on yourself, okay?
Your dhoti...
-Get out of here!
Did you get all of that?
-Are you okay, dude?
Don't tend to my wounds, my dear.
These are your prince's scars of victory.
Are you impressed?
The more he struck you,
the more truth came to light.
I've seen heroes who kick ass in style.
Never one who gets his ass kicked in style!
Yeah, I'm no stranger to it.
Write down what I tell you.
Do your mimicry in the spots
that I tell you to.
Move aside!
Get down here, scumbag!
Think you can humiliate me on air?
-None of it was broadcast.
Is this what I pay you for?
-The public didn't see any of this.
We can fix all of this.
-What the hell can you fix?
Speak what's written here.
Make-up, freshen him up!
Just say this on air.
-Get him a fresh shirt!
We'll take care of the rest.
There's no problem.
Quickly give him the shirt.
The break ends in 20 seconds.
Get me old shots of Thilak.
Please come and sit down, sir.
Crop in the older footage with Thilak
and match it.
Quickly dub this in Thilak's voice.
Your hands are spotless.
-Tighten up the shot.
No one can know that Thilak isn't there.
Just keep him in the frame.
They're back on air.
"Your hands are spotless."
-How are they doing this?
"You always walk the path
of righteousness."
"Shouldn't the people know that?
The accusations against you are false."
"We know that.
Don't people need to know too?"
"That's why I asked such severe questions.
Please don't be offended."
My friend, the successful ones
are always targeted.
We can't let it drag us down.
-Crop Thilak into the wide shot.
It took five years to fix my public image.
This poor girl was made a scapegoat
by my rivals, to take revenge on me.
That makes me real sad.
-There's no "Greetings" from Thilak.
It won't be natural without it.
We'll end with Dheeran signing off?
He would've said it during the sound check.
Clip it from there.
Thank goodness you proved this to be false.
Thanks for letting me reinforce
my honesty, virtuousness, and nobility.
He altered the voice completely!
Awesome! Tell them I'm on my way.
With a lot of booze. We'll party all night!
Stay out of my way!
-You'll pay for this!
Why the hell did you do this?
Please stay out of my way, Malar!
You street dog!
-You're the bloody dog!
Stop it, Thilak!
You filthy traitor!
Stop him!
-Get away from me!
Stop it!
-Out of my way, hag!
You thought I'm a pushover?
You're dead meat, loser!
Would you do this to your sister?
You're branding rotten fish
as fresh and selling it.
Who is Dheeran Maniarasu?
A womanizer. An alcoholic. A murderer.
And you want me to compare him
to Abdul Kalaam?
Do you have any idea
what prime time is all about?
The time when folks spice up their dinner
by turning on their television!
The programming content in this block
must be extremely sensational!
As per company policy,
they must generate a ton of money.
This wasn't what we planned for our show.
You got rid of the regional team
who were great, in the very first show!
Do people buy HD television sets
to watch these regional buffoons?
On top of that,
that team didn't have even a single girl!
Even if a man
can do a million tricks...
...viewership rises only
when a beautiful girl can do the same!
You're asking us to lie. We're asking you
to sensationally tell the truth.
You saw how we covered
Kalpana's rape case, didn't you?
That day, we topped the ratings.
Don't you feel ashamed?
Even her attackers assaulted her only once.
In the name of news,
you have assaulted her a million times!
You got something to say to me?
Good thing you don't have
the assault footage.
If you had that,
you would've aired it over and over again!
That's enough out of you!
If someone had killed your parents
or sexually assaulted your friends here...
...you'd be the only one
shocked and sad.
To me, it is news.
The best kind of news!
Die, you sleaze ball!
Don't let me fall, Thilak!
-If I do, you'll be the hottest news story.
Have a nice death.
Why are you laughing?
I imagined a terrific news story
involving you. It was hilarious.
Too bad you wouldn't have been around
to see it.
That's what we're saying.
Don't assume viewers are fools
and play with their emotions.
They trust you now.
Almost blindly.
Millions enjoy watching us.
They feel like they're in here, with us.
Sensational dramas. Questions raised.
Wins and losses in music shows.
Every applause. Every teardrop.
Everything. They believe all of it.
Their trust is our biggest asset.
The second you betray that,
they'll just change channels and move on.
Our people tend to doze off a lot.
But when it's time,
they wake up.
And when they do,
you're finished.
I'm fired. Is that right?
-Do you know who you're talking to?
Get lost!
Go ahead, Kalyan.
-No company in India will hire any of you.
Let's not rush to this decision, sir.
If you take their side, Mr. Pillai,
you can walk out with them.
But I've been here since...
-How does this concern you?
Just do your job, and only that, sir.
Oppose me and you...
-Excuse me, sir!
Tell him we'd rather wash cups
in a tea stall than work for this creature!
I'll see you when I see you.
Dude, all the channels are eagerly waiting
to give us dismissal orders.
Thanks to Kalyan,
we've all been blacklisted.
The last sip is mine!
Look!
It's that clown who screwed us.
He screwed you.
And you screwed us all.
I can't beat you up.
Let me at least bash him.
Someone might get hurt.
On top of it, you threw away our booze.
That's enough.
You and your social service!
What's happening here?
Any problem?
Uncle, all the shops are shut.
Where can we get chilled beer?
It isn't safe here.
And you're out with a bunch of drunkards.
What if someone harms you?
-Don't worry, uncle.
No one can do them more harm than us.
With friends like us, who needs enemies?
Hey Thilak, doesn't he remind you
of someone?
Doesn't he look like the cook
from the film "Avvai Shanmugi"?
They both have the same nose!
Uncle, we are really sorry.
Doggie, take care of uncle.
Cops may nab you
for walking the dog at this hour!
Why are you staggering?
Had too much to drink?
Isn't it fishy? He's dressed like that
to take his dog for a leak at this hour.
They are trying to kill us.
-He's driving like a lunatic.
Dude, Kalyan is trying to get us killed.
If you walk in the middle of the road,
will the lorry ply on the platform?
Don't rattle me, Malar.
My bladder is full!
Girls, dont peep in.
It is a cardinal sin.
You drunkard,
you are such a disgrace to men.
He's wasted. I have got to save him.
You guys wait right here.
Our life is all dried up
and you're wetting his poster!
Why do you think this toilet is here?
But, this pup is keeping me company.
Nishanti and Malar, come here
and have a look at this opening.
I'm going to whip his butt.
-Why is she pelting stones?
Just come and have a look at this.
Dude, look there is a job opening.
-'Facing setbacks? Don't worry.'
'To perform at your best,
contact Muthamizh TV.'
It's a Tamil channel that has rescued us!
-Where is the interview happening?
Maid, where is the receptionist?
Why is she giving me a dirty look?
What kind of channel is this?
-Discovery.
True that.
Look, a hippo!
What do you want?
-Whoa, the maid is the madam!
We are here for the interview.
-Please be seated.
Pushpa, is there anyone who fits the bill?
No, not you.
No girls please.
And you look way too healthy.
Doesn't he seem right for the part?
-He fits it to a T.
Wow! Your interview room looks
as fancy as a studio.
Remain seated
and answer all their questions.
Welcome.
-Here is my resume and other particulars.
Please tell us about the setbacks
you've endured.
We are a group of 6 - 3 boys and 3 girls.
We worked together day and night.
Okay, we get it.
Remove your shirt and lie down here.
What kind of a job
requires me to remove my shirt?
We'll diagnose all your problems
and prescribe you this medicine.
Just have two spoons of this medicine
and see all your problems melt away.
Oh, it's that kind of a place!
-Remain seated.
Get off me, you pest!
I'll break your teeth.
'Facing setbacks?'
The same poster from last night!
Dude, they are trying to use me
to sell male potency pills.
We got duped by the words.
They aren't talking about setbacks
at work, but in bed.
It is a sham of a show.
And they are all quacks.
Who are you calling a quack?
Master, this reptilian guy
walked out of the show midway.
Sorry, we misunderstood.
We have a lot of media experience.
It will be very useful
if you recruit us in your programming team.
You guys are looking for a job?
-Yes, sir.
I'm in no position to hire anyone.
You may try selling these medicines.
You can make 50 per piece.
I have nothing else to offer.
Have you acquired a broadcasting license
just to sell these bottles?
Isn't this a sham?
-You call this a sham?
Stress and tension are everywhere
except where they are supposed to be.
Don't we need a solution for this?
Tamilians were once
the forerunners in medicine.
But today, some are scrawny like you.
I mean no offense, sir.
The world is torn apart by many problems.
Leaving all that aside,
you seem focused on marital issues.
Not bad, you seem to have a point.
The scientist who explored space...
The sage who enlightened the soul...
Know what our very own Dr. Abdul Kalaam
had to say about world peace?
What did he say?
-Harmony at home equals an orderly nation.
When there is order in the nation,
there is peace in the world.
Sir, it sounds great.
But I don't understand a word.
Please translate.
I'll explain it in a way
you best understand.
A happy marriage leads to a happy home...
...which leads to a peaceful country
and a peaceful world.
How is it?
Sir, you are amazing.
I have decided to work for you.
I have decided too.
There is no way I'm going to hire you.
See you, sonny!
Who turned on these lights?
Just looking at the electricity bill
is enough to give you a shock.
Sir, tell us where the HR room is.
We can initiate the joining formalities.
Do you even know
what you're saying?
I'm waiting for someone
to offer me a good deal for this channel.
My job is like a boat caught in a storm.
So, don't get me started.
We can be the oars in your boat.
All I do here are chores.
We don't need any more oars.
You have offered refuge to animals.
Won't you offer us a small space?
We have been blacklisted by Zen1 TV
and no one is ready to offer us a job.
So, you guys are up against Zen1 TV?
One thing is clear.
He has decided to destroy you guys.
But God has other plans.
He has decided to offer you refuge.
This is your room.
Take a good look at it.
Let me make one thing clear.
As quoted in the holy scriptures:
"Do your duty and expect not results".
Why did he say that now?
He means you can kiss your salary goodbye.
Shady pharmacy, downstairs.
Waste mart, upstairs.
Look, a customer is waiting for us.
What are you waiting for?
We've got to give this room a makeover.
'They say they wanna change it!'
'They say they wanna change something!'
'There they go making tea
in an empty tea stall.'
'They say they wanna change it!'
'They say they wanna change something!'
'There they go preparing tea
in an empty tea stall.'
"Train service disrupted due to buffaloes"
-Is this what you call breaking news?
I have a great idea for a new show...
Get up!
Do you know who I am?
Shantaram...
Kids will be brimming with ideas.
We need to learn to keep up,
else we'll be outdated.
'Why all the ruckus
in this ruddy old office?'
'Think you are 'Rajnikanth'
to soar to the sky in a single song?'
'Your mother bore you
to provide for the family!'
'But you turned out to be
a stranded sailor in an island!'
'A dramatic soap opera tops the chart.'
'Your silly documentary is simply a blot.'
'You came to sell in a mucky market...'
'Pray tell!
Why the godforsaken principles?'
'They say they wanna change it!'
'They say they wanna change something!'
'There they go preparing tea
in an empty tea stall.'
'They say they wanna change it!'
'They say they wanna change something!'
'There they go preparing tea
in an empty tea stall.'
Son, do you really need the light
for all this?
'With your pals,
you crank up the craziness.'
'And bask in the roaring fire,
which you set upon the trash.'
'You dream of converting
metal into sweetmeat.'
'And you bungle up
the only meal for the day.'
'On your antenna,
all there is, is crow crap.'
'No matter what you do,
your TRP will never rise, my chap!'
'Take some rest
and have a cup of coffee.'
'And into the crappy cup of life
let's go pee-pee.'
You're too cute.
What kind of a show can we do
without any money?
We can do a reality show on beggars.
And we even have a participant ready.
Folks, check this out.
Remember we saw an uncle
who was taking his dog for a walk?
He is the police commissioner.
While in disguise,
he arrested redwood smugglers.
That's the lorry that almost hit us.
So, the guy in shorts
was actually an undercover cop?
Look at this, sir! They brought back
the toilet seats, which we had disposed.
You may consider it trash,
but they look at it as treasure.
They transformed toilet seats
into artistic artifacts. Let it be!
Please sit down, sir.
Back in the old days,
kings often went out in disguise.
Similarly our current leaders
could disguise themselves...
...and keep tabs on the happenings
of their respective departments.
And this could be filmed by us candidly.
So you want the cops and corporation chaps
to disguise themselves?
Thilak, we are discussing something.
What are you fiddling with?
Boss, this was the reality show
that screwed us at Zen1 TV.
We couldn't complete it.
He's been brooding over it all morning.
Why does it make you so upset?
May I see it?
I hope you don't mind.
-Of course not.
"What about the adjacent lakes
drying up?"
"Did people die?
So many that it warrants a list?"
What the hell are they doing to you?
We need to strike back.
There is a bigger story behind his anger
than what you see here.
If you permit,
we can take this further.
This footage was taken covertly at Zen1 TV.
We will face legal issues if we air it.
That's alright.
We can face it.
I'm with you.
Go ahead and do it.
Thilak, there he is.
Pull over.
Sorry, Thilak.
I misunderstood you.
Malar told me about everything
that happened in the studio.
A once mighty river runs dry now.
Look at its condition.
The river and the lake have dried up.
This has affected agriculture.
There are at least 60 kids
with skeletal deformities.
Let me finish washing these.
This is the result of the pollution
caused by Dheeran's factory.
Thilak, this is Murugan,
a member of our team.
This is brother Yaseem,
our village head.
Had you seen this town
twenty years ago...
...you would have witnessed
the sprawling greenery.
Within three months of sowing seeds,
the land would be ripe with crops.
No summer could dry up our lake.
Our land was a healthy haven
to humans and other beings alike.
But now, the factory effluents,
let into the lake, cause various diseases.
Our young ones are paralyzed
by deformities.
Legendary actors
once danced on this very ground.
Look at its state now.
Contracts for fishing used to run
into the tune of several lakhs.
Now, one can't even spot a frog.
Once an ideal location for rustic films.
Now, it's apt only for morbid films.
The factory releases a chemical
named 'Arsenic' into the lake...
...which pollutes the ground water.
That is the sole reason for these
skeletal deformities and paralysis.
These people spin stories.
Don't believe them.
Interfamilial marriages
are the primary cause for birth defects.
Are you a doctor
or a suck up to the factory?
Things are just settling down.
Why have you brought them here?
Thanks to this factory,
we are all employed.
Mr. Dheeran has donated a lot of money
to our temples and mosques.
Traitors!
Haven't they laid a bore well at 500 feet?
Enough!
What good is it to have a bore well?
They're responsible for the depletion
of water in the first place.
Kaseem, you sold us out for money
and sabotaged our town.
You will rot in hell!
Our people have realised that
Dheeran has used our own flesh to feed us.
You're the root cause of all our problems.
Get lost!
Check out what's happening.
The minute you see a camera,
you flock around like geese!
Put the camera down.
-Sir, what are you doing?
Don't have anything better to do?
All you do is complain about methane.
You complain about textile factories.
You complain about nuclear plants.
If you oppose every scheme,
how will our country progress?
This affects the livelihood
of ordinary people.
Does electricity grow on trees?
You keep saying
that chemicals are harmful...
...but if a toilet stinks,
you clean it with acid, not milk, right?
That's true.
But can we use acid to clean our butts?
So, you can say anything
if you're the press?
Didn't you see the board?
Aren't you an educated guy?
Leave now.
Wastrel!
-Sir, he's calling you!
I meant that they have only bought
the waste land. But, what about the lake?
Why have they cordoned it off?
The lake belongs to the town.
Why is photography banned?
What's going on behind closed doors?
Bomb making or rocket launching?
You belong to a nameless channel.
You think you know the law?
Ask them to file a case.
Go ahead!
What are you recording?
Shut it down.
Do you guys want to be bunched up in a cell
and bashed?
Please don't beat me.
'Dheeran' Maniarasu speaking.
-'Veeran' Mayilvahanan, here.
What do you want?
-Don't air anything false about my factory.
Never! We'd never air anything false.
The truth would be telecast as it is.
Think you're being funny, are you?
I'll make sure you regret it.
You cunning fox,
I'll see to it you end up in a trap!
Who the hell
do you think you are talking to?
Hold on.
-Who does he think he's messing with?
If you telecast the content
that Thilak shot in my studio...
...I'll file a defamation case.
It will be the end of you.
Hey boss, good evening!
Defamation case?
Go ahead and file it.
I air it, you'll be stripped to the pants.
File a case, be ready to be stripped bare.
The truth will come out.
Your true colors will be revealed.
You cool with that?
I'm a 'Rowdy' too.
-The game is on!
Go and get Abdul!
If the media and politics come together,
they can create or destroy anything.
By starting an illegal pesticide company,
politician Dheeran...
...and the media which played accomplice
have ruined an entire town.
A rogue like Dheeran
who committed such heinous crimes...
...is being shamelessly likened
to the great Kamaraj on Zen1 TV.
No other media has questioned them.
Why don't you raise your voice
against them? Change the channel.
"Boss! Aren't you a media person too?
Why didn't you question them?"
"I can hear you guys shouting at me."
"I raised my voice and questioned them."
But the channel didn't air it.
As a media person, I raised questions.
As a business person, my boss buried them.
For your viewing pleasure,
here's the exclusive footage...
...of Dheeran Maniarasu's transformation
to an action hero.
"Did people die?
So many that it warrants a list?"
What fate has befallen the victims
of Dheeran Maniarasu?
What is their next move?
This is Kalpana, the once cheerful girl,
who has been reduced to a mere shell.
When the protests begin,
she would stand behind, guiding us.
But the moment there is a lathi charge,
she would be the first to face the baton.
The factory which you just saw,
is downright poisonous.
Because, we questioned them,
they ruined her life.
Some doctors took bribes from Dheeran
and prescribed wrong medicines.
Without a hint of remorse,
they lied that they misdiagnosed her.
It's Dheeran's handiwork.
What the hell?
With the HRC's support,
we sent water samples to UNESCO labs.
The results will be out soon.
The reasons behind the protest
will come to light.
The dirt which surrounds us,
surrounds you too. Let's clean it.
Screaming your views on social media
isn't worth a single dime.
We have to be there in the flesh
and fight it out.
We have to meet our opponent
face to face.
They must feel the rage in our eyes.
If we remain quiet,
they will turn us into permanent slaves.
That must not happen.
They've shown us what happens
when you question authority.
Let's show them the power of revolution.
Media has played a pivotal role
in creating change and awareness.
But its very agonizing
to think about the other side of media.
Films equal glamour,
politics equal corruption...
...religion equals violence,
and minorities equal terrorism.
An entire generation is tuned this way.
We, the media, are responsible for this.
In spite of many threats,
look at their nerve!
This isn't something to sit and talk about.
It requires physical force!
There's a situation.
Have the truck ready.
Please be patient.
-What's the use?
He'll keep pissing in my mouth.
Should I just swallow it?
The election is near. The whole city knows
about your issues with him.
If you try killing him now,
they will surely suspect you.
The media will wake up.
Just leave this to me.
Just watch how I tear them apart.
-I'll give you two days.
Beyond that, if you stop me,
the truck will run over you first.
Our generation
and the two that preceded us...
What have we learnt from our predecessors?
How do we evaluate the choices they made?
If we interview all of them at once,
our target audience will get bigger.
And we've got a certified hit show...
-Excuse me, sir!
Oh no! He's here too.
-May I come in?
Sit, my foot!
Get the hell up!
Veerasamy, erase that board.
I've got a great idea for a new show.
Everyone's out celebrating
and you're torturing them like this?
Don't you feel sorry for them?
Look at this guy.
He looks like a constipated chump
struggling to take a dump.
And you're just making it worse!
Even someone who swims underwater
comes up once in a while for air.
That's what celebrations are for.
-And we will. Wonderfully.
But after five minutes, once this is done?
Time won't wait for you, pal.
When it's time to pick up a glass,
is it right to conduct a class?
Oh mighty father, who swooped in
and saved us from this sinner!
Show him no mercy!
-Give me that, Veerasamy.
Here you go, sir.
-The New Year begins with a salary raise!
Spend this before it's declared invalid!
-Here you go, guys.
Your heart is as big as your girth.
As of late, I've been overwhelmed
with a lot of appreciation...
...from people
who once saw this channel as a joke.
All of this is very new to me.
Without you all, it wouldn't be possible.
Can I hug you, please?
None of this would be possible
without you, sir.
All praise to God.
Just wait for five minutes.
We'll finish this.
Dear boy, life just goes round and round.
Like bees, we may buzz around.
That's why celebrations were found.
Don't be a dog in a pound.
Turn on the music.
Let's rock this joint!
'All our troubles are over.'
'Work too hard
and your rear will catch fire.'
'I don't want any trouble.'
'No matter what anybody says,
live life your way.'
'I am very, very, very happy.'
'I am very, very, very happy.'
'Let's forget our troubles
and spread our wings.'
'And like a bird,
let's soar high in the sky.'
'I am very, very, very happy.'
'Let's burn the past and start anew.'
'Let's flash a grin
at those who glare at us.'
'I am very, very, very happy.'
'Life is a web of deception.
But we are not spiders.'
'Can we try our hand
at life's game of dice?
'When a new year is born,
it calls for change.'
'Shall both generations
come together for this?'
'The one who attacks,
the one who attracts...'
'...and the one who assaults, is you!
-Why me?'
'You win with kindness
and stand with honour.'
'You will always be our leader.
-That's enough about me!'
'I am very, very, very happy.'
'I am very, very, very happy.'
'One shot.
Dude, is the party still happening?'
'Two shots. You don't know me.
Now, everything is mine.'
'Three shots. Boys dancing all around me.'
'I got four shots.
Everybody gotta get it in.'
'Bring it on, pal!'
'I'm cranking up the fun.'
'Giving advice is not my forte.'
'You aren't a half-baked tart.'
'Greed leads you to make mistakes
every day.'
'Learn to control it
and make victory come your way.'
'Without knowing
what's right and what's wrong...'
'...with the beat,
your heart will go along.'
'Don't fall into the trap
of workplace tension.'
'Forget your miseries.
Go back to your nurseries.'
'The one who attacks,
the one who attracts...'
'...and the one who assaults, is you!'
'You win with kindness
and stand with honour.'
'You will always be our leader.'
'A few guys are getting antsy!'
'Hit it strong!
Hit it fast!'
'I'm on my way, to set this world on fire.'
'Let's do it, buddy!'
Nobody over there knows your worth.
Bavana, I've been wanting to call you
myself.
We have an opening for you too.
For a maid, who cooks and cleans.
Are you up for it?
-Rot your life away over there.
Who was that?
-Bavana. She's offering 12 lakhs per year.
I got a call from her, too.
-What did you say?
I told her to get lost. You?
I asked her to come on over.
I meant there's an opening here for her.
And it's hers for the taking.
But seriously, she's quite a hottie.
-You creep. Wait for me.
Didn't you guys go as well?
-Where?
Your friends ran back to Zen1 TV.
-Be quiet.
It's not their fault. It's natural
for birds to seek ponds with fish.
Had they told me,
I would have happily bid them farewell.
Ask Jagan to come out here.
-He was the first one to bail out.
Nishanti and Arthy are gone, too.
Why didn't you go?
-I didn't get a phone call from them.
Come here. I can't pay you
that kind of a salary.
If you want to leave as well, go ahead.
I wasn't raised that way, sir.
Jagan, you traitor! Why are you selfish?
-You know my role here? Executive Producer.
My salary? Rs. 61,300 per month.
Can I get it over there?
Aren't you ashamed to say that?
You had all kinds of fun...
...last night, at Mr. Mayil's expense.
Do you know how much he trusted you?
I can smell the stench of your loyalty
to him even here. It's unbearable.
That's why I'm saying, you be loyal there.
I'll be loyal here. Alright?
I've got a lot of work to do, so hang up.
That prick!
-Calm down.
There's been an explosion
at the collector's office in Tiruvallur.
"Welcome. At 4:30 PM this evening,
there was a highly lethal bomb blast..."
"...in front of the collector's office
in Tiruvallur, which claimed five lives."
"Fifteen have been injured.
During the incident..."
How awful!
This is why I never go out.
"We've acquired exclusive footage
of this unfortunate incident."
"Who is this mysterious man?
Was there a bomb in his suitcase?"
"Shocking answers have been found
to these questions."
"After placing the suitcase
in a secluded part of the office..."
...the man seen leaving has been identified
as a terrorist leader..."
"...as per our research bureau's findings."
-Doesn't he look like Abdul?
When he gave that rousing speech that day,
I could see the terrorist urge in his eyes.
Yes, Thilak?
There's been a blast
at the Tiruvallur collector's office.
The media says you are behind it.
What are you talking about?
It's true I was there 30 minutes ago.
Don't explain anything. I trust you.
Do this. Go to the nearest police station.
Explain what happened. I'll be there soon.
-Why should I go there? I won't.
Please do what I say.
You have to prove your innocence.
If you don't, false news will spread.
-He looks just like him.
Please trust me and do what I say.
Go where I tell you to. They'll handle it.
-I'm not that kind of guy. Beat it!
Hey Kalyan,
there's a blockbuster director in you.
You even make the news look so grand!
Patiently watch the full match
until the final over.
Dude, each ball is a sixer from you.
This match is awesome.
The same group who bombed
the collector's office...
...also attacked a
Tiruvallur police station.
Make sure nothing false is reported.
Is this from a reliable source?
Is the news of Abdul's attack ready?
-Five minutes, sir.
Why the hell is it so slow?
Speed it up.
This okay?
-They must enter with a bang.
As soon as he enters,
I want the sound effect of gunfire.
Is the footage ready? Make it fast.
-Almost done.
"Abdul is an IAS terrorist. In our town..."
-Change the background...
"Give me a sec..."
Fool! Just because he messed up his lines,
why the hell are you waiting?
Look for an alternate take!
"Sir. Abdul is...
-Put the paper away and talk."
"Abdul is an agent
of the ISIS terrorist group!"
Do I have to teach you basic editing?
Don't ever tell anyone
that you were Editor Anthony's assistant.
Almost done, sir.
Let's go.
"Breaking News!"
"The terrorist Abdul and his group
are in hiding..."
"...at the forest near Tiruvallur."
"These incidents have struck fear..."
-Get over there now, Ashok.
"A stunning new development.
Abdul and his gang..."
"...stormed into a police station."
-They've sped up the shot.
"The cops, who were attacked,
returned fire."
"Abdul was shot, but he got away."
Sir, how can one hear anything
on a surveillance camera?
"When we questioned the inspector..."
"We have on record, that Abdul's gang
are guilty of many anti-national crimes."
"The entire police force is on the hunt
to apprehend these terrorists."
"We are ready to handle any situation
that may arise."
"Abdul is an agent of the ISIS group!"
"He asked us to join him too.
He said it was a holy war..."
"...and how heaven awaits us
and all kind of crap."
"Had we turned him in
to the cops, that day..."
"...he wouldn't be humiliating us
like this. The whole town is ashamed!"
"Abdul's childhood friends have confirmed
that he has been linked..."
"...to many international terrorist cells
for many years."
They've branded only the three of us
as terrorists and are hunting us down.
Why are you risking your life needlessly
and coming along with us? Go away!
Why do you want me to leave now?
Didn't we start all of this together?
Did we bond because of religion?
If you're unsafe, I don't want to be here.
We're comrades till the end. Let's go!
-Please listen to me.
What's going on?
-They're searching every vehicle for Abdul.
How do we get past them?
-Stop the car!
No entry for vehicles.
-We're press!
Stop the car!
-I'm coming, sir.
Didn't you hear me?
Turn around!
Please listen to me, sir.
-We can't permit anyone to go further.
The group under Abdul's leadership
is said to be linked to the gangs in Iraq.
We've been informed
that Abdul and his gang are in hiding...
...within a five-kilometre radius
around this Tiruvallur forest.
The search parties are on the prowl...
-Hey, Rashid. Where's Abdul?
Come with me and I'll tell you.
-Stop rolling the camera.
Hold this microphone.
Give me that camera.
"Abdul's group is said to have been funded
by several prominent rogue nations."
Turn left at the mud road, Thilak.
Come along. He's right here.
Abdul, it's us.
-Oh my god, what happened?
What the hell happened, Abdul?
Let's get you to a hospital.
Like you asked,
I went to a police station to tell them...
...I had nothing to do with the blast.
They didn't even let me explain.
They just started firing.
I can't be saved...
...but I will not die a terrorist.
-Let's get you to a hospital first.
I need to set the record straight.
You brought a camera?
I want to speak my mind first.
-We'll record it en route to the hospital.
Yes, Ashok.
- Abdul is hiding behind Elephant rock.
On my way. Get our guys and come with me.
-Malar, go start the car.
Get him on his feet. Quickly!
-Careful. Let's get him to the car.
Are you set?
-Yes.
It's true
that I was at the Collector's office.
But it wasn't to kill anyone, but to
present proof of how Dheeran's factory...
...is killing hundreds.
-Are you Abdul? You can go in.
That suitcase had the test results
and water samples.
There was a gang there,
who didn't let me meet the collector.
Is this the evidence?
-They threatened me and seized the case.
They asked me that if the air and water
was polluted, why couldn't I just leave?
Why should I leave?
Why do they see us as strangers?
This is my country!
Post-partition, India was the only
possible home for every other religion.
But for us Muslims, we had the choice
to go with either India or Pakistan.
Out of love for this country
and her people, with the belief...
...that we'd be safe here,
we willingly chose to stay in India.
We are the blood of this nation too!
During the Chennai floods,
they gave us refuge in several temples.
We got out there and saved millions.
Back then,
the media didn't care about my religion.
But when I'm fighting a politician,
they profile me like this.
Instead of reporting the news ethically,
many are forced to sensationalize it.
The day the word 'news'
became 'news story', imaginations ran wild.
The media's hunger for sensation
has ruined the lives of many like me.
With this incident, they branded me
a terrorist, by tying it with my religion.
This is actual terrorism.
The media's terrorism.
Only when the youth fight injustice,
do corporates show their true colours.
Then they brand the youth
as Dalits, Naxalites, and minorities.
But the public are well aware
of what's real and what isn't.
The cops are onto us.
Drive faster!
Keep your heads down.
-Careful, Malar.
Stay down, Abdul!
-Keep driving!
Don't be scared. Just keep going.
Keep your heads down.
-Careful, Muruga!
They are firing again!
-Take cover!
Stay with me.
It's going to be alright.
Come on, Abdul!
-Get up there.
Abdul, are you hit?
-I've got to fight...
Go! They are specifically targeting you.
Keep moving!
Venkatesh, check inside the car!
Get him out of there.
Get them on their feet!
You killed Muruga! Scoundrels!
-Get him out of here!
Take them up to the jeep. Hurry!
-How could you do this to him?
I am getting a signal from Abdul's mic.
-He must be nearby.
This is enough to screw over
that old clown's network.
"The perpetrators behind the two attacks
on government buildings at Tiruvallur..."
"...have been proven
to be linked to Muthamizh TV."
"Our special correspondent, Ashok,
has captured exclusive footage..."
"...of Muthamizh TV's Thilak and Malar
rescuing Abdul from the police."
"This is Thilak of Muthamizh TV,
who helped the terrorist Abdul escape."
"Will the government shut down
Muthamizh TV, for obstruction of justice?"
"Will its owner, Mr. Mayilvahanan,
be arrested?"
Over there! Abdul!
Finish this successfully
and your promotion is assured.
You'll be the next news editor
of Zen1 TV.
What's going on, Ashok?
Abdul, listen.
I had nothing to do with any of this.
Don't hurt me, Abdul.
"Breaking News! Our special correspondent,
Ashok, has been kidnapped..."
"...by the terrorist Abdul.
It appears he was violently attacked."
"Murugan, an innocent, was killed by
Abdul's gang, when he tried stopping them."
"What will happen next, in this situation
that seems to escalate every second?"
"What are Abdul's demands?"
"Can our colleague Ashok escape them
or will he be executed by them?"
"More on this, after a short break."
"A shocking new development:
A triumph for the Tamil Nadu Police."
"Based on information given
by our research team..."
"...the police cornered
the terrorist Abdul."
"In the ensuing firefight,
Abdul and his gang were killed."
"For its valued input to the police
in these proceedings..."
"...there has been a tremendous outpour
of appreciation for Zen1 TV."
What happened? Are you okay?
-I'm fine.
I couldn't reach you on the phone.
Didn't hear a peep from you for hours.
Have a seat, sir.
Hello sir.
-Yes, Raghav.
Everything you did to orchestrate
Abdul's death...
...was captured by Thilak, on camera.
All the footage is in the editing room.
Not a single frame of Thilak's footage
should be broadcast.
How do you know about that?
-I know, Mayil.
Let's talk openly.
I'll buy the footage, as it is.
No wait...
I'll buy your entire channel.
Name your price. Come on!
How much do you want?
How much can you offer?
-50 crores. Not a thing goes on air.
You think you can hush this up
with just 50 crores?
If this footage goes on air,
your entire 1000 crore empire will crumble!
100 crores. Single payment.
-100 crores?
Includes channel properties, equipment
and all your old movie rights.
I can be at your office in fifteen minutes
with my lawyer.
Not a millisecond of that footage
goes on air.
I need your assurance for that. Agreed?
-Agreed.
A 100 crores!
You can each take ten crores from that.
30 crores will settle my debts.
I can pay off my taxes and be stable again.
Veerasamy, get everyone out of there
and lock the editing room.
Don't do this, sir.
All our troubles would've been for nothing.
Why are you changing tracks now?
Hold on for a minute, sir.
You're actually selling out to that fox?
-He is a fox.
A fox is just a fox. A dog is just a dog.
A leopard is just a leopard.
Combine all of them and you get a lion.
Shouldn't we show that slimeball
what this lion is capable of?
Is that all it was?
You scared me for a second!
Do you know he has a spy here?
-You knew about that, too?
Your eyes are in the front. So are mine.
But my eyes can see everything behind me.
How do you do it?
Were you always this sharp?
Let's stay focused.
We'll place hidden cameras in this room.
It'll record whatever he blurts out
and we'll broadcast it.
It won't work. It's an old idea.
He'll see through it.
Do you have any new ideas?
-I don't have any of those.
But I have an idea
that's much, much older.
Muthamizh TV Down! Down!
Shall we barge in right now?
-Wait for our leader's signal.
Sir, all those videos were doctored.
It was all staged. None of it is true.
Ministry of Communication
is blacking out our channel.
Kalyan from Zen1 TV is here.
"Muthamizh TV has been blacked out
indefinitely, on charges of treason..."
"...and will soon face legal action..."
"...as ordered by the Central Government."
Muthamizh TV is off the air.
"For his complicity with terrorists,
Mayilvahanan will be arrested any minute."
Where's the editing room?
"Muthamizh's co-conspirators,
Thilak and Malar, are still at large."
"A TV network conspiring with terrorists
is a first in Indian history."
Don't let anyone near that room.
-"Suspicion has also been raised..."
"...that Mayilvahanan is being funded
from overseas."
I'm Veerasamy,
Mr. Mayilvahanan's right-hand man.
They are here, sir.
Please come in.
Have a seat.
I'm Ramachandran,
Zen1 TV's Lawyer and Legal Advisor.
Please sit down.
In fact, I don't even trust myself.
So, let's all put our phones away.
We need to check if they've made
any copies of the footage in question.
The footage hasn't left the editing room.
It's all there.
My black sheep in this building
is supervising all of it.
Get the contract. The terms we discussed
over the phone. No changes in them.
I've already signed it.
Praise be to God.
Sketch pens everywhere.
Veerasamy, get me a fountain pen.
In a minute, sir.
Here you go, sir.
All's well that ends well.
Thank you.
[Come forth, lousy critter...]
Come forth, lousy critter,
you soggy banana fritter!
I'll roast you, you sinner,
and serve you for dinner!
Can you feel the sting?
-Are you crazy?
Can't read the fine print?
I'll rip your tongue out.
I work this hard so that my company
doesn't falter for even a minute.
You completely blacked me out,
didn't you?
I'll make you black out your channel
with your own hands.
Wipe that smirk off your face.
Want to know what the real punch line is?
You sent one black sheep
to graze in my channel.
I've sent an entire herd
to graze in yours.
Jagan, change your SIM card.
Malar, get a backup phone.
When I need your help,
I'll call you Nishanti.
Yes, Mayil.
-We're on, Pillai.
"This agency is for those who are keen
to take up jobs in Gulf countries."
"They will be functional
in major metro cities every April..."
"...as announced by the Central Youth
and Sports Minister, yesterday."
"The Agricultural Minister inaugurated
the National Botanical Gardens, in Ooty."
"Near Melur, a government bus collided..."
-Johnson, Bavana called for you.
Why?
-To knit couch cushions for her sofa!
Some technical difficulties, dude. Go!
I'm monitoring a live feed here.
-I'll handle it. It's nothing new to me.
Don't mess with the controls.
"To protest the Kerala government
setting up a dam at river Bhavani..."
"...the labourers of Erode
have gone on a daylong hunger strike."
"A Jallikattu event was successfully
held near Tirupathur..."
"...in the district of Sivagangai,
yesterday. 350 bulls were involved..."
"Breaking News. Exclusive footage
which proves the innocence..."
"...of the suspected terrorist, Abdul,
that we just received from Muthamizh TV."
"It's true
that I was at the Collector's office."
"But it wasn't to kill anyone, but to
present proof of how Dheeran's factory..."
"...is killing hundreds."
Why did the feed change, sir?
-There's been a new development.
"Dheeran's Global Dragon factory
has been killing hundreds."
This is not in our channel's favour.
Who gave you these clips?
This wasn't in the schedule.
-Shut your trap and mind your business.
This isn't right. I'll get fired for this.
Move, Kaga! Stop the telecast.
-"They didn't let me meet the collector..."
They've stopped broadcasting, just like us!
-How the hell did this happen?
Give me the phone!
This can't be happening.
How long has it been since we've seen
the 'Sorry for the Interruption' sign?
I last saw it on good old Doordarshan.
He is disrupting our plan at the PCR room
just as we suspected, Jagan.
No problem. I'll take it from here.
"They brand the youth
as Dalits, Naxalites and minorities."
"They will kill me.
I know I'm going to die."
"But I will not let this be for nothing."
-Why are you standing? Have a seat.
"I wanted you to know..."
-Can one missing comb stop a wedding?
You think your dam can stop a tsunami?
-What's happening? Where is Jagan?
You can cut us off here, at the PCR.
But can you stop the big daddy, the MCR?
Open this door!
What are you doing?
"I wanted you to know my true motives
at least in my last moments."
"By presenting this footage,
the world will understand Zen1's deceit..."
Take a look, Kalyan!
Watch how your Zen1 TV has transformed
completely into Muthamizh TV!
Hey Thilak!
-Yes boss?
I'm a hero to the virtuous.
But, a villain to the vicious.
Don't you know
how to place a file properly?
You wanted to see me?
-No, I didn't.
Jagan said you needed my help.
-Check the Reuters feed in the MCR...
"Here's a confrontation between Abdul,
the activist, and a reporter of Zen1 TV..."
"Abdul, listen.
I had nothing to do with any of this."
Don't hurt me, Abdul.
I'm still here, sir.
Please give me a minute.
Abdul is right here, sir.
-What's going on?
I was just driving down the road.
He showed up in front of me and collapsed.
Is he still alive?
-Just a minute. Let me check.
Shall I call the police?
-No. First, load him up in your car.
I'll tell you what to do, after that.
Just follow my instructions. Load him up.
Stop saying "Okay". Make it fast!
-Right away, sir.
"This conversation between Zen1's chairman,
Kalyan, and its reporter Ashok..."
"...was recorded on a microphone
attached to Abdul's shirt."
Let's hurry!
"I've got Abdul in the back of my car.
Should I turn him in, to the cops?"
"Not yet. We need to build on this.
I have another plan."
We'll need to rewrite this whole thing.
Right now, our channel has 90%
of the total viewership.
We're going to break the record
for ratings, through Abdul.
After five minutes, call Inspector Bala.
-Alright.
In that time, I'll consult with Dheeran
and devise a plan to share with you.
"This conspiratorial phone call between..."
-He looks tense. Get him some water.
Let's go back to the office, and stop this.
-It'll be too late. They'll pay for this.
"More to come on the other perpetrators
behind Abdul's brutal murder."
Yes sir?
-What's going there, Pillai?
Weren't you the one who wanted
a breaking news update every ten minutes?
We're just following your wishes.
Full of twists and turns. Do you like it?
I will kill you!
-Like how you killed Abdul?
What the hell is this crap?
The flash news is coming up.
It'll be even spicier. Don't miss it.
"How are Dheeran and Kalyan
connected here?"
Ma'am, the door isn't opening.
-What? Where is my card?
Sir, the PCR is offline.
MCR has the control.
Then, stop the MCR.
-Jagan has blocked it.
Our spies are doing a good job, I hope?
"Will Zen1 TV be shut down?"
-What's happening?
"Will the owner Kalyan be arrested?"
-Kalyan, I'm locked in my office.
Somebody has taken over.
-Bavana, stop it at any cost.
The signal is strong.
Hey Malar, look over there.
The cops are here.
Lay him down here.
"You wanted to shoot it.
Where's the cameraman?"
"He'll be here soon.
-We don't have time."
"He will be here any minute."
There he is.
Mohan, get the camera and come soon.
Bring them over.
Get him here.
Pillai, what's happening?
Have you gone mad?
You can't stomp down truth.
This slap is for calling yourself
'a youth'.
I won't spare you.
-Get lost!
Come on, sir!
Here's a gift from our boss.
He isn't worth wiping my shoes on.
"He tried to ruin me.
What are you waiting for? Kill him."
"He wanted to shoot it.
-A short film on murder? Skip it."
"We need footage to air.
You shouldn't be here. Please leave."
"He'll be dead
before you reach the end of the road."
"I can't trust you with this.
I'll leave my men behind."
"Stay here and get the job done.
-We will, sir."
Lift him and have him lean over
on the tree.
Make it look like he's sitting.
We've got to get this done
before he regains consciousness.
His head is tilted.
Keep it straight.
Yeah, that's it.
-His head isn't stable.
Just a second, Bala.
Use this to prop his head up.
Get the dummy gun.
Mohan, the double tape, please.
Let's roll.
His eyes are closed.
Mohan, give me your sunglasses.
Remove the cars.
Clear the field.
Tie my hands.
Careful, Bala.
You don't look like you've been kidnapped.
Your face is fresh.
What can we do about it, Bala?
Hold him.
I will knock you out.
Tighter.
And you, go stand next to Abdul.
Ashok, what am I supposed to do?
-Get going. Come with them.
Mohan, make it realistic.
Just a moment.
Security is on the line.
I'm there now.
I'm near the MCR room.
We are unable to open the room.
Go to the adjacent room.
He wants us get to the CAR room.
Abdul, let go of me.
Abdul, please don't shoot me.
Where is the technician in charge of this?
-She wants the password.
Ask the man in charge.
-They're looking for him.
Just do what I say.
Do you see the wires beneath the server?
Cut those wires.
Didn't I tell you?
What did I tell you?
And that's how I knock you out.
And you have ensured
your channel's blackout.
What is it, boss?
Don't you want to see the full story?
I'll kill you!
Thilak, don't mess with media.
-Oh no! I messed with the media, eh?
Don't play around with me.
You're doomed!
You think I shoot pornos for a living?
I belong to the same media too.
You are going out of bounds!
Let's come to an understanding.
-Between two men?
We will come to a deal.
It's a deal between you and me.
Me?
-Yeah.
With you?
-Yeah, just between us.
It will never work out for me,
you scumbag!
Look what they have done, buddy!
-Give me your phone.
Talk to the commissioner
and call for an ambulance.
Come here.
Abdul, we have one last detail left.
Act like you are dead.
Just trust me on this.
I have a reason.
Go ahead and shoot that now.
Is it done?
I'll edit the footage of both our cameras.
Hand it over to your channel.
As far as your boss is concerned,
Abdul is dead.
And thus, Kalyan,
we can boost ratings by telling the truth.
Learn it from me.
No harm.
Don't shoot him!
Go ahead!
Shoot me.
Do you think I'm a fool
to kill you guys here?
I will do it at the right time.
What can you guys do to me?
I was the one, who made people believe
that Abdul was a terrorist.
I made the cops shoot him
and made it a sensation on the news!
Top lawyers will come running
to my defense.
If I do get caught,
Ashok and Bala would be the scapegoats.
Okay, guys.
Our leader is here.
Shall we take this place apart?
Get inside.
-Destroy everything!
When I commit crimes,
I always ensure that I leave no trail.
You guys don't have any evidence
against me.
Why are you wasting your breath on them?
I planted only a firecracker
in the collector's office.
I've got an atom bomb here.
It is ten times stronger.
You can't do a damn thing about it.
We can't pull off anything against you.
But we can pull this off for sure!
This is called a fake beard.
Do you recognize our police commissioner?
Our nation is down in the dumps
because of black sheep like you.
These guys are just pawns.
Kalyan will just dump them and move on.
We need strong evidence against him.
To get that kind of evidence,
we ought to...
We ought to do what?
-You'll need to put on another disguise.
Your dog walker act was superb.
What boss?
Fell for the oldest trick in the book?
Let go of me!
Your confessions have been recorded here.
In not so many words,
the commissioner says you're screwed.
"You were rescued from a staged encounter.
What do you have to say?"
"Humanity is a lot bigger
than politics, religion and authority."
"Anything in the world can change."
"But someone will always be there
to help the needy."
"That will never change.
And it was Thilak, who saved me."
"Thank you very much, Thilak."
"If you want to fight us,
fight against our opinions."
"But don't be a coward
and play with our virtue or life."
Seeds of revolution will take root.
Rise or fall, we will pave the way!
"Why did you try to kill Abdul..."
Stop it right there. Haven't you made
enough of a joke out of me?
You've disgraced the media.
What do you have to say?
I just gave the audience
what they wanted to see.
What's wrong in that?
On this joyous occasion,
a song comes to my mind.
Wonderful, sir!
I have the same song on my mind.
Which song?
I haven't even opened my mouth yet.
How would you know?
I know your heart, sir.
Not the 'beep song'.
A song by our legend.
Go on. Sing!
Shall I sing?
I'll really do it.
'Victory shall be mine.'
'And the credit for that shall be yours.'
'Victory shall be mine.'
'And the credit for that shall be yours.'
Leave all that aside.
Were you always like this?