Sivaji: The Boss
Encyclopedia
Sivaji is a 2007 Tamil political thriller
film directed by S. Shankar
and produced by AVM Productions
. Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran
played the lead roles, with Suman
, Vivek
and Raghuvaran
playing other significant roles in the film. A. R. Rahman
composed the film's soundtrack and background music, while Thotta Tharani
and K. V. Anand
were the creative art director
and cinematographer
respectively.
The film revolves around a well-established software systems architect
, Sivaji, who returns home to India
after finishing work in the United States. On his return, he dreams of giving back to society with free medical treatment and education. However his plans face a roadblock in the form of the highly affluent and influential businessman, Adiseshan. When corruption also arises, Sivaji is left with no option but to fight the system in his own way.
After post-production delays, it was released worldwide on June 15, 2007 in Tamil
, and subsequently released in Telugu
as a dubbing
version on the same date. The film, which released in many theaters worldwide, was also dubbed in Hindi, which released on January 8, 2010. The industry estimated the budget was about 60 crore and the film grossed 128 crore worldwide. Additionally, satellite rights for Sivaji have been sold for 4 crore to Kalaignar TV, ultimately enjoying phenomenal success across the globe.
, with a masked person being brought to the Central Jail in Chennai
, India. When asked by a fellow-inmate for the reasons behind his imprisonment, the masked person replies that he is imprisoned for attempting to do good for the people. The unmasked person is revealed to be Sivaji (Rajinikanth). The story then winds into a flashback that shows him returning from the United States as a software systems architect to Chennai. He brings with him earnings of up to 200 crore, with an intention to begin a charity organization called the Sivaji Foundation. This organization has the aim of building hospitals and educational institutions to serve the poor without any charge. However, he faces the obstacles of bureaucracy and corrupt officials. Forced to set aside his principles, Sivaji bribes his way through the system. Though at one stage, unable to deal with spiraling costs, he even mortgages his palatial house and personal property in the process. Adiseshan (Suman
), a highly influential businessman, sees Sivaji Foundation as competition to his own business empire. Using his political strings, he repeals the permits issued to the foundation by the government. Sivaji approaches a lawyer, using his own car to pay the lawyer's fee. However in court he is forced to admit he bribed numerous officials. This undermines his case and the judge reiterates the stay order on construction by the Sivaji Foundation.
Meanwhile, Sivaji falls in love with a girl named Tamizhselvi (Shriya). Her family is initially scared and angered by the overbearing nature of Sivaji's family, though they eventually accede to Sivaji's request for Tamizhselvi's hand in marriage after a lot of persuasion. However upon asking for his horoscope; the astrologer predicts impeding doom leading up to Sivaji's death if the two are united. When Tamizhselvi refuses the proposal due to her concern for Sivaji, he calms her fears and manages to convince her to marry him.
>Adiseshan mocks Sivaji and gives him a one-rupee coin, challenging him to try and survive with just that. In an ironic plot twist using the very coin, Sivaji sets out to turn around his fortunes and ultimately exact his revenge on Adiseshan. Through just one phone call, paid for with the coin. He estimates that there is about two thousand million INR
of illegal, untaxed money within the nation. He then uncovers details about people who have substantial quantities of illegal money and then blackmails each of them, obtaining half of their illegal wealth. Upon transferring the money to bank accounts (owned by friends and contacts) around the world, Sivaji informs the Income Tax
Investigation and Vigilance Department about the details of the illegal money held by the tax evaders (including Adiseshan). Sivaji's associates deposit the money sent across the world as donations to the Sivaji Foundation making the money legitimate and usable by the foundation. Sivaji begins to realize his dream of providing free, good quality education, services and employment to people in every district of Tamil Nadu
. His adversaries seek to find out how he converted their illegal money to a usable form by threatening Tamizhselvi with danger to Sivaji's life. Fearing for him, she turns over his notebook PC with all the information regarding the various money transactions to the Income Tax authorities. With presentable evidence, Sivaji is arrested and the scene returns to the beginning of the film with Sivaji in central prison.
Adiseshan loses control when Sivaji refuses to open his laptop and assaults him in custody with a metal rod. In the process it seems Sivaji has died from the sustained injuries. To cover this up, Adiseshan organizes for thugs to shoot up the police van that will carry Sivaji's dead body. Making it look like murder by a third party. Sivaji however was merely faking his death, he was informed of the plans to kill him by a sympathetic police officer prior to the interrogation. Left alone in the room, he electrocutes himself. Dr. Chezhian (Raghuvaran
) and Tamizhselvi intercept the police van (informed by Sivaji after he got the police man's own warning) and manage to cart away Sivaji's 'dead' body under the cover of a coach before the thugs could open fire. In Sivaji's stead they plant a dummy. While everyone believes that Sivaji is dead, Dr. Chezhian revives him using a defibrillator. After a few days when everyone wonders about the future of Sivaji Foundation, the revived Sivaji returns to take control over the foundation in a disguise of a friend, M.G. Ravichandran (N.T. Ranga Rao in Telugu, A. Bachchan in Hindi). Though Adhiseshan realizes that it is Sivaji himself, he is unable to prove this to the police due to the tangible evidence of Sivaji's death. Ravichandran promises to avenge Sivaji's death and eventually manages to corner Adhiseshan and challenge him. After their fight, Adiseshan is killed in a stampede. As a conclusion, the audience are informed of the foundation's success and fulfillment of Sivaji's dreams. An epilogue shows India becoming a top country in the future due to the Sivaji's plans.
The first filming schedule was at AVM Studios situated in Chennai
, India on November 28, 2005. The film's launch was a secret event, with only pivotal members of the cast and crew being called for attendance for the event. Shooting began at Ramoji Film City
in Hyderabad and the first shot taken was the Vaaji Vaaji
song.
, Rani Mukherji, Ayesha Takia
, Trisha
, Nayantara
and Jyothika
were rumored to bag the role. However, the air was cleared when Shankar and Rajinikanth announced that Shriya Saran
would essay the role as Rajinikanth's love interest. The voice of Kanika, an actress, was used as a voice-over for Shriya. Actress Sunaina
was signed up to make a special appearance in the film. The scene was later deleted and her role was left uncredited; the same occurred for Vinu Chakravarthy.
Names of Mohanlal
, Amitabh Bachchan
, Sanjay Dutt
, Nana Patekar
and Prakash Raj
cropped up for the portrayal of the antagonist's role in the film. In March 2006, Suman
was confirmed as the person selected to play the role of Adiseshan. The director, Shankar, realized that Suman lacked the wry smile needed for his character. This conspicuous smile of Adiseshan was made possible with a denture. It was Shankar's idea again to adorn the character with spotless dhoti
, shirt, shoes, a Rolex watch and Ray Ban sunglasses. Prior to this, Suman had acted with Rajinikanth in Thee
(1981).
In early 2006, a magazine came out with a cast list that included mimicry artists, Cochin Haneefa
, Chinni Jayanth
and Mayilsamy
. The names of support cast for the film was released in a phased manner. By mid-2006, Manivannan
, M. S. Baskar
, Livingston
, Vadivukarasi, Pyramid Natarajan, Uma Padmanabhan, Pattimandram Raja, Vannakam Thamizhuzhagam Revathi, Solomon Pappayya, Muthukaalai, Nellai Siva, Bose Venkat and M'Sia Prabhu were selected for the film.
In 2005, Chennai
's oldest operative studio, AVM Productions, which was run by M. S. Guhan
and M. Saravanan
, approached Shankar in making a film under their production house. Utilizing the budget available from AVM, Rajinikanth was signed for the film. After consulting Sivaji Ganesan
's family to avoid any issues with the film's name, the project was subsequently announced in August 2005. The film was eventually named Sivaji, after Rajinikanth's name at birth
- Sivaji Rao Gaekwad with a tagline, The Boss.
The art director
, Thotta Tharani suggested the use of Ramoji Film City
to the director. The Vaaji Vaaji
song was picturized with an intention to showcase a Babylon
ian palace. The Sahana song was sort of a challenge to Tharani. After listening to the lyrics of the song which speaks of the four seasons, Tharani thought of using the idea he used in Japan. He made use of acrylic
and glass with the former on the floor to allow dance movements. K. V. Anand
, the cinematographer, seemed to have a tough time in lighting up these sets made of glass. Once he had the sketches and the idea ready, the technicians at the Film City created the sets. Tharani believed that the coordination with Anand was important. Tharani contributed to similar creations for the music shop where Tamizhselvi worked as a saleswoman, and the scene here being followed up with a fight sequence in an open-air theater.
Tharani's sketches and ideas came out in the form of a set of paintings titled, Unsung.
The fair look of Rajinikanth's character in the film was through a year's effort using computer-generated imagery
which was performed by a Chennai-based firm. The color tone of one of the British dancers in the background of the Style
song was used by these technicians. French hair-stylist Sandrin Veriar Seth designed two different and distinct hair-styles for the regular film and 13 hair-styles for one of the songs. Shankar had already completed filming one song when Manish Malhotra
was approached for designing Rajinikanth's wardrobe. He was responsible for not just the regular costumes but also accessories such as shoes and jackets.
Brinda choreographed the Balleilakka
song in Wai
, a hill station
near Pune
with hundreds of people for eight days. Shooting problems due to Rajinikanth's following in his native Tamil Nadu prompted them to chose Wai for the song.
Chief Minister
, Chandrababu Naidu, on June 14, 2007. At the screening, Rajinikanth told the media that he would invite the Chief Minister, Rajasekhara Reddy, for a special viewing as well. Rajinikanth said that he had screened the film to current and former Tamil Nadu
Chief Ministers, Dr. Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha
, respectively, and that India's Finance Minister
, P Chidambaram, was also keen to watch the film. A private screening was shown to Amitabh Bachchan
, as well.
certified the film on May 17, 2007 with minor screen and dialogue cuts, although the exact details of these cuts were not officially revealed.
Worldwide, the film was estimated to have been released in about 750 screens and opened to near full opening. Sivaji was released in 16 theaters in Chennai
and is reported to have collected 13.5 million INR
within the first four days, a record of sorts for Tamil films. The film was released in 303 screens in Tamil Nadu, 300 screens in Andhra Pradesh; 12 screens in North India and 145 screens across the rest of the world. The film also debuted well in Kerala
and in Bangalore
. Despite protests from pro-Kannada groups, the film debuted in 13 theatres. In the national capital, New Delhi
, the film debuted on 4 screens in PVR Cinemas. Based on what the distributors claim, there was "overwhelming response to the film", with the number of screens increasing to 12 by the second week. The film made a good debut in the nation's other metros as well such as Mumbai
and Kolkata
. Even in non-traditional markets for Tamil films like Pune and Baroda, the film made had a good opening. On July 15, 2007, AVM Productions, the producers of the film, announced their decision to dub
the film in Hindi because "the response has been phenomenal for the movie". The dubbed version released on January 8, 2010 in India, almost three years after the release of the original version.
. In Sri Lanka
, the film debuted across 70 theatres with all 700 shows running at near 100% capacity. In the Persian Gulf
that contains a sizeably large Indian diaspora, the film opened to a full house. Owing to the enthusiasm, a non-profit organization
distributed 1000 tickets to laborers and domestic help across Dubai enabling them to watch the film.
In Canada, the film released in 10 screens in 3 major cities along with special screenings for the Tamil diaspora in the smaller cities. It also became the first Tamil film to be screened for over 100 consecutive days in Toronto
at two Cineplex
theatres. In United Kingdom, the film debuted on the box-office list at # 9 with earnings of about £14000 per screen - the highest screen average in 2007. It was the first South India
n film to enter UK Top 10. In United States, Sivaji was released in 24 theaters with subsequent additions of 19 and 21 theaters for the Tamil version and Telugu version respectively. The producers of the film claimed that the film was going to be dubbed in Chinese and Japanese by Ayngaran International
, the holder of international rights of the film. The response in Cape Town
was disappointing, while the box-office collections in Johannesburg
and Durban allowed it to become the first Tamil film to feature in the South Africa
n box-office top 10. Singapore Airlines
bought a 3-month exclusive in-flight screening rights to the film, a first for the airline for any Tamil film.
In the United Kingdom
, 13 seconds of the film was cut as the original film showed Rajinikanth throwing a firecracker into his mouth, lighting it and then spitting it out at Pattimanram Raja. This was done to enable the film to have a 12A rating, while the Ayngaran UK DVD
release was uncut and was given an 18 rating by the BBFC. It was also the first Tamil film to be genuinely released on a 1080p
High Definition Blu-ray disc
.
, in a review about the story, said that the lead character carrying out a rebellion against corruption was something "not be true to life". It concluded by saying that "the story sags towards the end". It, however, went on to appreciate the performances of the prominent actors, the soundtrack, art direction, photography and the animation from the film. Another review from The Hindu, a month after the film's release, said that the film "... presents an effective diagnosis of entrenched corruption but the rather disturbing remedy it offers is, good old vigilantism." It concluded by saying that, though the film did well at the box-office, the message of rejecting the corrupt system instead of reforming it was troubling. Hindustan Times
review said that the director, Shankar, was not creative enough for the film and added this by saying "Sivaji turns out to be a rehash of all his previous jingoistic claptrap efforts". It appreciated the other technical departments and suggested a good response at the box office. The Times of India
had a similar review about the story saying that "it had nothing new to offer" but promised it to be entertaining.
One review from Rediff.com summed the film by saying, "No logic, only Rajni's magic". About the story, it says, "Unfortunately, (the) message is lost in the maze of illogical and sometimes absurd sequences". The review, however, praises the performances of Rajinikanth, Shriya and Vivek and the technical crew. A review from an entertainment portal appreciated the performances of the prominent actors and ingenuity of certain portions of the script. It, however, pointed out a couple of unconvincing instances in the script with the review eventually suggesting better screenplay and a complaint on the length of the film. Another such portal thoroughly praised the plot, performances and other departments but ended snubbing the crude graphics at times. A vernacular entertainment portal, referring to Rajinikanth, says that the film is "... an absolute celebration of one man who can make millions feel good about life just by walking in elegance, by stroking his hair, or just by being there on screen. It goes to praise Vivek's comical interludes and adds by saying "though defying superhuman powers, the fights choreographed by Peter Heinz, and the extremely lavish sets created by Thotta Tharani stand out. Camera work of K. V. Anand is first rate throughout, Antony's editing crisp and Sujatha's dialogues are rock solid." A. R. Rahman's score and Shankar's directorial abilities were also lauded in the review.
and defamation. Jaya Rajadevan, one of the film's assistant directors, sought an injunction
in civil court to stop screening of the film for alleged plagiarism. Rajadevan claimed that he had written the film's story and had discussed it with Shankar's manager in 2005. Although the court sent notices to S. Shankar
, among others, the screening of the film was not stopped.
M. Satyamoorthy, on July 9, 2007, also sought to stop screening of the film, alleging that it defamed the Indian National Congress
, a political party, as well as its President, Sonia Gandhi
, and the Prime Minister of India
, Manmohan Singh
. Satyamoorthy cited a scene in which portraits of Gandhi and Singh are visible behind Adiseshan's (the villain's) chair, implying he was a member of the Indian National Congress. Satyamoorthy also claimed 500 million INR
in damages from the film's producer, director and lead actor to be paid to the Tamil Nadu
section of the party.
A month and a half prior to the film's official soundtrack release, three songs from the soundtrack were leaked into the Internet. The songs, however, were only unofficial with low quality, where the official versions were composed slightly different and sung by different artists.
2008 Filmfare Awards South
2007 Vijay Awards
, A.R. Rahman had been to London for additional re-recording.
Political thriller
A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle. They usually involve various extra-legal plots, designed to give political power to someone, while his opponents try to stop him. They can involve national or international political scenarios....
film directed by S. Shankar
S. Shankar
Shankar is an Indian film director and producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He made his directional debut in Gentleman for which he was awarded the Filmfare Best Director Award...
and produced by AVM Productions
AVM Productions
AVM is the oldest and largest film production studio in India. It is currently owned by M. Saravanan and his son, M. S. Guhan. The most recent film they have produced since their opening with Nam Iruvar in 1947, is Vettaikkaaran and Leader. The filming studios are located in Vadapalani, Chennai....
. Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
played the lead roles, with Suman
Suman (actor)
Suman is a South Indian Telugu film actor. He played action hero and romantic hero in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films during the 1980s. After a long while away from cinema, he returned to acting in Tamil films in 2007, starring in S. Shankar's Sivaji: The Boss with Rajinikanth. He has also...
, Vivek
Vivek (actor)
Vivekananthan is an Indian film actor and comedian. He has won four Filmfare Best Comedian Awards for his performances in Run, Saamy, Perazhagan and Sivaji, respectively. In April 2009, Vivek received the Padma Shri award by the Government of India for his contribution to the arts. He was...
and Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
playing other significant roles in the film. A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
composed the film's soundtrack and background music, while Thotta Tharani
Thotta Tharani
- Film career :Thota Tharani has been involved in the art of set design since he was just twelve when he helped his father. Be it the creation of a realistic set of the Dharavi Slums or the colourful transparent bus of Kaadhalan, Tharani succeeds in creating the right ambience and the right...
and K. V. Anand
K. V. Anand
K. V. Anand is an Indian cinematographer, film director and former photo journalist. After working for a short period as a journalist, he became a cinematographer in the early 1990s, working for about fifteen films in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu...
were the creative art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
and cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
respectively.
The film revolves around a well-established software systems architect
Software engineering
Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
, Sivaji, who returns home to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
after finishing work in the United States. On his return, he dreams of giving back to society with free medical treatment and education. However his plans face a roadblock in the form of the highly affluent and influential businessman, Adiseshan. When corruption also arises, Sivaji is left with no option but to fight the system in his own way.
After post-production delays, it was released worldwide on June 15, 2007 in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, and subsequently released in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
as a dubbing
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
version on the same date. The film, which released in many theaters worldwide, was also dubbed in Hindi, which released on January 8, 2010. The industry estimated the budget was about 60 crore and the film grossed 128 crore worldwide. Additionally, satellite rights for Sivaji have been sold for 4 crore to Kalaignar TV, ultimately enjoying phenomenal success across the globe.
Plot
The film begins in medias resIn medias res
In medias res or medias in res is a Latin phrase denoting the literary and artistic narrative technique wherein the relation of a story begins either at the mid-point or at the conclusion, rather than at the beginning In medias res or medias in res (into the middle of things) is a Latin phrase...
, with a masked person being brought to the Central Jail in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India. When asked by a fellow-inmate for the reasons behind his imprisonment, the masked person replies that he is imprisoned for attempting to do good for the people. The unmasked person is revealed to be Sivaji (Rajinikanth). The story then winds into a flashback that shows him returning from the United States as a software systems architect to Chennai. He brings with him earnings of up to 200 crore, with an intention to begin a charity organization called the Sivaji Foundation. This organization has the aim of building hospitals and educational institutions to serve the poor without any charge. However, he faces the obstacles of bureaucracy and corrupt officials. Forced to set aside his principles, Sivaji bribes his way through the system. Though at one stage, unable to deal with spiraling costs, he even mortgages his palatial house and personal property in the process. Adiseshan (Suman
Suman (actor)
Suman is a South Indian Telugu film actor. He played action hero and romantic hero in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films during the 1980s. After a long while away from cinema, he returned to acting in Tamil films in 2007, starring in S. Shankar's Sivaji: The Boss with Rajinikanth. He has also...
), a highly influential businessman, sees Sivaji Foundation as competition to his own business empire. Using his political strings, he repeals the permits issued to the foundation by the government. Sivaji approaches a lawyer, using his own car to pay the lawyer's fee. However in court he is forced to admit he bribed numerous officials. This undermines his case and the judge reiterates the stay order on construction by the Sivaji Foundation.
Meanwhile, Sivaji falls in love with a girl named Tamizhselvi (Shriya). Her family is initially scared and angered by the overbearing nature of Sivaji's family, though they eventually accede to Sivaji's request for Tamizhselvi's hand in marriage after a lot of persuasion. However upon asking for his horoscope; the astrologer predicts impeding doom leading up to Sivaji's death if the two are united. When Tamizhselvi refuses the proposal due to her concern for Sivaji, he calms her fears and manages to convince her to marry him.
>Adiseshan mocks Sivaji and gives him a one-rupee coin, challenging him to try and survive with just that. In an ironic plot twist using the very coin, Sivaji sets out to turn around his fortunes and ultimately exact his revenge on Adiseshan. Through just one phone call, paid for with the coin. He estimates that there is about two thousand million INR
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
of illegal, untaxed money within the nation. He then uncovers details about people who have substantial quantities of illegal money and then blackmails each of them, obtaining half of their illegal wealth. Upon transferring the money to bank accounts (owned by friends and contacts) around the world, Sivaji informs the Income Tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
Investigation and Vigilance Department about the details of the illegal money held by the tax evaders (including Adiseshan). Sivaji's associates deposit the money sent across the world as donations to the Sivaji Foundation making the money legitimate and usable by the foundation. Sivaji begins to realize his dream of providing free, good quality education, services and employment to people in every district of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. His adversaries seek to find out how he converted their illegal money to a usable form by threatening Tamizhselvi with danger to Sivaji's life. Fearing for him, she turns over his notebook PC with all the information regarding the various money transactions to the Income Tax authorities. With presentable evidence, Sivaji is arrested and the scene returns to the beginning of the film with Sivaji in central prison.
Adiseshan loses control when Sivaji refuses to open his laptop and assaults him in custody with a metal rod. In the process it seems Sivaji has died from the sustained injuries. To cover this up, Adiseshan organizes for thugs to shoot up the police van that will carry Sivaji's dead body. Making it look like murder by a third party. Sivaji however was merely faking his death, he was informed of the plans to kill him by a sympathetic police officer prior to the interrogation. Left alone in the room, he electrocutes himself. Dr. Chezhian (Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
) and Tamizhselvi intercept the police van (informed by Sivaji after he got the police man's own warning) and manage to cart away Sivaji's 'dead' body under the cover of a coach before the thugs could open fire. In Sivaji's stead they plant a dummy. While everyone believes that Sivaji is dead, Dr. Chezhian revives him using a defibrillator. After a few days when everyone wonders about the future of Sivaji Foundation, the revived Sivaji returns to take control over the foundation in a disguise of a friend, M.G. Ravichandran (N.T. Ranga Rao in Telugu, A. Bachchan in Hindi). Though Adhiseshan realizes that it is Sivaji himself, he is unable to prove this to the police due to the tangible evidence of Sivaji's death. Ravichandran promises to avenge Sivaji's death and eventually manages to corner Adhiseshan and challenge him. After their fight, Adiseshan is killed in a stampede. As a conclusion, the audience are informed of the foundation's success and fulfillment of Sivaji's dreams. An epilogue shows India becoming a top country in the future due to the Sivaji's plans.
Cast
- Rajinikanth as Sivaji Arumugam. Sivaji, a rich NRI, is a software system architect by profession in the United States. He returns to his native Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
to improve the education system and to eradicate poverty. He is pitted against Adiseshan, who refuses to let him continue his good work. ManivannanManivannanManivannan is a popular Tamil actor and director. With over 400 films to his name, Manivannan is one of the most experienced actors in the field. He normally plays the role of a dad or a senior comedian.- Background :...
and Vadivvukarasi played the roles of Sivaji's parents while his love interest is Tamizhselvi. - Shriya SaranShriya SaranShriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
as Tamizhselvi Ramalingham. Tamizhselvi is the daughter of the characters played by Pattimandram RajaPattimandram RajaPattimandram Raja is a Tamil television personality popular for his humorous debate talk shows called Pattimandram broadcast on Sun TV. He also anchors a daily talk show called Vaanga Peasalaam. He is a banker by profession and has acted in the few popular Tamil movies Sivaji, Guru En Aalu and Ko...
and small-screen actress and former news correspondent, Uma. During the course of the film, Tamizhselvi is approached by Sivaji, who falls in love with her. She finally relents to his love and gets married to him. - SumanSuman (actor)Suman is a South Indian Telugu film actor. He played action hero and romantic hero in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films during the 1980s. After a long while away from cinema, he returned to acting in Tamil films in 2007, starring in S. Shankar's Sivaji: The Boss with Rajinikanth. He has also...
as Adisheshan. Adisheshan, a rich and an influential industrialist, financially exploits the society through his medical schools and charitable hospitals. Though ironically clad in white clothes throughout the film, he plays the villain, the main hindrance to the Sivaji Foundation. - VivekVivek (actor)Vivekananthan is an Indian film actor and comedian. He has won four Filmfare Best Comedian Awards for his performances in Run, Saamy, Perazhagan and Sivaji, respectively. In April 2009, Vivek received the Padma Shri award by the Government of India for his contribution to the arts. He was...
as Arivu. Vivek plays the role of Sivaji 's maternal uncle. His character Arivu provides the comic relief in the film and also plays a role in assisting Sivaji to win over Tamizhselvi. - RaghuvaranRaghuvaranRaghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
as Dr. Chezhian. He plays a guest role of the dean of the hospital Sivaji sets up. He eventually becomes a factor for the revival of Sivaji against Adiseshan. - NayantaraNayantaraNayantara , is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut in 2003 in the Malayalam film Manassinakkare. She debuted in Tamil cinema with Ayya and in Telugu cinema with Lakshmi , following which she starred alongside popular lead actors...
in an item numberItem numberAn item number or an item song, in Indian cinema, is a musical performance that has little to do with the film in which it appears, but is presented to showcase beautiful dancing women in very revealing clothes, to lend support to the marketability of the film...
. She appears in a cameo role for the introductory song, BalleilakkaBalleilakkaBalleilakka is a song from the Tamil film Sivaji: The Boss starring Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran, directed by Shankar. The music was composed by the A. R. Rahman, lyrics were written by Na. Muthukumar and sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam , Reihana and Benny Dayal.The song is shot in India...
. She dances alongside extras and Rajinikanth during the song. - ManivannanManivannanManivannan is a popular Tamil actor and director. With over 400 films to his name, Manivannan is one of the most experienced actors in the field. He normally plays the role of a dad or a senior comedian.- Background :...
as Arumugam (Sivaji's dad)
Production
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India on November 28, 2005. The film's launch was a secret event, with only pivotal members of the cast and crew being called for attendance for the event. Shooting began at Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City is one of the world’s largest integrated film studio complexes at over of land, situated in India near Hayathnagar and Peddamberpet on Hyderabad. It is also a popular tourism and recreation centre, containing both natural and artificial attractions including an amusement park...
in Hyderabad and the first shot taken was the Vaaji Vaaji
Vaaji Vaaji
"Vaaji Vaaji" is a song from the film Sivaji: The Boss starring Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran, directed by Shankar. This song was the first shot in this film. This is the most expensive song in the film with the budget of about 3.5 crores. The music was composed by the A. R. Rahman. It was sung by...
song.
Casting
About the leading lady for the film, there were initial speculations on who would essay the role. Aishwarya RaiAishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
, Rani Mukherji, Ayesha Takia
Ayesha Takia
-Early life:Ayesha was born in Chembur Mumbai, Maharashtra to a Gujarati father, Nishit and a mother of mixed British-Maharashtrian descent, Faridah. She attended St. Anthony's High School in Chembur...
, Trisha
Trisha Krishnan
Trisha Krishnan is an Indian film actress and model, who primarily appears in Tamil and Telugu language films, but has also appeared in Hindi language films. She was noticed after winning several beauty pageants like the Miss Madras contest , which marked her entry into filmdom...
, Nayantara
Nayantara
Nayantara , is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut in 2003 in the Malayalam film Manassinakkare. She debuted in Tamil cinema with Ayya and in Telugu cinema with Lakshmi , following which she starred alongside popular lead actors...
and Jyothika
Jyothika Saravanan
Jyothika Sadanah-Saravanan is a former Indian film actress who predominantly appeared in Tamil films. She also acted in a few Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi films. She gained critical acclaim for her performances in Kushi, Perazhagan, Chandramukhi and Mozhi, winning one Filmfare and three...
were rumored to bag the role. However, the air was cleared when Shankar and Rajinikanth announced that Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran
Shriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada...
would essay the role as Rajinikanth's love interest. The voice of Kanika, an actress, was used as a voice-over for Shriya. Actress Sunaina
Sunaina
Sunaina is an Indian actress who primarily appears in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam language films. She got her break in the Tamil film Kadhalil Vizhunthen, which co-starred Nakul. It was a major success in the box office.-Early life:...
was signed up to make a special appearance in the film. The scene was later deleted and her role was left uncredited; the same occurred for Vinu Chakravarthy.
Names of Mohanlal
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair , known mononymously as Mohanlal , is a National Award-winning Indian actor, producer, singer and writer who is well known for his versatile and natural acting in Indian cinema & hence widely known as the Universal Star...
, Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
, Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
, Nana Patekar
Nana Patekar
Vishwanath "Nana" Patekar is an Indian actor and filmmaker.-Biography:Born Vishwanath Patekar in Murud-Janjira, Maharashtra, to Dinkar Patekar and his wife Sanjanabai Patekar. He is an alumnus of the Sir J.J...
and Prakash Raj
Prakash Raj
Prakash Raj , better known by his stage name Prakash Raj, is a National Award winning actor, director and producer who has worked in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam films. Though he was born in a Tulu family he achieved fame through Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films. He got introduced to...
cropped up for the portrayal of the antagonist's role in the film. In March 2006, Suman
Suman (actor)
Suman is a South Indian Telugu film actor. He played action hero and romantic hero in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films during the 1980s. After a long while away from cinema, he returned to acting in Tamil films in 2007, starring in S. Shankar's Sivaji: The Boss with Rajinikanth. He has also...
was confirmed as the person selected to play the role of Adiseshan. The director, Shankar, realized that Suman lacked the wry smile needed for his character. This conspicuous smile of Adiseshan was made possible with a denture. It was Shankar's idea again to adorn the character with spotless dhoti
Dhoti
The dhoti or pancha is the traditional men's garment in the in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A similar garment is worn in some rural areas of Punjab province in Pakistan, but the use is fast declining...
, shirt, shoes, a Rolex watch and Ray Ban sunglasses. Prior to this, Suman had acted with Rajinikanth in Thee
Thee (film)
Thee is a 1981 Tamil film directed R. Krishnamurthy. Rajnikanth plays the lead role and Suman plays the role of his brother. It is a remake of the classic Hindi film Deewar starring Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor and directed by Yash Chopra.-Plot:...
(1981).
In early 2006, a magazine came out with a cast list that included mimicry artists, Cochin Haneefa
Cochin Haneefa
Mohammed Haneefa, better known by his stage name Cochin Haneefa was an Indian film actor, director, and screenwriter. He started his career in the 1970s mainly portraying villainous roles, before going on to become one of the most popular comedians of Malayalam cinema...
, Chinni Jayanth
Chinni Jayanth
Chinni Jayanth is a Tamil director, producer, comedian, actor, and mimicry artist, who has appeared in many supporting roles in Tamil films, he is also a regular guest judge on Asathapovathu Yaaru on Sun TV in Chennai.He is also the recipient of the prestigious 'KALAIMAMANI AWARD 'given by the...
and Mayilsamy
Mayilsamy
Mayilsamy is a Tamil comedian actor who prominently plays supporting roles. Appearing in many Tamil films, he is also a regular guest judge on Asathapovathu Yaaru on Sun TV in Chennai...
. The names of support cast for the film was released in a phased manner. By mid-2006, Manivannan
Manivannan
Manivannan is a popular Tamil actor and director. With over 400 films to his name, Manivannan is one of the most experienced actors in the field. He normally plays the role of a dad or a senior comedian.- Background :...
, M. S. Baskar
M. S. Baskar
M. S. Bhaskar is an Indian actor. A former theatre artiste, he has appeared in supporting roles and as a comedian in Tamil TV series and more recently in Tamil films. He is probably best known for his performances in the series Chinna Papa Periya Papa and Selvi and in the films Sivakasi and Mozhi...
, Livingston
Livingston (actor)
Livingston is a Tamil film actor who usually plays in supporting roles. He is credited in his earlier films by the stage name Ranjan. His first starring role was in Poonthotta Kavalkaran . He started out playing villains and graduated to playing lead roles with Sundara Purushan in 1997...
, Vadivukarasi, Pyramid Natarajan, Uma Padmanabhan, Pattimandram Raja, Vannakam Thamizhuzhagam Revathi, Solomon Pappayya, Muthukaalai, Nellai Siva, Bose Venkat and M'Sia Prabhu were selected for the film.
Development
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
's oldest operative studio, AVM Productions, which was run by M. S. Guhan
M. S. Guhan
M. S. Guhan is a producer of Tamil films. He has been involved in hits such as Sivaji: The Boss, Thirupathi and Minsaara Kanavu, and recently Ayan. He is the son of noted producer M. Saravanan, who owns the AVM Studios in Chennai. His grandfather was Avichi Meiyappa Chettiar.-References:...
and M. Saravanan
M. Saravanan
Saravanan Surya Mani or M. Saravanan is a producer of Tamil films. His production company is AVM Productions. He has been involved in hits such as Sivaji: The Boss, Thirupathi, Minsaara Kanavu, and Ayan. He is the father of M. S. Guhan, another producer of movies. He owns the AVM Studios in...
, approached Shankar in making a film under their production house. Utilizing the budget available from AVM, Rajinikanth was signed for the film. After consulting Sivaji Ganesan
Sivaji Ganesan
Viluppuram Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Manrayar , commonly known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan , was an Indian stage and film actor active during the latter half of the 20th century. He is one of the most respected film actors in India. He is well known for his versatility and acting skills with...
's family to avoid any issues with the film's name, the project was subsequently announced in August 2005. The film was eventually named Sivaji, after Rajinikanth's name at birth
Name at birth
The name at birth is the name a child is given by his or her parents, according to a generally universal custom, and legal requirement. What happens subsequently about this name has a substantial cultural component....
- Sivaji Rao Gaekwad with a tagline, The Boss.
The art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
, Thotta Tharani suggested the use of Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City is one of the world’s largest integrated film studio complexes at over of land, situated in India near Hayathnagar and Peddamberpet on Hyderabad. It is also a popular tourism and recreation centre, containing both natural and artificial attractions including an amusement park...
to the director. The Vaaji Vaaji
Vaaji Vaaji
"Vaaji Vaaji" is a song from the film Sivaji: The Boss starring Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran, directed by Shankar. This song was the first shot in this film. This is the most expensive song in the film with the budget of about 3.5 crores. The music was composed by the A. R. Rahman. It was sung by...
song was picturized with an intention to showcase a Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
ian palace. The Sahana song was sort of a challenge to Tharani. After listening to the lyrics of the song which speaks of the four seasons, Tharani thought of using the idea he used in Japan. He made use of acrylic
Acrylic glass
Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
and glass with the former on the floor to allow dance movements. K. V. Anand
K. V. Anand
K. V. Anand is an Indian cinematographer, film director and former photo journalist. After working for a short period as a journalist, he became a cinematographer in the early 1990s, working for about fifteen films in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu...
, the cinematographer, seemed to have a tough time in lighting up these sets made of glass. Once he had the sketches and the idea ready, the technicians at the Film City created the sets. Tharani believed that the coordination with Anand was important. Tharani contributed to similar creations for the music shop where Tamizhselvi worked as a saleswoman, and the scene here being followed up with a fight sequence in an open-air theater.
Tharani's sketches and ideas came out in the form of a set of paintings titled, Unsung.
The fair look of Rajinikanth's character in the film was through a year's effort using computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
which was performed by a Chennai-based firm. The color tone of one of the British dancers in the background of the Style
Style (2007 song)
"Style" is a song from the Tamil film Sivaji: The Boss starring Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran, directed by Shankar. The music was composed by the A. R. Rahman, lyrics were written by newcomer Pa. Vijay and sung by Blaaze, Tanvi, Ravi "Rags" Khote and Suresh Peters...
song was used by these technicians. French hair-stylist Sandrin Veriar Seth designed two different and distinct hair-styles for the regular film and 13 hair-styles for one of the songs. Shankar had already completed filming one song when Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra is considered to be India's leading and most successful fashion designer.Manish Malhotra has designed for many leading actresses in Bollywood. He is known for his different style and his ability to envision a 'look' for the character. He is known for designing the costumes for...
was approached for designing Rajinikanth's wardrobe. He was responsible for not just the regular costumes but also accessories such as shoes and jackets.
Brinda choreographed the Balleilakka
Balleilakka
Balleilakka is a song from the Tamil film Sivaji: The Boss starring Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran, directed by Shankar. The music was composed by the A. R. Rahman, lyrics were written by Na. Muthukumar and sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam , Reihana and Benny Dayal.The song is shot in India...
song in Wai
Wai, Maharashtra
Wāi is a town in Sātārā District in Mahārāshtra, India.Wai has the epithetic name Dakshin Kāshi...
, a hill station
Hill station
A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia , but also in Africa , for towns founded by European colonial rulers as refuges from the summer heat, up where temperatures are cooler...
near Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
with hundreds of people for eight days. Shooting problems due to Rajinikanth's following in his native Tamil Nadu prompted them to chose Wai for the song.
Special screenings
Rajinikanth used his political affiliations to screen the film for several politicians. Rajinikanth flew to Hyderabad to showcase the film for the former Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
, Chandrababu Naidu, on June 14, 2007. At the screening, Rajinikanth told the media that he would invite the Chief Minister, Rajasekhara Reddy, for a special viewing as well. Rajinikanth said that he had screened the film to current and former Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
Chief Ministers, Dr. Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha
J. Jayalalithaa
Jayalalithaa Jayaram ; born 24 February 1948) commonly referred to as J. Jayalalitha, is the Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. She is the incumbent general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian party. She is called Amma and Puratchi Thalaivi by her...
, respectively, and that India's Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
, P Chidambaram, was also keen to watch the film. A private screening was shown to Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
, as well.
India
The film was supposed to be released on the Tamil New Year's day, April 14, 2007. With post-production delays, the film was released worldwide on June 15, 2007. The Indian censor boardCentral Board of Film Certification
The Central Board of Film Certification is a Government of India regulatory body and censorship board of India controlled by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It reviews, rates and censors motion pictures, television shows, television ads, and promotional material...
certified the film on May 17, 2007 with minor screen and dialogue cuts, although the exact details of these cuts were not officially revealed.
Worldwide, the film was estimated to have been released in about 750 screens and opened to near full opening. Sivaji was released in 16 theaters in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
and is reported to have collected 13.5 million INR
INR
- Codes :INR is:* the ISO 4217 currency code of the Indian rupee * the Federal Aviation Administration location identifier of the McKinley National Park Airport, McKinley Park, Alaska, United States...
within the first four days, a record of sorts for Tamil films. The film was released in 303 screens in Tamil Nadu, 300 screens in Andhra Pradesh; 12 screens in North India and 145 screens across the rest of the world. The film also debuted well in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. Despite protests from pro-Kannada groups, the film debuted in 13 theatres. In the national capital, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, the film debuted on 4 screens in PVR Cinemas. Based on what the distributors claim, there was "overwhelming response to the film", with the number of screens increasing to 12 by the second week. The film made a good debut in the nation's other metros as well such as Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. Even in non-traditional markets for Tamil films like Pune and Baroda, the film made had a good opening. On July 15, 2007, AVM Productions, the producers of the film, announced their decision to dub
Dub localization
Dub localization, also often simply referred to as localization, which is a form of a voice-over. It is the practice of voice-over translation altering a foreign language film, art film or television series by voice actors to further adapt the material for a "local" audience.Dub localization is a...
the film in Hindi because "the response has been phenomenal for the movie". The dubbed version released on January 8, 2010 in India, almost three years after the release of the original version.
International
Internationally, Sivaji had good screenings in Malaysia with reports of the film causing a riot to break out in three states due to delays and cancellations of the screenings. The film eventually was released in residential suburb by a local minister, it gross 8 million in Malaysia, Sivaji made a debut with 150 screenings of the film in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, the film debuted across 70 theatres with all 700 shows running at near 100% capacity. In the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
that contains a sizeably large Indian diaspora, the film opened to a full house. Owing to the enthusiasm, a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
distributed 1000 tickets to laborers and domestic help across Dubai enabling them to watch the film.
In Canada, the film released in 10 screens in 3 major cities along with special screenings for the Tamil diaspora in the smaller cities. It also became the first Tamil film to be screened for over 100 consecutive days in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
at two Cineplex
Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment LP , is the largest film exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,351 screens. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec...
theatres. In United Kingdom, the film debuted on the box-office list at # 9 with earnings of about £14000 per screen - the highest screen average in 2007. It was the first South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
n film to enter UK Top 10. In United States, Sivaji was released in 24 theaters with subsequent additions of 19 and 21 theaters for the Tamil version and Telugu version respectively. The producers of the film claimed that the film was going to be dubbed in Chinese and Japanese by Ayngaran International
Ayngaran International
Ayngaran is a film distribution and production company of Tamil films, based in the United Kingdom. The company has distributed various Indian-produced Tamil films in Europe and North America. It is also responsible for the production of Tamil films into home media, such as VHS, DVD, and blu-ray...
, the holder of international rights of the film. The response in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
was disappointing, while the box-office collections in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and Durban allowed it to become the first Tamil film to feature in the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n box-office top 10. Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines Limited is the flag carrier airline of Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Changi Airport and has a strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and "Kangaroo Route" markets...
bought a 3-month exclusive in-flight screening rights to the film, a first for the airline for any Tamil film.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, 13 seconds of the film was cut as the original film showed Rajinikanth throwing a firecracker into his mouth, lighting it and then spitting it out at Pattimanram Raja. This was done to enable the film to have a 12A rating, while the Ayngaran UK DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release was uncut and was given an 18 rating by the BBFC. It was also the first Tamil film to be genuinely released on a 1080p
1080p
1080p is the shorthand identification for a set of HDTV high-definition video modes that are characterized by 1080 horizontal lines of resolution and progressive scan, meaning the image is not interlaced as is the case with the 1080i display standard....
High Definition Blu-ray disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
.
Critical response
The HinduThe Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, in a review about the story, said that the lead character carrying out a rebellion against corruption was something "not be true to life". It concluded by saying that "the story sags towards the end". It, however, went on to appreciate the performances of the prominent actors, the soundtrack, art direction, photography and the animation from the film. Another review from The Hindu, a month after the film's release, said that the film "... presents an effective diagnosis of entrenched corruption but the rather disturbing remedy it offers is, good old vigilantism." It concluded by saying that, though the film did well at the box-office, the message of rejecting the corrupt system instead of reforming it was troubling. Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
review said that the director, Shankar, was not creative enough for the film and added this by saying "Sivaji turns out to be a rehash of all his previous jingoistic claptrap efforts". It appreciated the other technical departments and suggested a good response at the box office. The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
had a similar review about the story saying that "it had nothing new to offer" but promised it to be entertaining.
One review from Rediff.com summed the film by saying, "No logic, only Rajni's magic". About the story, it says, "Unfortunately, (the) message is lost in the maze of illogical and sometimes absurd sequences". The review, however, praises the performances of Rajinikanth, Shriya and Vivek and the technical crew. A review from an entertainment portal appreciated the performances of the prominent actors and ingenuity of certain portions of the script. It, however, pointed out a couple of unconvincing instances in the script with the review eventually suggesting better screenplay and a complaint on the length of the film. Another such portal thoroughly praised the plot, performances and other departments but ended snubbing the crude graphics at times. A vernacular entertainment portal, referring to Rajinikanth, says that the film is "... an absolute celebration of one man who can make millions feel good about life just by walking in elegance, by stroking his hair, or just by being there on screen. It goes to praise Vivek's comical interludes and adds by saying "though defying superhuman powers, the fights choreographed by Peter Heinz, and the extremely lavish sets created by Thotta Tharani stand out. Camera work of K. V. Anand is first rate throughout, Antony's editing crisp and Sujatha's dialogues are rock solid." A. R. Rahman's score and Shankar's directorial abilities were also lauded in the review.
Controversies
The film attracted criticism and litigation, including accusations of plagiarismPlagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
and defamation. Jaya Rajadevan, one of the film's assistant directors, sought an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
in civil court to stop screening of the film for alleged plagiarism. Rajadevan claimed that he had written the film's story and had discussed it with Shankar's manager in 2005. Although the court sent notices to S. Shankar
S. Shankar
Shankar is an Indian film director and producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He made his directional debut in Gentleman for which he was awarded the Filmfare Best Director Award...
, among others, the screening of the film was not stopped.
M. Satyamoorthy, on July 9, 2007, also sought to stop screening of the film, alleging that it defamed the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, a political party, as well as its President, Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi...
, and the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
. Satyamoorthy cited a scene in which portraits of Gandhi and Singh are visible behind Adiseshan's (the villain's) chair, implying he was a member of the Indian National Congress. Satyamoorthy also claimed 500 million INR
INR
- Codes :INR is:* the ISO 4217 currency code of the Indian rupee * the Federal Aviation Administration location identifier of the McKinley National Park Airport, McKinley Park, Alaska, United States...
in damages from the film's producer, director and lead actor to be paid to the Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
section of the party.
A month and a half prior to the film's official soundtrack release, three songs from the soundtrack were leaked into the Internet. The songs, however, were only unofficial with low quality, where the official versions were composed slightly different and sung by different artists.
Accolades
2008 National Film AwardsNational Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
- Won — Silver Lotus Award for Best Art DirectionNational Film Award for Best Art DirectionThe National Film Award for Best Art Direction winners:...
— Thotta TharaniThotta Tharani- Film career :Thota Tharani has been involved in the art of set design since he was just twelve when he helped his father. Be it the creation of a realistic set of the Dharavi Slums or the colourful transparent bus of Kaadhalan, Tharani succeeds in creating the right ambience and the right... - Won — Silver Lotus Award for Best Special EffectsNational Film Award for Best Special EffectsThe National Film Award for Best Special Effects winners:...
- M.S. Indian Artists, Chennai
2008 Filmfare Awards South
Filmfare Awards South
Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the South Indian film industry. The awards are separately given for Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films...
- Won — Filmfare Award for Best Music DirectorFilmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil)The Filmfare Best Music Director Award is given to film composers by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Tamil films. The award was first given in 1992, A. R. Rahman being the first recipient of this award for his film score and soundtrack of Roja.There have been...
— A.R. Rahman - Won — Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer — K. V. AnandK. V. AnandK. V. Anand is an Indian cinematographer, film director and former photo journalist. After working for a short period as a journalist, he became a cinematographer in the early 1990s, working for about fifteen films in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu...
- Won — Filmfare Award for Best ComedianFilmfare Best Comedian Award (Tamil)The Filmfare Best Comedien Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Tamil films....
— VivekVivek (actor)Vivekananthan is an Indian film actor and comedian. He has won four Filmfare Best Comedian Awards for his performances in Run, Saamy, Perazhagan and Sivaji, respectively. In April 2009, Vivek received the Padma Shri award by the Government of India for his contribution to the arts. He was... - Won — Filmfare Award for Best VillainFilmfare Best Villain Award (Tamil)The Filmfare Best Villain Award was given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Tamil films....
— SumanSumanKabir Suman is a Kolkata-based modern Bengali singer-songwriter, musician, poet, journalist, politician, TV presenter, and occasional film actor... - Won — Filmfare Best Art Director Award (South)Filmfare Best Art Director Award (South)The Filmfare Best South Art Director Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for South Indian films.The award was first given in 1997. Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won....
— Thotta TharaniThotta Tharani- Film career :Thota Tharani has been involved in the art of set design since he was just twelve when he helped his father. Be it the creation of a realistic set of the Dharavi Slums or the colourful transparent bus of Kaadhalan, Tharani succeeds in creating the right ambience and the right... - Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actor — RajnikanthRajnikanthRajinikanth is an Indian film actor, media personality, and cultural icon. He made his debut as an actor in the National Film Award-winning motion picture Apoorva Raagangal , directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers his mentor....
- Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Film — Sivaji
- Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Playback Singer FemaleFilmfare Best Female Playback Award (Tamil)The Tamil Filmfare Best Female Playback Award is given by Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Tamil films. The award was first presented in 2005 with Binny Krishnakumar as winner....
- ChinmayiChinmayiChinmayi Sripada is an Indian playback singer, singing predominantly in Tamil. She is also a voice actor in Tamil and Telugu films, and has worked as a television presenter and a radio jockey as well. She is the founder and CEO of a translation services company called Blue Elephant.-Early life and...
2007 Vijay Awards
Vijay Awards
The Vijay Awards are presented by the Tamil television channel STAR Vijay to honour excellence in Tamil cinema. It has given annually since 2006. The awards are decided by a jury, consisting of noted filmmakers, critics and technicians, while winners in a separate category named "Favourite awards"...
- Won — Vijay Award for Favourite HeroVijay Award for Favourite HeroThe Vijay for Favorite Hero is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-Winners and nominations:* 2006 Ajith Kumar * 2007 Rajinikanth - Sivaji**Ajith Kumar - Billa**Suriya - Vel...
— RajnikanthRajnikanthRajinikanth is an Indian film actor, media personality, and cultural icon. He made his debut as an actor in the National Film Award-winning motion picture Apoorva Raagangal , directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers his mentor.... - Nominated — Vijay Award for Favourite HeroineVijay Award for Favourite HeroineThe Vijay for Favorite Heroine is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-Winners and nominations:*2006 Jyothika*2007 Nayantara - Billa**Shriya Saran - Sivaji: The Boss...
— Shriya SaranShriya SaranShriya Saran , also known by the mononym Shriya, is an Indian film actress and model. She has worked in several of the regional industries of Indian cinema, having acted in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi language films, as well as a few films in English, Malayalam and Kannada... - Won — Vijay Award for Best Music DirectorVijay Award for Best Music DirectorThe Vijay for Best Music Director is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.-Nominations:...
— A.R. Rahman - Nominated - Best Playback Singer FemaleVijay Award for Best Female Playback SingerThe Vijay for Best Female Playback Singer is given by STAR Vijay as part of its annual Vijay Awards ceremony for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.- Nominations :...
- ChinmayiChinmayiChinmayi Sripada is an Indian playback singer, singing predominantly in Tamil. She is also a voice actor in Tamil and Telugu films, and has worked as a television presenter and a radio jockey as well. She is the founder and CEO of a translation services company called Blue Elephant.-Early life and...
Soundtrack
After some re-recording of the background score in ParaguayParaguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, A.R. Rahman had been to London for additional re-recording.