Kuruvi (Eng: Sparrow) is a 2008 Tamil action comedy film written and directed by Dharani. Produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, Kuruvi stars Vijay, Trisha and Suman in the lead roles. Vivek, Ashish Vidyarthi, Manivannan and Malavika played other roles in the movie. Kuruvi released on 3 May 2008 and criticized for its stunts made by the stunt choreographers. The film was successful at the overseas box office and an average grosser in domestic box office. Kuruvi was dubbed into Telugu as Dopidi, Hindi as Jo Jeeta Wohi Baazigar and Malayalam with the same title. The film had a 150 days run in theaters.
Vetrivel alias Velu (Vijay) is a car racer who lives with his large family in Chennai. His father, Singamuthu (Manivannan), had gone to Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh to work at a colliery and never returned, prompting Velu and his family to think that he is dead. Velu comes to know that a Malaysia-based don named Koccha (Suman) owes his father a huge sum of money. Velu and his friend Ops (Vivek) travel to Malaysia as Kuruvi, the trade jargon for low-level contraband carriers. They come to Malaysia at a time when internal rivalry and problems are surfacing in Koccha’s family. Koccha’s younger sister Devi (Trisha Krishnan) has refused to marry Soori (Pawan), the brother of Konda Reddy (Ashish Vidyarthi), Koccha’s Kadapa-based business associate, as per Koccha’s wishes.
Irritated and preoccupied, neither Koccha nor his henchmen want to devote any time or attention to resolve Velu’s problem. Velu is ill-treated and thrown out of Koccha’s place without any help rendered. Determined to return to India only after his father’s issue is solved to his satisfaction, Velu conceals himself in Koccha’s palace-like residence. He soon finds out about a large diamond owned by Koccha and steals it, feeling that it would pay off his father’s debt, and returns to India with Ops. Devi also follows Velu to India, having fallen in love with him, when he saves her from falling from a tall building during New Year’s Eve.
Knowing that Velu has stolen his diamond, Koccha and his gang visit Velu’s house and threaten his family with dire consequences unless Velu returns the diamond. After confronting Koccha, Velu comes to know that his father isn’t dead, but is being held as bonded labour along with many innocent people at Kadapa. Singamuthu had discovered diamonds at the colliery, but refused to allow Koccha and Konda Reddy to illegally mine the diamonds for their own benefit. He had been held prisoner in Kadapa since.
Velu immediately leaves for Kadapa, where he encounters Koccha again. He throws him onto a moving train, paralysing him. He soon discovers a slave camp run by Koccha and Konda Reddy Ashish Vidyarthi at the colliery, where a womanising rowdy named Kadapa Raja (G. V. Sudhakar Naidu) is torturing the inmates, including Singamuthu. He single-handedly takes on Konda Reddy, Kadapa Raja and their henchmen, killing them all. He drags Konda Reddy’s dead body to Koccha’s mansion. The wheelchair-bound Koccha, on seeing the dead body of his associate, recovers and attempts to shoot Velu, only to be arrested at that moment by a special task force led by Raj (Nassar). Singamuthu and the others who were imprisoned in the slave camp are finally freed and reunited with their families.
Directed by Dharani
Produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin
Written by Babu Sivan (dialogue)
Screenplay by Dharani
Story by Dharani
Starring Vijay, Trisha, Suman, Vivek, Ashish Vidyarthi, Saranya Ponvannan
Music by Vidyasagar
Cinematography S. Gopinath
Edited by V.T Vijayan
Distributed by Red Giant Movies
Release date 3 May 2008
Country India
Language Tamil
Visitor Rating: 1 Stars