Pudhupettai (Eng: New Area) is a 2006 Indian Tamil gangster film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush in the lead, whilst Sneha and Sonia Agarwal enact the lead female character roles. The film, with music scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja and cinematography by Arvind Krishna, Selvaraghavan’s usual crew members, released on 26 May 2006, receiving universal critical acclaim for the music and picturisation. Pudhupettai was dubbed into Telugu and released as Dhoolpeta.
Pudhupettai is set in the backdrop of the slums of Pudhupettai in Chennai, as the title suggests, where a high school kid Kokki Kumar (Dhanush) sees his mom dead after he comes back from watching a film. His father, the murderer is also planning to kill his son Kumar. Kumar sensing danger runs away from home. Homeless and with no food Kumar resorts to begging until he is falsely arrested while standing by and watching a commotion on the street. In jail he befriends handymen of a local goon who take Kumar with them and give him petty jobs to do. In a confrontation with goons of another gang Kumar kills the brother of his enemy gang’s head Murthy thus earning the respect of his gang and making enemies for himself both within his gang and outside.
Krishnaveni (Sneha) is a prostitute who also works under Anbu. Kumar falls in love with Krishnaveni and challenge Anbu to release her. Anbu in return beats Krishnaveni and orders to kill Kumar. Kumar approaches Anbu and asks to pardon him but Anbu wonders if it would be possible cancel the order to kill Kumar. Kumar infuriated kills Anbu and approaches Thalaivar (Azhagam Perumal). Thalaivar says if he could survive until the next day morning from Anbu’s goon, who is seeking revenge, he would be bestowed with Anbu’s area for business. Kumar survives and Thalaivar keeps him in place of Anbu.
Kumar grows even further in the underworld. He kills his father and his hench men. Murthy is stabbed by Kumar’s men. Kumar joins Thalaivar’s political party for immunity from police and arrests.
He then meets Selvi (Sonia Agarwal) on the eve of her wedding and falls in love with her and marries her forcibly during her wedding ceremony. Selvi is the sister of his favourite henchman who now becomes his sworn enemy and joins the enemy gang. Slowly Kumar starts accumulating serious enemies and eventually everyone start targeting for Kumar’s head. Does Kumar survive the wrath of his enemies? forms the rest of the story.
Finally, Kumar kills Murthy(a ruling party MLA and Kumar’s sworn enemy) and gets arrested, but the incumbent CM sees the high potential in Kumar and brings him out of prison and wipes off his record. The CM gives Kumar the his party’s ticket from the dead leader’s constituency by-election. then it is told that Kumar won that election, became an MLA and 10 years, later the Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu. He owns large number of Industries and Educational Institutions. But still his lost son is not found.
Directed by Selvaraghavan
Produced by K Muralidharan, V Swaminathan & G Venugopal
Written by Selvaraghavan & Balakumaran
Starring Dhanush, Sneha, Sonia Agarwal
Music by Yuvan Shankar Raja
Cinematography Arvind Krishna
Edited by Kola Bhaskar
Production Lakshmi Movie Makers
Release dates 26 May 2006
Running time 170 minutes
Country India
Language Tamil
