# Padai Thalaivan
**Padai Thalaivan** (படைத் தலைவன்) is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language action drama directed by U. Anbu, starring Shanmuga Pandian, the son of the late actor-politician Vijayakant, as a mahout (an elephant's keeper and trainer) who sets out to rescue his beloved elephant after it is taken from him.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28764064/) It was released in Indian theaters on June 13, 2025, with music by [Ilaiyaraaja](https://www.edgepedia.org/ilaiyaraaja).[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writers | Written and directed by U. Anbu, whose earlier films are *Walter* (2020) and *Rekhla* (2022); screenplay and dialogues by Parthiban Desingu[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date) |
| Lead cast | Shanmuga Pandian as Velu, with Kasthuri Raja, Yamini Chander, Munishkanth, Aruldoss, Sreejith Ravi, and Rishi Rithvik[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/padai_thalaivan/cast-and-crew) |
| Release | June 13, 2025 in India, after delays from a planned Pongal release and a May 23 date[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date) |
| Runtime and certificate | 134 minutes (BBFC classified 22 May 2025); certified U/A in India[4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/padai-thalaivan-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmwmju0) • [5](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/padai-thalaivan/cast-crew.html) |
| Music and crew | Music by Ilaiyaraaja; cinematography by S R Sathish Kumar; editing by S Elayaraja; stunts by Mahesh Mathew[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date) |
| Reception | IMDb 4.3/10 from 259 votes; The Times of India rated it 2.0/5[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28764064/) • [6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/padai-thalaivan/movie-review/121844052.cms) |
| Streaming | Available on Amazon Prime Video in India[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/padai-thalaivan) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Velu (Shanmuga Pandian) lives with his potter father in a village near Pollachi, raising the family's elephant Maniyan like a family member.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/padai-thalaivan/movie-review/121844052.cms) When a loan shark conspires with corrupt officials to take the elephant, it ends up captured by a cult in the forests of Odisha that plans to sacrifice it at a temple, and Velu sets out to rescue it.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/padai-thalaivan/movie-review/121844052.cms) • [8](https://www.astro.com.my/content/details/UEFDSzAwMDAwMDAwMDA1NjA1MzY%3D-Padai-Thalaivan) The British Board of Film Classification summarizes the story as an elephant trainer fighting to find his beloved elephant after it is captured by poachers.[4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/padai-thalaivan-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmwmju0)
The story is set against the backdrop of the elephant-taming community in [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu), and director Anbu has said it was inspired by a real-life incident from Odisha and his long-held wish to make an elephant-based film.[9](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/padai-thalaivan/story.html) • [10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2023/Aug/27/the-rebirth-of-a-promising-action-hero-47023.html)
## Production and release
The film marks Shanmuga Pandian's return after *Madurai Veeran* (2018); its first-look poster, featuring the actor and an elephant, was shared on Vijayakant's 71st birthday in 2023.[10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2023/Aug/27/the-rebirth-of-a-promising-action-hero-47023.html) It was produced by Jaganathan Paramasivam under Director's Cinemaas, with VJ Combines among the presenting banners.[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/padai-thalaivan/cast-crew.html) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/padai_thalaivan/cast-and-crew)
**Release history.** The film was initially planned for a Pongal release and was pushed back several times; a planned May 23, 2025 release did not materialize, with Shanmugapandian citing "theatrical constraints".[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date) Captain Cine Creations acquired the theatrical distribution rights and released the film in 500 theaters across Tamil Nadu on June 13.[11](https://pentaganpr.com/2025/06/captain-cine-creations-acquires-rights-of-padai-thalaivan/)
The film includes an AI-generated appearance of the late Vijayakant, Shanmuga Pandian's father, who died in December 2023.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date)
## Censorship and content
The BBFC classified the film for UK cinema release on May 22, 2025, at 134 minutes 11 seconds, with consumer advice of strong violence and injury detail.[4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/padai-thalaivan-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmwmju0) Its content advice notes blade fights, implied beating of an elephant with a stick, a man terrorizing a village including an attempt to hang a pregnant woman from a tree, bloody injury detail, and moderate bad language.[4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/padai-thalaivan-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmwmju0) In India the film was certified U/A.[5](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/padai-thalaivan/cast-crew.html)
## Reception
The film received largely negative reviews. The Times of India's critic gave it 2.0 out of 5, calling it a half-baked action-adventure whose two halves barely speak to each other, while crediting the action choreography and production quality and noting that the AI-generated Vijayakant appearance looked dubious enough to distract from the emotional moment.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/padai-thalaivan/movie-review/121844052.cms) On IMDb it holds a 4.3/10 rating from 259 votes, and IMDb lists a worldwide gross of $2,212.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28764064/) A Cinema Express review was more positive, writing that the film "tells a small story of a simple villager who loves his elephant".[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/preview/story/JnqxWUrpzuRHdZzdW2B-zro9ZLkjasDVeJLttnJ4Vwh74ITmx3ocWEnZvRrwlX7B)
After its theatrical run, the film became available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video in India.[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/padai-thalaivan)
## References
1. [Padai Thalaivan gets a new release date, Cinema Express (June 9, 2025)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Jun/09/padai-thalaivan-gets-a-new-release-date)
2. [Padai Thalaivan (2025), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28764064/)
3. [Padai Thalaivan: Full Cast & Crew, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/padai_thalaivan/cast-and-crew)
4. [Padai Thalaivan, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/padai-thalaivan-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmwmju0)
5. [Padai Thalaivan Cast & Crew, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/padai-thalaivan/cast-crew.html)
6. [Padai Thalaivan Movie Review: A half-baked action-adventure, The Times of India (June 14, 2025)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/padai-thalaivan/movie-review/121844052.cms)
7. [Padai Thalaivan streaming: where to watch online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/padai-thalaivan)
8. [Padai Thalaivan, Astro content listing](https://www.astro.com.my/content/details/UEFDSzAwMDAwMDAwMDA1NjA1MzY%3D-Padai-Thalaivan)
9. [Padai Thalaivan: Story, Preview, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/padai-thalaivan/story.html)
10. [The rebirth of a promising action hero, Cinema Express (August 27, 2023)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2023/Aug/27/the-rebirth-of-a-promising-action-hero-47023.html)
11. [Captain Cine Creations acquires rights of Padai Thalaivan, Pentagan Media (June 7, 2025)](https://pentaganpr.com/2025/06/captain-cine-creations-acquires-rights-of-padai-thalaivan/)
12. [Padai Thalaivan Movie Review, Cinema Express (June 13, 2025)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/preview/story/JnqxWUrpzuRHdZzdW2B-zro9ZLkjasDVeJLttnJ4Vwh74ITmx3ocWEnZvRrwlX7B)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films of the 2020s › Tamil films of 2025 › Titles M to Y*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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