# Podaa Podi (போடா போடி)
Released in 2012, **Podaa Podi** (போடா போடி) is an Indian Tamil musical romantic comedy that marked the directorial and writing debut of [Vignesh Shivan](https://www.edgepedia.org/vignesh-shivan), with [Silambarasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/silambarasan) and first-time actress [Varalaxmi Sarathkumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/varalaxmi-sarathkumar) in the lead roles.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Podaa_Podi?hl=en_US&id=971BFF1330F8ECFBMV) Production began in 2008, and the film was released on 13 November 2012 as a Diwali release, receiving mixed reviews.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Podaa_Podi?hl=en_US&id=971BFF1330F8ECFBMV)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 13 November 2012, a Diwali release, opposite Vijay's *Thuppakki*[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Podaa_Podi?hl=en_US&id=971BFF1330F8ECFBMV) • [2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/podaa-podi-gets-a-clean-u/articleshow/17166857.cms) |
| Director / writer | Vignesh Shivan, in his directorial debut[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Podaa_Podi?hl=en_US&id=971BFF1330F8ECFBMV) |
| Cast | Silambarasan as Arjun, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar as Nisha, with VTV Ganesh and Shobana in supporting roles[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/podaa-podi) |
| Music | Dharan Kumar; cinematography by Duncan Telford[4](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/podaa-podi/podaa-podi-review.html) |
| Runtime | 2h 1m (121 minutes)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/podaa_podi) |
| Certification | Clean U certificate from the censor board on 9 November 2012, with no cuts[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/podaa-podi-gets-a-clean-u/articleshow/17166857.cms) |
| Reception | Mixed reviews; Times of India critic rating 3.0/5, average user rating 2.4/5[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/poda-podi/etmoviereview/17254485.cms) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The story is set in London, where animation artist Arjun (Silambarasan) meets dancer Nisha (Varalaxmi Sarathkumar), whose biggest dream is to win a dance reality show.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/poda-podi/etmoviereview/17254485.cms) The two fall in love and marry, but their priorities clash: Arjun holds conservative Tamil values and asks Nisha to quit her dancing career, and to stop her from dancing he impregnates her.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/podaa_podi) After a misunderstanding between the couple, their child is killed in a car accident.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/podaa_podi) According to the film's plot summary, the story travels through seven phases of a boy's and girl's life.[7](https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt1773628)
## Production and release
The film was announced in 2008 but took four years to reach the screen.[8](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/vignesh-shivan-tamil-cinema-love-stories-optimism-career-journey-2893311-2026-04-09) It was shot extensively in London and Hong Kong.[9](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2012/oct/16/stellar-show-for-deepavali-2012-415939.html) The songs composed by Dharan were released directly into stores on 10 October 2012 without a formal launch, and the single "Love Pannalama Venama" had already topped charts before release.[9](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2012/oct/16/stellar-show-for-deepavali-2012-415939.html)
The censor board cleared the film on the evening of 9 November 2012 with a clean U certificate and no cuts; Silambarasan confirmed the 13 November release date on Twitter.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/podaa-podi-gets-a-clean-u/articleshow/17166857.cms) It opened on the same day as *Thuppakki*, the Vijay-starring action film directed by A. R. Murugadoss.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/podaa-podi-gets-a-clean-u/articleshow/17166857.cms) The film was later released in France (14 November 2012, limited), Norway (16 November), and Kuwait (22 November).[10](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1773628/releaseinfo/) TheTVDB records worldwide box office of $515,031.[11](https://thetvdb.com/movies/podaa-podi)
## Music
Dharan Kumar composed the score and soundtrack, with lyrics by Vignesh Shiva, Silambarasan (STR), [Na. Muthukumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/na-muthukumar), and Vaalee; singers included [Shankar Mahadevan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shankar-mahadevan), Benny Dayal, Andrea Jeremiah, Naresh Iyer, and Suchitra.[4](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/podaa-podi/podaa-podi-review.html) The eight-track album includes "Love Panalaama", the title track "Podaa Podi", "Appan Mavanae Vaada" (a colloquial song about a father's love for his expected baby, written by Vaalee), and "I Am a Kuthu Dancer".[12](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-music-reviews/review-1/oct-12-02/podaa-podi-music-review.html) • [13](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/podaa-podi-2079.html) [Behindwoods](https://www.edgepedia.org/behindwoods)' music review called the album a complement to a dance-based romance and predicted a good break for Dharan.[12](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-music-reviews/review-1/oct-12-02/podaa-podi-music-review.html)
## Reception
**Critical response was mixed.** The Times of India gave 3.0/5, calling it a light tale of the love-hate relationship between a highly conservative Tamil man and a broad-minded NRI woman, well acted and shot despite a wafer-thin screenplay, but noting that the story tilts toward the man's point of view.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/poda-podi/etmoviereview/17254485.cms) Behindwoods rated it a "good youth time pass", praising Dharan's compositions and Duncan Telford's colorful capture of London, while criticizing the second half's "archaic take on Tamil culture and sentiment" and a line in which Arjun calls on Nisha to make more babies, which the review called regressive.[4](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/podaa-podi/podaa-podi-review.html) On Rotten Tomatoes the film has no critic reviews on the Tomatometer and a 30% audience score from more than 50 ratings.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/podaa_podi)
Reviewers consistently highlighted the debut performance of Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, daughter of actor Sarathkumar, whose screen presence, dialogue delivery, and dancing were noted as strengths.[4](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/podaa-podi/podaa-podi-review.html) [VTV Ganesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/vtv-ganesh)'s comedy as Arjun's uncle was also repeatedly singled out.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/poda-podi/etmoviereview/17254485.cms)
## Legacy
The film was Vignesh Shivan's debut as a director and writer; he went on to direct the anthology *Paava Kadhaigal* and other Tamil films.[8](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/vignesh-shivan-tamil-cinema-love-stories-optimism-career-journey-2893311-2026-04-09) In November 2022 he marked ten years since the release.[14](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/vignesh-shivan-on-10-years-of-podaa-podi/articleshow/95510638.cms) In interviews he has joked that he was among those "shot" by Vijay's *Thuppakki*, referring to his debut's failure to achieve the success he expected when it clashed with that film.[15](https://tamil.newsbytesapp.com/news/entertainment/vignesh-shivan-interview-vijay-thuppakki-vs-poda-podi-flashback/story) The film is available for streaming in India on JioHotstar free with ads.[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/podaa-podi)
## References
1. [Podaa Podi, Google Play Movies](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Podaa_Podi?hl=en_US&id=971BFF1330F8ECFBMV)
2. [Podaa Podi gets a clean 'U', Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/podaa-podi-gets-a-clean-u/articleshow/17166857.cms)
3. [Podaa Podi streaming: where to watch online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/podaa-podi)
4. [Podaa Podi Movie Review, Behindwoods](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/podaa-podi/podaa-podi-review.html)
5. [Podaa Podi, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/podaa_podi)
6. [Poda Podi Movie Review, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/poda-podi/etmoviereview/17254485.cms)
7. [Podaa Podi (2012), IMDbPro](https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt1773628)
8. [Why Vignesh Shivan is one of Tamil cinema's most exciting new-age directors, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/vignesh-shivan-tamil-cinema-love-stories-optimism-career-journey-2893311-2026-04-09)
9. [Stellar show for Deepavali 2012, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2012/oct/16/stellar-show-for-deepavali-2012-415939.html)
10. [Podaa Podi (2012) Release info, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1773628/releaseinfo/)
11. [Podaa Podi, TheTVDB](https://thetvdb.com/movies/podaa-podi)
12. [Podaa Podi Music Review, Behindwoods](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-music-reviews/review-1/oct-12-02/podaa-podi-music-review.html)
13. [Podaa Podi Movie (2012), Digit Binge](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/podaa-podi-2079.html)
14. [Vignesh Shivan on 10 years of 'Podaa Podi', Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/vignesh-shivan-on-10-years-of-podaa-podi/articleshow/95510638.cms)
15. [Vignesh Shivan interview on Thuppakki vs Poda Podi, NewsBytes Tamil](https://tamil.newsbytesapp.com/news/entertainment/vignesh-shivan-interview-vijay-thuppakki-vs-poda-podi-flashback/story)
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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 2010s › Tamil romantic films of the 2010s*
*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 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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