# Sandamarutham
**Sandamarutham** (சண்டமாருதம்; also spelled Sandamarudham) is a 2015 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film directed by [A. Venkatesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-venkatesh-director), with [R. Sarathkumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/r-sarathkumar) in dual lead roles as an undercover police officer and the criminal he hunts.[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5728/2015-sandamarutham) It was produced by [Radhika Sarathkumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/radhika-sarathkumar), Sarathkumar, and Listin Stephen under the Magic Frames banner, with music by James Vasanthan, and was released in India on 20 February 2015.[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5728/2015-sandamarutham) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3822410/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 20 February 2015 (India), Tamil language, runtime 2 hours 29 minutes (149 min)[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3822410/) |
| Director / producer | A. Venkatesh; produced by Radhika Sarathkumar, Sarathkumar, and Listin Stephen (Magic Frames)[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5728/2015-sandamarutham) |
| Dual role | Sarathkumar plays both the undercover cop Suriya and the villain Sarveswaran, his first time playing protagonist and antagonist together[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5728/2015-sandamarutham) |
| Writing | Story by Sarathkumar; screenplay and dialogues by crime-fiction writer Rajeshkumar[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/sandamarutham/story.html) |
| Music and crew | Music James Vasanthan; cinematography N S Udayakumar; editing V T Vijayan[4](https://www.nowrunning.com/sarathkumar-did-not-sleep-for-32-hours/104906/story.htm) |
| Principal cast | Oviya, Meera Nandan, Samuthirakani (as inspector Thirumalai), Radha Ravi (as Rangarajan), Thambi Ramaiah, Vijayakumar, Imman Annachi, Delhi Ganesh[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3822410/) |
| Reception | Times of India critic rating 2.5/5; IMDb user rating 3.9/10; Chennai box office verdict "Disappointment"[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/Sandamarutham/movie-review/46317224.cms) • [6](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/sandamarutham/sandamarutham-box-office-mar-01.html) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The film is set in [Kumbakonam](https://www.edgepedia.org/kumbakonam), where the criminal Sarveswaran (Sarathkumar) has developed a highly potent chemical and plans to sell it to terrorists who intend to use it in 101 cities on Diwali.[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/Sandamarutham/movie-review/46317224.cms) The new inspector [Thirumalai](https://www.edgepedia.org/thirumalai) ([Samuthirakani](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuthirakani)) tries to catch him but fails; Thirumalai's friend Suriya (also Sarathkumar), an undercover police officer, then takes on the mission to end Sarveswaran's operations.[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/Sandamarutham/movie-review/46317224.cms) On his mission Suriya also encounters RR (Radha Ravi), a close friend of Sarveswaran.[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/sandamarutham)
Sarathkumar described the dual role as a deliberate experiment. Returning to films after a gap caused by politics, he told IANS that he played a double role in which one character had a negative shade, and that he had also written the film's story himself.[8](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/sarath-kumar-experiments-with-negative-role-114080800263_1.html)
## Production
The film was launched on 14 May 2014 and shooting began thereafter.[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/sandamarutham/story.html) Early reports named Lakshmi Rai as the lead actress, but she was replaced by the Malayalam actress Sarayu and Avani Modi, who had appeared in *Naan Rajavaga Pogiren* (2013); eventually Oviya and [Meera Nandan](https://www.edgepedia.org/meera-nandan) took those roles.[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/sandamarutham/story.html) • [9](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D) The Kannada actor Arun Sagar played a negative role, marking his Tamil debut.[9](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D)
The film marked the fourth collaboration between director A. Venkatesh and Sarathkumar.[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/sandamarutham/story.html) In September 2014, near the end of filming, the team shot a romantic song featuring Sarathkumar and Meera Nandan at the Erawan Falls near Bangkok, set to James Vasanthan's music.[10](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/sandamarudham-bangkok/) Director Venkatesh later said that the climax, shot in a radio station with permission only for a limited duration, was filmed continuously for 32 hours, during which Sarathkumar did not sleep.[4](https://www.nowrunning.com/sarathkumar-did-not-sleep-for-32-hours/104906/story.htm)
## Music and release
James Vasanthan composed the soundtrack. The audio launch was held in Chennai on 14 December 2014, and the film's satellite rights were sold to Sun TV.[9](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D) Songs include "Paarthu Konde" (performed by Sathya Prakash and [Chinmayi Sripada](https://www.edgepedia.org/chinmayi-sripada)), "Dummaangoli", "Sandamarutham", and "Unnai Mattum".[9](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3822410/)
*Sandamarutham* released in theaters on 20 February 2015.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3822410/) It later became available for streaming on Sun NXT, and can be rented or bought on YouTube and Google Play Movies.[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/sandamarutham)
## Reception
**Box office.** In Chennai, the film ranked fourth in its opening week (16–22 February 2015) and slid to sixth in its second week, collecting Rs. 1,616,496 for that week; [Behindwoods](https://www.edgepedia.org/behindwoods) recorded the city verdict as "Disappointment".[6](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/sandamarutham/sandamarutham-box-office-mar-01.html)
**Critical response.** M Suganth of *The Times of India* gave the film 2.5 out of 5, writing that it would have worked better as a lean action thriller, and noting that the plot served largely to build up its star, with the climactic fight between the two Sarathkumar characters as a showcase.[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/Sandamarutham/movie-review/46317224.cms) On IMDb the film holds a user rating of 3.9 out of 10.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3822410/)
## References
1. [Sandamarutham (2015), TamilMDb](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/5728/2015-sandamarutham)
2. [Sandamarutham (2015), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3822410/)
3. [Sandamarutham Story, Preview, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/sandamarutham/story.html)
4. [Sarathkumar did not sleep for 32 hours, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/sarathkumar-did-not-sleep-for-32-hours/104906/story.htm)
5. [Sandamarutham Movie Review {2.5/5}, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/Sandamarutham/movie-review/46317224.cms)
6. [Sandamarutham box office collection, Behindwoods](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/sandamarutham/sandamarutham-box-office-mar-01.html)
7. [Sandamarutham streaming: where to watch online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/sandamarutham)
8. [Sarath Kumar experiments with negative role, Business Standard / IANS](https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/sarath-kumar-experiments-with-negative-role-114080800263_1.html)
9. [சண்டமாருதம், TamilArWiki](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D)
10. [Sandamarudham in Bangkok, Silverscreen India](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/sandamarudham-bangkok/)
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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 action and thriller films of the 2010s › Titles L to T*
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