# The Legend (2022 film)
**The Legend** (தி லெஜண்ட்) is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language action drama romance film directed by the advertising-filmmaker duo JD–Jerry (Jerald Arockiam and Joseph D. Sami), starring the entrepreneur Legend Saravanan (Saravanan Arul) in his acting debut alongside [Urvashi Rautela](https://www.edgepedia.org/urvashi-rautela) in her Tamil film debut.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) • [2](https://moviekoop.com/Movie/Details/The-Legend-2022/56186) It was produced by The Legend New Saravana Stores Productions, the film company of the [Saravana Stores](https://www.edgepedia.org/saravana-stores) retail family, and released worldwide on 28 July 2022 in five languages: Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) • [3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/the-legend/movie-review/93175776.cms)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 28 July 2022, worldwide, in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) • [3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/the-legend/movie-review/93175776.cms) |
| Director and writers | JD–Jerry (Jerald Arockiam and Joseph D. Sami), story and screenplay; dialogues by Pattukottai Prabhakar[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) • [4](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/961223) |
| Lead cast | Legend Saravanan as Dr. Saravanan (debut), Urvashi Rautela (Tamil debut), Geethika Tiwary, Vivek, Nassar, Prabhu, Suman, Yogi Babu[2](https://moviekoop.com/Movie/Details/The-Legend-2022/56186) • [4](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/961223) |
| Music | Harris Jayaraj; cinematography by R. Velraj; editing by Ruben[2](https://moviekoop.com/Movie/Details/The-Legend-2022/56186) |
| Runtime and certificate | 161 minutes (2h 41m), UA certificate[4](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/961223) |
| Plot | A scientist, spurred by his friend's death, works to find a cure for diabetes while fighting a pharma and medical mafia[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/the-legend/movie-review/93175776.cms) |
| Reception | IMDb 4.5/10 from about 30,000 votes; Times of India critic rating 1.5/5[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11497716) • [3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/the-legend/movie-review/93175776.cms) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The story follows Dr. Saravanan, a foreign-educated, world-renowned scientist who has revolutionized the antibiotics field and whose family runs colleges and hospitals.[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/the-legend/movie-review/93175776.cms) • [8](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt11497716/) After his close friend dies of diabetes, he resolves to research a new medicine so that no one else in the country dies of the disease, and he turns down a senior government position in medicine to serve the people of his home region.[9](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/reviews/the-legend-movie-review-in-tamil-098273.html) A pharma and medical mafia, fearing that his discovery would put them out of business, uses its full might to stop him, and the film follows his fight against them.[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/the-legend/movie-review/93175776.cms) • [10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2022/Jul/28/the-legend-movie-review-saravananvanity-project-is-more-a-vibe-than-a-film-harris-jayaraj-jd-jerry-33147.html) The makers described the theme as how a common man becomes a legend by overcoming the hurdles he faces.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms)
## Production and cast
The film was the first large-scale, multilingual pan-India production of The Legend New Saravana Stores Productions, made at high cost.[6](https://tamilscreen.com/the-legend-to-release-worldwide-on-july-28/) Its lead, Legend Saravanan, is a [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu)-based entrepreneur from the family that founded the Saravana Stores retail chain, who had become a familiar face in Tamil Nadu through his own television advertisements for The New Legend Saravana Stores.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) • [7](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/legend-review-expressionless-saravanan-leads-cringe-fest-166303) He also served as the film's producer.[2](https://moviekoop.com/Movie/Details/The-Legend-2022/56186)
The supporting cast draws on established Tamil character actors: Vijayakumar, Prabhu, Nassar, Suman, Thambi Ramaiah, Robo Shankar, Mayilsamy, Hareesh Peradi, Munishkanth, [Mansoor Ali Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/mansoor-ali-khan-actor), Rahul Dev, Livingston, Vamsi Krishna, Latha, Sachu, Poornima Bhagyaraj, Devadarshini, and Master Ashwanth, among others.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) The comedian and actor Vivek, widely praised as a people's artist, appeared in the film, which was his last screen appearance.[6](https://tamilscreen.com/the-legend-to-release-worldwide-on-july-28/) [Raai Laxmi](https://www.edgepedia.org/raai-laxmi) made a special appearance in a song.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms)
The technical crew included cinematographer R. Velraj, editor Ruben, art director S. S. Moorthy, dialogue writer Pattukottai Prabhakar, stunt choreographer Anal Arasu, and dance choreographers [Raju Sundaram](https://www.edgepedia.org/raju-sundaram), Brinda, and Dinesh; lyrics were written by [Vairamuthu](https://www.edgepedia.org/vairamuthu), Kabilan, Pa. Vijay, Snehan, and Karky.[6](https://tamilscreen.com/the-legend-to-release-worldwide-on-july-28/)
## Release
The Legend opened worldwide on 28 July 2022, with the earliest release date recorded by [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo) being the same day in the [United Arab Emirates](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-arab-emirates).[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) • [8](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt11497716/) The producer arranged a wide release on more than 2,500 screens worldwide, and advance bookings in Tamil Nadu opened for shows as early as 4 AM, 5 AM, and 6 AM.[11](https://www.moviecrow.com/news/30806/the-legend-first-show-plot-censor-runtime-ott-saravanan) In Tamil Nadu the film was released by Gopuram Cinemas (Anbuchezhiya).[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) The makers said they released the film in multiple languages because, in their words, the content is universal and addresses an issue every family faces.[1](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms) The film later became available for streaming on JioHotstar.[12](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26787/the-legend/reviews/)
## Reception
Critical response was strongly negative. M Suganth of The Times of India gave it 1.5 out of 5, writing that JD–Jerry borrowed director Shankar's playbook for the 2007 film *Sivaji* and delivered a film built on the privileged-saviour-hero and five-songs-six-fights formula of that era's commercial cinema, calling it a vanity project that even [Rajinikanth](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajinikanth) could not have saved.[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/the-legend/movie-review/93175776.cms) Kirubhakar Purushothaman of The Indian Express rated it 1 out of 5, calling it an elaborate advertisement of a bloated ego and naming [Harris Jayaraj](https://www.edgepedia.org/harris-jayaraj)'s music and background score as the only thing the film has going for it.[13](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/the-legend-movie-review-an-elaborate-advertisement-of-a-bloated-ego-8057492/) Cinema Express gave 2 out of 5, describing the film as more a vibe than a film, noting that the makers' keenness on Saravanan's looks, styling, and wardrobe was the most focus they showed, while crediting the earnestness of the established supporting cast and Jayaraj's background score.[10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2022/Jul/28/the-legend-movie-review-saravananvanity-project-is-more-a-vibe-than-a-film-harris-jayaraj-jd-jerry-33147.html) The News Minute's review described Saravanan's lead performance as expressionless and said the cliches overtake the plot in every scene.[7](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/legend-review-expressionless-saravanan-leads-cringe-fest-166303) Bhuvanesh Chandar of The Hindu later wrote that the film became a laugh riot in theaters for all the wrong reasons.[14](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_legend_2022)
**Audience and commercial performance.** IMDb records a user rating of 4.5/10 from about 30,000 votes, while [BookMyShow](https://www.edgepedia.org/bookmyshow) users gave it 6.4/10 from 10,000 votes.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11497716) • [15](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/the-legend/ET00335480) Box Office Mojo reports a worldwide gross of $9,335, all from international markets: $6,121 in the United Arab Emirates, $2,938 in the United Kingdom, and $276 in Australia.[8](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt11497716/)
## Music
The soundtrack and background score are by Harris Jayaraj, with lyrics by Vairamuthu, Kabilan, Pa. Vijay, Snehan, and Karky.[6](https://tamilscreen.com/the-legend-to-release-worldwide-on-july-28/) The audio and song launch event was held in May 2022, where Jayaraj spoke about Saravanan's debut.[16](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/harris-jayaraj-talked-saravanan-acting-the-legend-movie.html?source=other-stories) Reviewers singled the music out as the film's strongest element: the Indian Express review called Jayaraj the soul of the film in Cinema Express's account of his electrifying background score, while also noting that several songs recalled his earlier work.[13](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/the-legend-movie-review-an-elaborate-advertisement-of-a-bloated-ego-8057492/) • [10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2022/Jul/28/the-legend-movie-review-saravananvanity-project-is-more-a-vibe-than-a-film-harris-jayaraj-jd-jerry-33147.html)
## References
1. [The Legend is all about how a common man becomes a legend, Times of India (28 July 2022)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/the-legend-is-all-about-how-a-common-man-becomes-a-legend/articleshow/93175962.cms)
2. [The Legend (2022), Moviekoop](https://moviekoop.com/Movie/Details/The-Legend-2022/56186)
3. [The Legend Movie Review: Legend Saravanan's vanity project is commercial cinema at its dullest, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/the-legend/movie-review/93175776.cms)
4. [The Legend (2022), The Movie Database](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/961223)
5. [The Legend (2022), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11497716)
6. [உலகெங்கும் ஜூலை 28 அன்று வெளியாகிறது – தி லெஜண்ட், Tamil Screen](https://tamilscreen.com/the-legend-to-release-worldwide-on-july-28/)
7. [The Legend review: An expressionless Saravanan leads a cringe-fest, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/legend-review-expressionless-saravanan-leads-cringe-fest-166303)
8. [The Legend, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt11497716/)
9. [The Legend Review, Filmibeat Tamil](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/reviews/the-legend-movie-review-in-tamil-098273.html)
10. [The Legend Movie Review: Saravanan's vanity project is more a vibe than a film, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2022/Jul/28/the-legend-movie-review-saravananvanity-project-is-more-a-vibe-than-a-film-harris-jayaraj-jd-jerry-33147.html)
11. [The Legend: FDFS, Plot, Censor, Runtime, OTT, Satellite & More, MovieCrow](https://www.moviecrow.com/news/30806/the-legend-first-show-plot-censor-runtime-ott-saravanan)
12. [The Legend Reviews, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26787/the-legend/reviews/)
13. [The Legend movie review: An elaborate advertisement of a bloated ego, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/the-legend-movie-review-an-elaborate-advertisement-of-a-bloated-ego-8057492/)
14. [The Legend (2022), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_legend_2022)
15. [The Legend, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/the-legend/ET00335480)
16. [Harris Jayaraj at The Legend audio launch, Behindwoods](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/harris-jayaraj-talked-saravanan-acting-the-legend-movie.html?source=other-stories)
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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 2022 and 2023*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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