Raavanan Full Story Explained (2010)
Imagine a cop's wife gets kidnapped by a fierce tribal leader in the deep forests of Tamil Nadu. That is the heart of 'Raavanan', a 2010 Tamil action-adventure film directed by the legendary Mani Ratnam. The movie stars Vikram as the fiery Veeraiya, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the kidnapped Ragini, and Prithviraj as the determined cop Dev. What makes this film special is that it retells the ancient Ramayana story from the villain Ravana's point of view. It turns the epic on its head, making you question who is truly good and who is evil. The film is packed with stunning visuals, a powerful score by A. R. Rahman, and raw, emotional performances that stay with you long after the credits roll.
A Wife Is Kidnapped
Ragini is enjoying a peaceful boating trip with her husband Dev. Suddenly, a group of armed men ambush them. The leader, a wild-eyed man named Veeraiya, grabs Ragini and drags her away. Dev, a senior police officer, is left helpless on the shore. He watches his wife disappear into the dense, dark forest.
Full Plot
The film opens with a naxalite named Veeraiya and his gang attacking police vehicles. They use women to distract the cops, then kill them brutally. Meanwhile, Ragini, the wife of police officer Dev Prakash Subramaniam, is on a boating trip. Veeraiya kidnaps her and takes her deep into the forest. Dev is informed and begins a massive search operation.
Veeraiya is not a simple criminal. He is a local hero who runs a parallel government in the villages near Tirunelveli. He has two brothers: Singarasu, who is like a fierce general, and Sakkarai, who is educated and wants peace. The villagers respect Veeraiya because he protects them from corrupt officials. He kidnaps Ragini to avenge the death of his sister Vennila.
Ragini learns the tragic backstory. During Vennila's wedding, Dev led a police encounter. Veeraiya was shot in the neck and nearly died. The police then took Vennila to the station and tortured her for information. When she refused to betray her brother, she was assaulted. The next day, Vennila committed suicide by drowning in a well. Veeraiya blames Dev for everything.
Dev enters the forest with a forest guard named Gnanaprakasam, a drunkard who knows the jungle well. Despite searching for days, Dev cannot find Veeraiya. Meanwhile, Ragini begins to see a different side of Veeraiya. He is not a monster. He is a man fighting for justice for his people and his family. She starts to feel sympathy for him.
Sakkarai, wanting to end the violence, secretly meets Dev to arrange a truce. Dev pretends to agree. But when Sakkarai arrives for the meeting, Dev shoots him dead. This reveals Dev's true nature: he cares more about destroying Veeraiya than saving his own wife. Enraged, Veeraiya and Singarasu attack Dev's camp and wipe out the entire police team. Dev barely escapes.
Dev finds Ragini tied up and alone. On the way home, he accuses her of infidelity with Veeraiya. Furious, Ragini returns to the forest to confront Veeraiya. Veeraiya denies everything. They realize Dev lied to trick Ragini into leading him to the hideout. Dev arrives with a new police team for a final confrontation.
In the final battle, Veeraiya is shot multiple times. Ragini tries to protect him, but he pushes her away from the bullets. As he falls to his death, she reaches out her hand. Their fingers do not touch, but Veeraiya smiles. He dies knowing that the woman he loved cared for him. It is a tragic, beautiful end that leaves the audience questioning who the real hero is.
Characters
Veeraiya 'Veera'
Veeraiya is a naxalite leader and a local hero in the forests of Tirunelveli. He runs a parallel government and is loved by the villagers for protecting them. He kidnaps Ragini to avenge his sister Vennila's death. In the end, he is shot by the police and dies with a smile, knowing Ragini cared for him.
Ragini Subramaniam
Ragini is the wife of police officer Dev. She is kidnapped by Veeraiya and held in the forest for 14 days. During her captivity, she learns the truth about her husband's cruelty and begins to sympathize with Veeraiya. She tries to save Veeraiya in the final battle but fails. She is left heartbroken and betrayed by her husband.
Dev Prakash Subramaniam
Dev is a ruthless and ambitious police officer. He wants to destroy Veeraiya's network at any cost. He betrays his own wife by using her as bait to find Veeraiya. He kills Sakkarai during a fake truce. In the end, he loses both his wife and his honor.
Singarasu
Singarasu is Veeraiya's elder brother. He is a fierce warrior who supervises the gang's operations. He is loyal to Veeraiya and fights alongside him in every battle. He survives the final attack but is left without his brother.
Sakkarai
Sakkarai is Veeraiya's younger brother and the only educated member of the gang. He genuinely wants peace and arranges a truce with Dev. Dev betrays and kills him during the meeting. His death triggers the final violent confrontation.
Vennila
Vennila is Veeraiya's half-sister. She wants to marry Velan, but on her wedding day, Dev attacks the village. The police torture and assault her for information about Veeraiya. Unable to bear the shame, she commits suicide by drowning in a well. Her death is the reason Veeraiya kidnaps Ragini.
Themes
Good vs Evil
The film blurs the line between good and evil. Veeraiya is a criminal but also a hero to his people. Dev is a police officer but acts cruelly and selfishly. The movie asks the audience to question who the real villain is. It shows that labels like 'hero' and 'villain' depend on perspective.
Revenge and Justice
Veeraiya kidnaps Ragini to avenge his sister's death. He believes the police system failed him, so he takes justice into his own hands. Dev also seeks revenge against Veeraiya for challenging his authority. Both men are driven by a desire for revenge, which leads to tragedy for everyone.
Love and Sacrifice
Ragini develops a deep emotional connection with Veeraiya during her captivity. She sees his pain and his humanity. In the end, she tries to save him, and he sacrifices himself to protect her. Their unspoken love is more powerful than any words. It shows that love can bloom even in the darkest places.
Perspective and Truth
The film retells the Ramayana from Ravana's point of view. It shows that every story has two sides. Veeraiya is not a monster; he is a man fighting for his people. Dev is not a hero; he is a selfish, ruthless cop. The movie forces the audience to see the truth from a different angle.
Ending Explained
In the final scene, Dev and his police team surround Veeraiya's hideout. Ragini is there, trying to protect Veeraiya. Dev orders his men to open fire. Veeraiya is shot multiple times in the chest. Ragini screams and tries to shield him, but Veeraiya pushes her out of the line of fire. He takes the bullets meant for her. As he falls backward, Ragini reaches out her hand. Their fingers do not touch, but Veeraiya sees her effort. He smiles a peaceful smile and falls to his death. The message is clear: Veeraiya dies satisfied because he knows that the woman he loved truly cared for him. Dev stands there, having lost his wife's love and his own humanity. The ending leaves the audience with a heavy heart, questioning who the real hero of this story is. Mani Ratnam shows that sometimes the villain is the one with the purest heart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Raavanan is a modern-day retelling of the Indian epic Ramayana. The story follows the same basic plot: a hero's wife is kidnapped by a villain and taken to a forest. But the film tells the story from the villain Ravana's point of view, making him the sympathetic character.
Vikram plays the role of Veeraiya, who is based on the character Ravana from the Ramayana. In the Hindi version of the film, titled 'Raavan', the role was played by Abhishek Bachchan. Vikram's performance in the Tamil version was widely praised by critics and audiences.
Most critics and audiences agree that the Tamil version 'Raavanan' is better than the Hindi version 'Raavan'. The Tamil version has stronger performances, especially from Vikram and Prithviraj. The Hindi version, starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, received mixed reviews and performed poorly at the box office.
The title 'Raavanan' refers to the demon king Ravana from the Ramayana. In the film, Veeraiya is called 'Raavanan' because he is seen as a hero by the locals but as a criminal by outsiders. The title reflects the film's central theme: perspective determines who is a hero and who is a villain.
No, Aishwarya Rai did not dub her own voice in the Tamil version. Although she trained in Tamil and Mani Ratnam was impressed with her progress, the dubbing was ultimately done by actress Rohini. Rohini had previously dubbed for Aishwarya in the films 'Iruvar' and 'Guru'.