Ippadai Vellum Full Story Explained (2017)
Imagine you are a jobless software engineer in love with a rich girl. Her brother hates you. And a terrorist just fell into your lap. That is the life of Madhusoodhanan in Ippadai Vellum. This 2017 Tamil action thriller stars Udhayanidhi Stalin as Madhu, a man whose only weapon is his brain. Manjima Mohan plays his love, Bhargavi. The film also features Soori as a funny dubbing artist and Daniel Balaji as the deadly terrorist Chotta. Directed by Gaurav Narayanan, the movie is a race against time. Madhu must prove he is not a terrorist's friend. He also has to stop a massive bomb attack on Chennai. All while winning his girlfriend's brother's approval. It is a smart, emotional, and thrilling ride.
A Terrorist on the Loose
Chotta is a dangerous terrorist. He escapes from a high-security jail in Uttar Pradesh. He plants a bomb inside the prison and walks free. Now he is heading to Chennai. His goal is to bomb the city and kill hundreds. The police are terrified. They issue a red alert across India.
Full Plot
Ippadai Vellum begins with a terrorist named Chotta. He is in a high-security jail in Uttar Pradesh. He plants a bomb inside the prison and escapes. He is a master bomber. He has already attacked many cities. Now his target is Chennai. He travels by taking lifts from strangers on the highway. He communicates with his associates using a clever trick. He writes messages in a Gmail draft and shares the login. His associates read the draft and delete it. This way, the police cannot trace them.
Meanwhile, in Chennai, Madhusoodhanan is a jobless software engineer. He lost his job due to the recession. He is in love with Bhargavi, a rich girl. Her brother, ACP Dheena Sebastian, hates Madhu. Dheena opposes their love because of religion. Madhu also owes money to a moneylender named Kanthuvatti Murugan. Bhargavi wants Madhu to marry her before Dheena can stop them. Madhu borrows his friend's car to prepare for the wedding.
On the highway, Chotta meets a dubbing artist named Kulandai Velu. Kulandai dubs for Chhota Bheem in Chennai. He is going to his village to see his pregnant wife. Chotta asks for a lift. Kulandai agrees. They stop at a petrol bunk. Chotta makes a phone call. Later, Chotta asks Madhu for a lift. But Madhu accidentally hits Chotta with his car. Madhu takes the injured Chotta to a hospital. He has no money, so he runs away. Chotta also escapes from the hospital.
The police see CCTV footage of Madhu and Kulandai with Chotta. They arrest both men. While being taken to jail, a jeep hits them. Kulandai loses his memory. Madhu is scared. He thinks Kulandai is a real terrorist. Dheena plans to kill both of them in a fake encounter. But Madhu and Kulandai escape. Bhargavi hides them in her friend's flat. The flat is in the same building where Chotta is hiding.
Madhu takes Kulandai to Dr. Thillai. The doctor uses hypnotherapy to restore Kulandai's memory. Kulandai remembers that Chotta made a phone call. Using lip reading, Kulandai gets Chotta's Gmail username. But he does not get the password. Madhu tracks the phone number to the same apartment building. He finds Chotta and tries to grab him. But Chotta escapes. Madhu gets Chotta's laptop.
The police use narcotics to get Chotta's Gmail password. Madhu logs in and sees the bomb plan. Chotta told the bombers to check the draft one hour before the attack. The draft is still unchecked. Madhu deletes the original draft. He sends a new location to all four bombers. The bombers go to a bus. The bus is filled with undercover police. They arrest the bombers and deactivate the bombs. Madhu is a hero. Dheena approves of him. Madhu marries Bhargavi and builds his dream home. In the end, Dheena kills Chotta and the bombers.
Act Breakdown
The Setup
We meet Madhu, a jobless software engineer. He loves Bhargavi, but her brother Dheena hates him. We also meet Chotta, a terrorist who escapes from jail. Chotta heads to Chennai. Madhu and Kulandai accidentally give Chotta a lift. The police arrest them.
The Escape
Madhu and Kulandai escape from Dheena. Kulandai loses his memory. Bhargavi hides them in a flat. They discover that Chotta is hiding in the same building. Madhu realizes he must stop Chotta's bomb attack. The stakes are raised.
The Chase
Madhu tries to catch Chotta. He restores Kulandai's memory. He tracks Chotta's phone number. He finds Chotta but the terrorist escapes. Madhu gets Chotta's laptop. The police use drugs to get the Gmail password. Madhu logs in and sees the bomb plan.
The Trap
Madhu changes the Gmail draft. He sends all bombers to the same location. The bombers walk into a police trap. They are arrested and the bombs are deactivated. Madhu is a hero. Dheena approves of him. Madhu marries Bhargavi. Dheena kills Chotta and the bombers.
Characters
Madhusoodhanan
Played by Udhayanidhi Stalin
Madhu is a jobless software engineer. He is smart but unlucky. He loves Bhargavi and wants to marry her. He accidentally gets involved with a terrorist. He uses his intelligence to stop a bomb attack. In the end, he becomes a hero and marries his love.
Bhargavi
Played by Manjima Mohan
Bhargavi is a rich girl in love with Madhu. She is brave and supports him. She hides Madhu and Kulandai from her brother. She helps Madhu catch Chotta. She marries Madhu in the end.
Kulandai Velu
Played by Soori
Kulandai is a dubbing artist for Chhota Bheem. He is a simple, funny man. He gives a lift to Chotta and gets arrested. He loses his memory after an accident. He helps Madhu by remembering Chotta's username. He proves his innocence.
Chotta
Played by Daniel Balaji
Chotta is a ruthless terrorist. He escapes from jail and plans to bomb Chennai. He is smart and uses Gmail drafts to communicate. He is caught by the police. In the end, Dheena kills him.
ACP Dheena Sebastian
Played by R. K. Suresh
Dheena is Bhargavi's elder brother. He is a tough police officer. He hates Madhu because of religion. He suspects Madhu is a terrorist. He plans to kill Madhu. But later, he accepts Madhu. He kills Chotta and the bombers in the end.
Dr. Thillai
Played by M. S. Bhaskar
Dr. Thillai is a doctor who uses hypnotherapy. He helps restore Kulandai's memory. He is a key helper for Madhu.
Scene Highlights
The Memory Recovery
Madhu takes Kulandai to Dr. Thillai. The doctor uses hypnotherapy. Kulandai slowly remembers the night he gave Chotta a lift. He recalls Chotta's phone call. Using lip reading, he gets Chotta's Gmail username. This scene is tense and emotional. It is the turning point of the film.
The Gmail Draft Trick
Chotta explains how he communicates with his associates. He writes a message in a Gmail draft. He shares the login details. His associates read the draft and delete it. This scene is clever and memorable. It shows how smart the villain is. It also sets up Madhu's final plan.
The Bus Trap
Four bombers arrive at a bus. They plant bombs inside. But the bus is filled with undercover police. The police arrest them instantly. This scene is the climax of the film. It is satisfying to watch. Madhu's intelligence saves the day.
Dheena's Final Act
Dheena and his officers transport Chotta and the bombers. Dheena decides to kill them. He shoots them all. This scene is dark and shocking. It shows Dheena's belief in revenge. It leaves the audience with a moral question.
Cast & Context
This film marks the third collaboration between actor Udhayanidhi Stalin and music composer D. Imman. They had previously worked together on Podhuvaga En Manasu Thangam and Saravanan Irukka Bayamaen. Comedian Soori was also part of all three films. This created a familiar and comfortable team. Udhayanidhi, known for his urban roles, plays a jobless engineer here. Manjima Mohan, who debuted in Oru Kal Oru Kannadi, plays a strong, supportive love interest. Daniel Balaji, famous for his villain roles in films like Vada Chennai, brings menace to Chotta. R. K. Suresh, known for his police roles, plays the strict ACP.
Themes
Intelligence Over Strength
Madhu is not a fighter. He is a software engineer. He uses his brain to solve problems. He tracks Chotta using phone records. He changes the Gmail draft to trap the bombers. The film shows that smart thinking can beat brute force.
Love Across Barriers
Madhu and Bhargavi love each other. But Dheena opposes them because of religion. The film shows that love can overcome social and family obstacles. Bhargavi stands by Madhu even when he is a suspect. Their love wins in the end.
Innocence vs. Suspicion
Madhu and Kulandai are innocent. But the police suspect them because they helped Chotta. Dheena wants to kill them without a trial. The film shows how innocent people can be trapped by circumstances. It also shows the danger of blind suspicion.
Justice vs. Revenge
The police catch Chotta and the bombers. But Dheena does not take them to court. He kills them instead. He believes terrorists do not deserve to live. The film raises a question: Is this justice or revenge? It leaves the audience to decide.
Music & Soundtrack
ComposerD. Imman
The soundtrack has five songs. 'Kulebaa Vaa Neethan En Aasai' is a romantic duet. 'Godfather Kanmaniye' is a peppy number. 'Ippadai Vellum Nichayame' is a soft love song sung by Shreya Ghoshal. The music adds to the film's emotional and action moments.
Similar Films
Both films feature a smart, ordinary hero using his intelligence to catch a dangerous criminal. The hero is not a fighter but a thinker.
Both films have a cat-and-mouse chase between a police officer and a criminal. They also explore moral gray areas.
Both films have a clever, unconventional hero who uses wit to solve problems. They also have a mix of comedy and thriller elements.
Ending Explained
In the final scenes, Madhu has Chotta's laptop. The police use narcotics to force Chotta to reveal his Gmail password. Madhu logs in and sees the bomb plan. Chotta told the four bombers to check the draft one hour before the attack. The draft is still there. Madhu deletes it. He writes a new draft with a different location. He sends the same location to all four bombers. The bombers go to a bus. They plant the bombs. But the bus is filled with undercover police officers. The police arrest all four bombers and deactivate the bombs. Chennai is saved. Madhu is hailed as a hero. Dheena finally approves of Madhu. He gets Bhargavi married to Madhu. Madhu builds his dream home. But the story does not end there. Dheena and his officers are transporting Chotta and the bombers to jail. Dheena decides they do not deserve to live. He and his officers kill all of them. The film ends with Madhu happy, but a dark note remains. The message is that sometimes the system fails, and people take justice into their own hands.
Ippadai Vellum is a smart action thriller. It is worth watching if you like films where the hero uses his brain. Udhayanidhi Stalin gives a sincere performance. Soori provides good comic relief. The plot is engaging, especially the Gmail draft twist. But the film has weaknesses. The pace slows down in the middle. Some scenes feel illogical. The love story is predictable. The ending is dark and may not satisfy everyone. Overall, it is a decent one-time watch. Fans of Udhayanidhi and Tamil action thrillers will enjoy it.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, Ippadai Vellum is not a true story. It is a fictional action thriller. The plot about a terrorist using Gmail drafts to communicate is inspired by real-life cases. But the characters and events are made up for the film.
The main villain is Chotta, played by Daniel Balaji. He is a terrorist who escapes from jail. He plans to bomb Chennai. He is smart and uses Gmail drafts to talk to his associates. He is caught and killed in the end.
Ippadai Vellum is a Tamil phrase. It translates to 'This Army Shall Win' in English. The title refers to the army of intelligence that Madhu uses to defeat the terrorist. It is a confident statement about victory.
Yes, Madhu marries Bhargavi in the end. After Madhu saves Chennai from the bomb attack, Dheena approves of him. Dheena arranges their marriage. Madhu and Bhargavi finally get their happy ending.
Ippadai Vellum is a decent one-time watch. It has a smart plot and good performances. Udhayanidhi Stalin and Soori are entertaining. The film has some logic gaps and slow parts. But if you like action thrillers with a clever hero, you will enjoy it.