Jiivi(2019)
Tamil122 mins
Frustrated at his failed romance, Saravanan decides to steal from his landlady’s house. Even as he comes up with clever ways to outsmart the cops, he realises that his actions are echoes from the past.
Director:V. J. Gopinath
Mood:
suspensefulemotionaldark
Where to watch:
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, ZEE5, YouTube
- OTT Release Date
- 28 June 2019
- Theatrical Release
- 28 June 2019
- Director
- V. J. Gopinath
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 2m
- Rating
- 7.5/10
Storyline
A man tries to steal from his landlady after a romance goes wrong. He devises clever plans to avoid the police, but soon discovers his current actions are strangely connected to events from the past.
“A desperate man's crime echoes a past he can't escape.”
Film Details
7.5Rating
122Minutes
TamilLanguage
Release Date28 June 2019
Parental Guide
Violence
Moderate
Language
Low
Sex / Nudity
Mild
Drugs
Mild
Intensity
Moderate
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Mood
suspensefulemotionaldark
Themes
identitysurvivalcorruptionjustice
Tonegritty
Pacingslow-burn
Complexityrequires-attention
Audiencemultiplex
Best Withalone
Violence3
Emotion4
Humor2
Rewatchability4
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Jiivi
Cast reunions in this film: Karunakaran & Mime Gopi (4 films together), Rama & Mime Gopi (3 films together), Mime Gopi & Vetri (3 films together), Rama & Karunakaran (2 films together), and Karunakaran & Monica Chinnakotla (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Jiivi' means 'alive' in Tamil, reflecting the protagonist's struggle for survival and moral awakening.
- Director V. J. Gopinath also co-wrote the screenplay, drawing inspiration from real-life petty crime incidents reported in local news.
- The movie was shot in just 21 days, primarily in Chennai, using a tight budget and minimal crew to maintain a realistic feel.
- Actor Karunakaran, known for comedic roles, played a serious police officer, marking a slight departure from his usual type of character.
- The film subtly references classic Tamil cinema themes of fate and redemption, similar to older crime dramas from the 1970s.
- It was produced by Potential Studios, a relatively new production house at the time, aiming to support fresh storytelling in Tamil cinema.
- The climax scene involving a key revelation was filmed in a single continuous take to heighten the emotional impact on the audience.
