Kireedam Full Story Explained (2007)
Imagine a father who dreams of his son becoming a police officer. Now imagine that same son forced to become a criminal to save his father's life. That is Kireedam (2007), a Tamil action-drama that will break your heart. Directed by A.L. Vijay in his debut, the film stars Ajith Kumar as Sakthivel, a bright young man with a golden future. Trisha plays his love interest Divya, and Rajkiran delivers a powerhouse performance as his father Rajarajan. The movie released on July 20, 2007, and became a huge hit. It is a remake of the 1989 Malayalam classic of the same name. What makes Kireedam special is how it shows a good man being crushed by circumstances. It is not just an action film. It is a tragedy about dreams, duty, and the cruel hand of fate.
A father's dream begins
Rajarajan is a police constable in Trichy. He is honest, kind, and loves his family deeply. His eldest son Sakthivel is his pride and joy. Rajarajan dreams of Sakthi becoming a police sub-inspector one day.
Full Plot
Kireedam is set in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. Rajarajan is an honest police constable who lives with his wife Rajeswari, his mother, two sons, and two daughters. His eldest son, Sakthivel (called Sakthi), is a bright, hardworking young man. Rajarajan's biggest dream is to see Sakthi become a police sub-inspector. Sakthi is studying for the exam and is also in love with a girl named Divya. He proposes to her, and she accepts. Rajarajan is thrilled and arranges their engagement. Sakthi clears the written exam and goes to Chennai for the interview. Everything is going perfectly.
But trouble begins when Rajarajan scolds an MLA's son for breaking traffic rules. The MLA demands an apology, but Rajarajan refuses because he did nothing wrong. As punishment, Rajarajan is transferred to Kodiyakkarai, a small harbor town ruled by a violent local don named Varadan. Varadan controls the harbor and terrorizes the people. When Rajarajan arrests one of Varadan's men, Varadan beats Rajarajan badly in public. Sakthi, who is at the market, sees this and rushes to save his father. A fight breaks out, and Sakthi overpowers Varadan, humiliating him in front of everyone. The villagers celebrate Sakthi as a hero. But this fight destroys Sakthi's dream of becoming a police officer. Rajarajan is devastated.
Varadan swears revenge. He and his men are arrested for murder, but they get bail. Meanwhile, Sakthi's brother-in-law and a local thug named Chellapandi use Sakthi's name to make money illegally. When Sakthi finds out, he beats them both. The brother-in-law lies to Rajarajan, saying Sakthi has become a violent criminal. Rajarajan, already worried about Sakthi's future, believes the lies and throws Sakthi out of the house. Divya's parents cancel the wedding. Sakthi sacrifices his love to keep his promise to his father.
Varadan's men attack Sakthi on a busy road. Sakthi fights back and injures them. Rajarajan, instead of being proud, beats Sakthi at the police station. The police inspector advises Sakthi to leave town because Varadan will kill him. Sakthi leaves. But Divya finds him and confesses her love. She says she will not marry anyone else. Varadan, wanting to lure Sakthi back, attacks Sakthi's family. Sakthi returns to Kodiyakkarai for one final fight.
Sakthi lets Varadan beat him badly, hoping that if he dies, his family will be spared. But Sakthi finds the strength to fight back. He kills Varadan in front of Rajarajan and the police. Rajarajan begs Sakthi to surrender. Sakthi wails in agony as the police arrest him. Rajarajan learns that Sakthi is disqualified from the police force. He is now a criminal. In the alternative ending, the court acquits Sakthi, recognizing that Varadan was a menace to society. Sakthi becomes a sub-inspector, and Rajarajan's dream is fulfilled. But the emotional scars remain.
Characters
Sakthivel 'Sakthi'
Sakthi is the eldest son of Rajarajan. He is honest, hardworking, and deeply loves his family. He dreams of becoming a police sub-inspector to make his father proud. But when he fights a local don to save his father, his life spirals into tragedy. He loses his career, his love, and his freedom. In the end, he kills Varadan and is arrested.
Rajarajan
Rajarajan is a police constable and Sakthi's father. He is extremely honest and principled, which often gets him into trouble. His only dream is to see Sakthi become a police officer. But his trust in the wrong people and his fear of Sakthi becoming a criminal leads him to throw Sakthi out. He is heartbroken when Sakthi is arrested.
Divya
Divya is Sakthi's love interest. She is cheerful, loving, and loyal. She accepts Sakthi's proposal and is ready to marry him. Even when her parents cancel the wedding, she refuses to give up on Sakthi. She finds him and confesses her love, promising to wait for him.
Varadarajan 'Varadan'
Varadan is the main villain of the film. He is a violent local don who controls the harbor town of Kodiyakkarai. He beats up Rajarajan and is humiliated by Sakthi in public. He swears revenge and hunts Sakthi and his family. Sakthi kills him in the final confrontation.
Rajeswari
Rajeswari is Sakthi's mother. She is a loving, supportive woman who cares deeply for her family. She is caught in the middle of the conflict between her husband and son. She tries to keep the family together but cannot stop the tragedy.
Sakthi's brother-in-law
He is married to Sakthi's sister. He is greedy and dishonest. He uses Sakthi's name to make illegal money. When Sakthi confronts him, he lies to Rajarajan and makes Sakthi look like a criminal. His lies are a major reason for Sakthi's downfall.
Themes
Father-son bond
The entire film revolves around the relationship between Rajarajan and Sakthi. Rajarajan loves his son and wants the best for him. But his fear and misplaced trust destroy that bond. Sakthi, in turn, sacrifices everything to protect his father's honor. The film shows how love can turn into tragedy when communication fails.
Dreams vs reality
Rajarajan dreams of Sakthi becoming a police officer. But reality forces Sakthi to become a criminal. The film shows how one violent incident can destroy a lifetime of dreams. It asks a painful question: what happens when a good man is forced to do bad things to protect his family?
Honor and sacrifice
Sakthi sacrifices his career, his love, and his freedom to save his father. He lets Varadan beat him, hoping to die so his family can live. Rajarajan sacrifices his dream to uphold his principles. The film shows that honor often comes with a heavy price.
The cycle of violence
One act of violence leads to another. Sakthi fights Varadan to save his father. Varadan seeks revenge. Sakthi fights back again. The violence escalates until someone dies. The film shows how hard it is to break this cycle once it starts.
Ending Explained
The ending of Kireedam is deeply emotional and tragic. Sakthi returns to Kodiyakkarai after Varadan attacks his family. He knows he cannot run anymore. He lets Varadan beat him brutally, hoping that if he dies, his family will be safe. But Sakthi finds the strength to fight back. He overpowers Varadan and kills him in front of Rajarajan and the police. Rajarajan, heartbroken, begs Sakthi to surrender. Sakthi wails in agony as the police arrest him. Rajarajan learns that Sakthi is disqualified from the police force. He is now a criminal. The crown that Rajarajan wanted for his son is gone. In the alternative ending, the court acquits Sakthi, recognizing that Varadan was a menace to society. Sakthi becomes a sub-inspector, and Rajarajan's dream is fulfilled. But the emotional scars of the journey remain. The film leaves the audience with a powerful message: sometimes, doing the right thing comes at a terrible cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Kireedam (2007) is a Tamil remake of the 1989 Malayalam classic of the same name. The original starred Mohanlal in the lead role. The Tamil version was directed by A.L. Vijay in his directorial debut.
Kireedam means 'crown' in Tamil. The title refers to the crown of success that Rajarajan wants for his son Sakthi. But the film shows how that crown turns into a crown of thorns.
The villain Varadan was played by actor Ajay, who made his Tamil debut with this film. He played the violent local don who terrorizes the harbor town of Kodiyakkarai.
Yes, the film originally had a sad ending where Sakthi is arrested and disqualified from the police force. But the producers changed it to a happy ending where the court acquits Sakthi and he becomes a sub-inspector. Both versions exist.
Yes, Kireedam was a commercial success at the box office. It received positive reviews from critics and audiences. The film was praised for its strong performances, especially by Ajith Kumar and Rajkiran.