Ghilli(2004)
Ghilli is a 2004 Indian Tamil-language sports action film directed by Dharani. It stars Vijay, Trisha, and Prakash Raj in lead roles. The story follows Velu, a kabaddi player from Chennai who travels to Madurai for a match and rescues a woman from a powerful gang leader. The film is a remake of the Telugu film Okkadu (2003) with several changes to the screenplay. It features music composed by Vidyasagar and cinematography by Gopinath. Ghilli received positive reviews from critics and became the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2004. The film is widely regarded as a career-defining film for Vijay, shifting his image from romance to action. It was re-released in 4K in April 2024 to massive audience response.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Sun Nxt, Disney+ Hotstar, Aha Video, Lionsgate Play, Airtel Xstream Play, Plex, YouTube
- OTT Release Date
- 1 April 2005
- Theatrical Release
- 17 April 2004
- Director
- Dharani
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 40m
- Rating
- 7.3/10
Storyline
Velu is a talented kabaddi player who goes to Madurai for a tournament. He rescues Dhanalakshmi from Muthupandi, a violent gang leader who wants to marry her by force. Velu hides her in Chennai while Muthupandi uses his political connections to hunt them down. Velu must protect Dhanalakshmi and win the national kabaddi championship.
“Gutsy. Fearless. Unstoppable.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Ghilli
Cast reunions in this film: Tanikella Bharani & Brahmanandam (86 films together), Prakash Raj & Brahmanandam (59 films together), Tanikella Bharani & Prakash Raj (26 films together), Vidhya & Ashish Vidyarthi (20 films together), Vidhya & Brahmanandam (19 films together), and Prakash Raj & Trisha Krishnan (15 films together).
Trivia
- The film's climax was shot in a real-life stadium in Chennai, with over 10,000 extras cheering for the kabaddi match.
- Vijay's character Velu was originally written as a football player, but was changed to kabaddi to better suit the rural setting.
- The song 'Appadi Podu' became a massive hit and is still played at weddings and celebrations across Tamil Nadu.
- The film was a remake of the Telugu hit 'Okkadu', but the director added more comedy scenes for the Tamil audience.
- Actress Trisha, who played Dhanalakshmi, was initially hesitant to accept the role but it became her breakthrough performance.
- The movie's success led to a surge in popularity for kabaddi among young people in Tamil Nadu, with many schools starting teams.
- A real-life kabaddi coach was hired to train the actors, including Vijay, to make the sports scenes look authentic.