# Siruthai

Siruthai (transl. Cheetah) is a 2011 Indian Tamil-language action comedy film directed by Siva, who is also one of its co-writers. It is a remake of the 2006 Telugu film Vikramarkudu, directed by S. S. Rajamouli. It stars Karthi playing dual roles, alongside Tamannaah Bhatia and comedian Santhanam. The film was produced by K. E. Gnanavelraja and features music by Vidyasagar. The story revolves around "Rocket" Raja, a petty thief who comes across a little girl says that he's her father. When he learns the truth about his lookalike Rathnavel Pandian, who's an honest cop, he decides to turn a new leaf and help get rid of a crime gang.
It was released during Pongal on 14 January 2011. Generally the film got positive responses, and was a success at the box office. In 2024, the film made its official debut on Blu-ray in the United Kingdom. The success of the film led to the director Siva being known as "Siruthai Siva" from then on.

## Plot

Rocket Raja is a pickpocket in Chennai who steals anything he comes across with his partner, Kaatu Poochi. He enjoys his life to its fullest and goes to rob a marriage function. There, he meets Swetha, and they both fall in love. However, his life changes when a small girl named Divya Rathinavel ends up in his care; she says that Rocket Raja looks exactly like her father, DSP Rathinavel Pandian IPS. Rathinavel's colleague informs Raja about the girl's past.
Past: Rathinavel is an honest policeman who is a nightmare to criminals. The gang of criminals in the village of Devi Pattinam, Andhra Pradesh, are intent on killing him and his daughter because he killed the son of a prominent criminal, Bavuji, who also sexually abused women, including Rathinavel's colleague's wife. Rathinavel's colleagues put Divya in Raja's care so the criminals could not take her. Rathinavel is on the verge of death following a gunshot to his head after saving a child.
At first, Raja is angry with Divya and breaks her tape recorder. Divya is happy and hugs him after he repairs it. When Swetha comes to Raja's home with her parents, she sees Divya. She thinks that she is Raja's daughter and breaks up with him. Rathinavel is intent on fighting back. Unfortunately, he dies following a battle with several criminals chasing Raja and Divya.
Upon seeing his courage, Raja, with the help of Rathinavel's colleagues, steps into Rathinavel's shoes and finishes his unfinished work as he is a thug and destroys all their properties with the help of Kaatu Poochi in a hilarious way. There, Swetha sees Raja, but he tries to escape from Swetha because he is now Rathinavel, so Swetha seduces him, and he tries to control himself but to no avail. She apologises to him for learning the truth about Divya & her father, Rathinavel, and they reconcile. Raja then resumes his mission, kills Bavuji and Badra and takes on the responsibility of caring for Divya with Swetha's help.

## Cast

* Karthi in a dual role as
** Rocket Raja, a skilled pickpocket
** DSP Rathnavel Pandian, an honest and courageous police officer
* Tamannaah Bhatia (voice: Savitha) as Swetha, Raja's love interest
* Santhanam as Kaatu Poochi, Raja's friend
* Baby Rakshana as Divya Rathinavel Pandian, Ratnavel's daughter
* Avinash as Bavuji, a don of Devipattinam
* Rajeev Kanakala as Inspector Bharath
* Amit Tiwari as Munna, Bavuji's son
* Supreeth as Bhadra, Bavuji's brother
* Manobala as Bhoom Bhoom, Bavuji's accountant
* Meera Krishnan as Swetha's mother
* Santhana Bharathi as Home Minister
* Mayilsamy as Toilet Patron (IT Office)
* Meghna Nair as Inspector Jhansi
* Bhanu Chander as DGP
* Vinayakan as Bavuji's henchman
* Nellai Siva as Doctor
* Master Bharath as Wedding guest
* Kadhal Saravanan as Wedding guest
* Fish Venkat as Bavuji's henchman
* Sreenu as Bavuji's henchman
* Raghu as Acid Raja, Bavuji's henchman

### Cameo appearance

* Meghna Naidu in the song "Azhaga Poranthuputta"
* Bhumika Chawla as Rathnavel Pandian's wife (uncredited photo appearance)

## Production

In 2008, reports emerged that Vikramarkudu would be remade in Tamil with Karthi. Anushka, who acted in original, was considered for the female lead. Suraj of Thalai Nagaram was said to be the director. V. V. Kathir who directed Jiiva starrer Thenavattu was also announced as director but Sivakumar advised Karthi to do strong characters before making a mark as action hero thus the project was dropped. The project was revived in 2010 and Siva, who directed films like Souryam and Sankham, was selected as director making his debut in Tamil. Tamannaah Bhatia was chosen as heroine after Paiyaa.

## Music

The soundtrack album to the film was composed by Vidyasagar and features five songs. It was described as "bland" by Rediff.com, while Sify called it "catchy and youthful".

## Reception
### Critical response

Sify claimed that Siruthai had "come out as a festival bonanza for Tamil film goers. It is an unpretentious commercial pot boiler with ample doses of romance, comedy, action and emotion". N. Venkateswaran from The Times of India deemed a score of 2.5/5, citing that it "does not do anything for Karthi as an actor; what it does is to cement his position in the Tamil film industry as an actor who is a big draw at the box office". Malathi Rangarajan from The Hindu noted: "Generally, well-told cop stories don't bite the dust. Nor do dual role bonanzas. Going by the norm, this Siruthai should charge ahead!"