Samar (2013 film)

Samar
Theatrical release poster
Directed byThiru
Written byThiru and S. Ramakrishnan
(Dialogue)
Screenplay byThiru
Story byThiru
Produced byRudrapati Ramana Rao
T. Ramesh
StarringVishal
Trisha
Sunaina
CinematographyRichard Nathan
Edited byRuben
Music bySongs:
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Score:
Dharan Kumar
Production
company
Jaya Balaji Real Media
Release date
  • 13 January 2013 (2013-01-13)
Running time
137 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Samar (transl. War) is a 2013 Indian Tamil-language mystery action thriller film written and directed by Thiru. It stars Vishal, Trisha and Sunaina, while Manoj Bajpayee, J. D. Chakravarthy, Jayaprakash , Sampath Raj, and John Vijay, play supporting roles. Richard M. Nathan handled the cinematography, while the film's soundtrack and score were composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja and Dharan Kumar, respectively. The story revolves around a trekking guide who goes to Bangkok to meet his girlfriend and witnesses a series of puzzling incidents there.[2] After several delays, the film was released on 13 January 2013.

Plot

Sakthi (also known as Shankar, Vishal Krishna) is a forest ranger in India. His girlfriend Rupa breaks up with him and moves to Bangkok, Thailand. Three months later, Shankar receives a letter from Rupa stating that she still cannot forget him and asking him to meet her in Bangkok and reconcile. Shankar travels to Bangkok. At the airport, he befriends Maya (Trisha Krishnan), a woman who works there.

After arriving in Bangkok, Shankar waits for Rupa at the location mentioned in the letter, but she never shows up. After several days of waiting, he gives up and decides to spend some time sightseeing before returning to India.

One day, Shankar is attacked by a group of gunmen but is rescued by another group of men, who claim that he is their boss and that they are his bodyguards led by his secretary, Madhu. Confused, Shankar insists that he is merely a middle-class man from India and has neither a secretary nor bodyguards. However, after seeing a magazine featuring his photograph on the cover identifying him as a wealthy business tycoon also named Shankar, he assumes that the situation is a case of mistaken identity.

Shankar attempts to prove his identity to Madhu by showing his passport, only to discover that it is a Thai passport belonging to the tycoon Shankar. He also finds the tycoon's wallet in his pocket, containing several premium bank cards. Suspecting that he is the victim of a conspiracy, Shankar struggles to understand what is happening. Over the next few days, he is forced to live the life of the tycoon Shankar arranged by Madhu, including staying in a luxurious hotel suite and attending high-profile business meetings.

Shankar later contacts Maya for help, and the two visit a police station to file a complaint. However, even the police officers believe that he is the tycoon Shankar and treat him like a celebrity. They then visit a bank to confirm his identity. To their surprise, Shankar not only has millions of dollars in his bank account, but his signature also matches that of the tycoon, allowing him access to the account. This further convinces Shankar that he has been deliberately trapped.

Back at the hotel, an employee secretly slips him a note reading, "You are in a trap. Get out soon." Convinced that his suspicions are true, Shankar decides to return to India without uncovering the truth behind the conspiracy.

As Shankar prepares to leave, Maya is attacked by a group of men. He intervenes and saves her, after which he changes his mind about leaving, believing that Maya will continue to be targeted if he escapes alone. When Shankar returns to the hotel, he discovers that the entire setup — including the people and locations connected to the tycoon identity — has vanished. He assumes that those behind the conspiracy have abandoned the operation after believing he had escaped.

Later, Shankar encounters Madhu on the street and discovers that he is actually a pimp. Before Madhu can reveal any useful information, he is shot dead by unknown assailants. Shankar then meets Rupa again, but she denies sending him the letter and refuses to reconcile with him. Realizing that the conspiracy is far more dangerous than he initially believed, Shankar once again decides to return to India despite Maya confessing her love for him. However, Maya is kidnapped by the same group of men before he can leave, forcing Shankar to rescue her again.

It is eventually revealed that the conspiracy was orchestrated by businessmen Rajesh Arunasalam (Manoj Bajpayee) and John Frederick (J. D. Chakravarthy). Bored with ordinary gambling, the two wealthy addicts have turned to "human gambling", in which they manipulate the lives of unsuspecting victims and bet on the outcomes, such as whether the victim will become insane or commit suicide.

Maya is revealed to be one of the participants in the game. Their scheme involving Shankar was designed to make him fall in love with Maya before ultimately having his heart broken by her. Unknown to Maya, Rajesh and Frederick had additionally placed a bet on whether Shankar would kill her after discovering the truth.

As Shankar grows closer to Maya, Rajesh and Frederick introduce another participant into the game: Rohit, a man claiming to be Maya's long-lost boyfriend. Feeling betrayed, Shankar accidentally kills Maya, resulting in Frederick winning the bet.

After the game concludes, Rajesh and Frederick host a celebratory party. While driving home afterward, they are shocked to see Maya — supposedly dead — standing in the middle of the road. Terrified, Frederick sharply turns the steering wheel, causing a car accident.

The two later awaken inside an unfamiliar house, where they are confronted by Shankar and a very-much-alive Maya. It is revealed that after Madhu was killed and Maya became the conspirators' next target, several participants in the game began fearing for their own safety and secretly exposed the truth to Shankar. Shankar subsequently pretended to remain trapped while turning the conspirators' own scheme against them. The defecting players ultimately kill Rajesh and Frederick.

Cast

Production

Development

In mid-August 2011, Vishal confirmed that his next project after Vedi would be a film to be directed by Thiru, with whom he had collaborated in Theeradha Vilaiyattu Pillai before.[3] The film was titled Samaran, and was reported to be an action adventure film, with Vishal playing a "forest trekker".[4] The film's title was changed to Samar in April 2012.[5] At the audio release function, Vishal revealed that the film was written for his friend, actor Arya, but that he wanted to enact the lead role after listening to its narration.[6] The first look of the film was unveiled by Thiru on 1 May 2012 via Twitter.[7]

Casting

Trisha, who had previously declined five of Vishal's films – Thaamirabharani, Sathyam, Thoranai, Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai and Vedi - was signed as the lead actress of Samar.[8][9] It was initially reported that retired actor Arvind Swamy had agreed to play a negative character, making a comeback to acting. Arvind Swamy denied the reports,[10][11] while Thiru clarified that Arvind Samy was considered but never approached, adding that it was not a negative character either.[12] Sunaina accept to star in the film after initial hesitancy.[13] Prakash Raj originally agreed to act in the film, but as filming became delayed by a month, he opted out of the project and was subsequently replaced by Hindi actor Manoj Bajpai, making his Tamil film debut,[14] while J. D. Chakravarthy, whom Bajpai acted with in the Hindi film Satya (1998), was recruited to play another pivotal role as Thiru wanted to reunite the Satya actors.[15]

Filming

The director stated that Samar would be filmed on location in the forests of Chalakudy, Kerala.[4] Most of the scenes from the first schedule were shot in Ooty and featured only Vishal and Sunaina.[16] Several stunt scenes were shot in Bangkok with the help of Chinese stuntman Nung, which Vishal performed without using any safety ropes.[17] The song "Poikaal Kuthirai", picturised on Vishal, was shot for over five days in almost 18 locations in Bangkok.[18] In October 2012, the crew left for Malaysia to shoot the last song on Vishal and Trisha.[19]

In August 2012, a producer named Vijay brought an interim injunction over the usage of the title Samar, claiming that he had registered the same a year ago for his upcoming film.[20] Thiru confirmed by October 2012 that the title issue had been solved and that the film's title remains unchanged.[21]

Music

Samar
Soundtrack album by
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Released4 December 2012
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length24:11
LanguageTamil
LabelSony Music
ProducerYuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja chronology
Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal
(2012)		 Samar
(2012)		 Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga
(2013)

The soundtrack was composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, continuing his association with Thiru. It was released on 4 December 2012, with Agathiyan, Thiru's father-in-law, being present at the event.[22] The background score was composed by Dharan Kumar.[23]

Pramodh of Musicperk rated the album 6.5/10, quoting "This album is a treat for Yuvan fans".[24] Karthik of Milliblog wrote, "Samar is proof that Yuvan can doze off while composing".[25]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Oru Kannil Vaegam"Na. MuthukumarK. G. Ranjith, Naveen Madhav, Suchitra4:54
2."Azhagho Azhaghu"Na. MuthukumarNaresh Iyer4:50
3."Poikkaal Kuthirai"Na. MuthukumarYuvan Shankar Raja5:47
4."Rajaavin Thoattathil"Na. MuthukumarK. G. Ranjith, Rita3:48
5."Vellai Maiyil"KabilanUdit Narayan, Shweta Mohan4:52
Total length:24:11

Release

Samar was supposed to release for the Christmas weekend on 21 December 2012.[26] It was later pushed to 28 December since it had not yet been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Due to "severe" financial issues, the film was postponed to mid-January 2013, to release during the week of Pongal.[27] It was cleared by the CBFC on 22 December,[28] and released on 13 January 2013 in nearly 200 screens in Tamil Nadu.[29] The rights for the Telugu dubbed version were bought by Five Colours.[30] Post-release, Thiru lashed out at a major production house,[31] alleging that it tried to stall the release of Samar for Pongal.[32]

Reception

Box office

According to Box Office Mojo, the film grossed $11,132 at the UK box office.[33]

Critical response

Sify wrote, "a suspense thriller that is intelligently structured, Vishal's Thiru directed Samar is an all-new experience for Tamil commercial cinema viewers", with the reviewer going on to add that it was not "what one would rate as great cinema but we assure it has enough zing, visual and thrills to keep you in your seats for its runtime of a little over two hours".[34] Vivek Ramz from In.com rated it 3 out of 5 and stated, "Samar has an interesting storyline, but is somewhat let down in its treatment. Still, it's watchable, especially for those who love suspense and thrills".[35] M. Suganth from The Times of India gave the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and claimed, Samar is an engaging film that is quite a different attempt for Tamil cinema (Hollywood routinely comes up with such thrillers) and Thiru deserves a pat for confidently exploring this slightly tricky genre and managing to succeed in it.[36] Rediff.com's Pavithra Srinivasan gave it 3 out of 5 and cited that it "manages to wring out a tale that's entertaining and snappy, despite its flaws", further adding that "it is slick, makes you get involved with the characters, and doesn't let you pause until almost the end", and calling it an "ideal festival fare".[37] Deccan Chronicle stated that Samar was a "neat thriller with an interesting plot and a good script".[38]

References

  1. ↑ "SAMAR". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 25 September 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  2. ↑ Manigandan, K. R. (14 July 2012). "Strange encounters". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  3. ↑ Subramanian, Anupama (12 August 2011). "Spa retreat for Vishal and Shriya?". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Vishal plays a forest trekker in Samaran". Sify. 12 October 2011. Archived from the original on 13 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "Vishal's 'Samaran' becomes 'Samar'". Sify. 30 April 2012. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "'I've been selfish about Samar'". The New Indian Express. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "Vishal's Samar first look out!". Sify. 1 May 2012. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  8. ↑ Subramanian, Anupama (19 August 2011). "Trisha says yes to Vishal". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  9. ↑ "Trisha in Vishal's next film!". Sify. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  10. ↑ Sridhar, Vijayalakshmi (28 August 2011). "Show Buzz". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 July 2026. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  11. ↑ "Aravind Swamy denies rumours of a comeback!". Sify. 31 August 2011. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Sangeetha, P (29 August 2011). "Will Aravind Swamy make a comeback?". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  13. ↑ "Director's delight". The Hindu. 25 August 2012. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  14. ↑ Suganth, M (31 January 2012). "Manoj Bajpayee in Samaran". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  15. ↑ S, Venkadesan (11 July 2012). "Director Thiru ready with 'Samar', the Vishal-starrer". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 25 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  16. ↑ "Straight talk!". The New Indian Express. 30 November 2011. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  17. ↑ "Vishal's Samar has plenty of action". Sify. 11 July 2012. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  18. ↑ "An abstract song for Vishal". The Times of India. 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  19. ↑ "Trisha off to Malaysia with Vishal!". Sify. 31 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  20. ↑ "Samar's title woes continue". The Times of India. 23 August 2012. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  21. ↑ "Vishal's Samar for Diwali ?". Sify. 9 October 2012. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  22. ↑ "Samar audio launched, sans Yuvan &Trisha!". Sify. 5 December 2012. Archived from the original on 24 October 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  23. ↑ "Dharan's surprise to Yuvan". The Times of India. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  24. ↑ Pramodh (12 December 2012). "Samar". Musicperk. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  25. ↑ Karthik (4 December 2012). "Samar (Music review), Tamil – Yuvan Shankar Raja". Milliblog. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  26. ↑ "Dec 21 – X' Mas releases in Kollywood". Sify. 18 December 2012. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  27. ↑ "Samar postponed to Pongal !". Sify. 25 December 2012. Archived from the original on 26 December 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  28. ↑ "Samar gets censored with UA certificate!". Sify. 22 December 2012. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  29. ↑ "2013 – Pongalo Pongal". Sify. 12 January 2013. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  30. ↑ "Five Colours bags Samar's Telugu rights". The Times of India. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  31. ↑ "'Samar' director lashes out at competition". Sify. 15 January 2013. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  32. ↑ "'Samar' director vents out at competition". The Times of India. 15 January 2013. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  33. ↑ "Samar". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  34. ↑ "Samar". Sify. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  35. ↑ Ramz, Vivek (14 January 2013). "Samar is a watchable thriller". In.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  36. ↑ Suganth, M (15 January 2013). "Samar". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  37. ↑ Srinivasan, Pavithra (15 January 2013). "Review: Samar is a commercial entertainer". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  38. ↑ "Review: 'Samar'". Deccan Chronicle. 15 January 2013. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
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