Veerapandiyapuram

Veerapandiyapuram is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language action film written and directed by Suseenthiran and produced by Lendi Studio. The film stars Jai and Meenakshi Govindarajan with a supporting cast including, Bala Saravanan, Kaali Venkat, Harish Uthaman, Sharath Lohithaswa and Jayaprakash. The film was released in theatres on 17 February 2022.

Plot
A police jeep pulls up at a house. An inspector and a police constable enter a home to find two people, a man and his pregnant wife, suffocated by a pillow. They discover that 50 sovereigns of gold and 4.5 lakhs have gone missing, and the maid girl has gone missing. They inquire with the girl's father, Solomon, who reveals that she has gone missing and is very innocent. The inspector reports to the media that the girl has murdered the couple and stolen their assets. Solomon keeps requesting that the inspector find the girl, but he keeps sending him off. The police constable realised that someone had killed the girl. They organise a meeting between two families. The police constable, Naatrayan, explains the feud to the SP between the two families. A.K. Pedhi Reddy has been president of the Veerapandiapuram panchayat. In the panchayat elections held six months ago, a lawyer named Jothi Murugan of Neikarapatti defeated AKP. AKP brooded, shut himself in solitude, and died. AKP's men ruthlessly killed the residents of Neikarapatti. Rathinaswamy is strong-minded about killing the people of Neikarapatti to avenge the defeat and demise of his father, AKP. Chelladurai and his family want to destroy the entire lineage of AKP to avenge his daughter's death. Rathinaswamy's family tells him he will kill the Neikarapatti people and leaves the meeting. Chelladurai informs the SP that they have kept custody of the driver and conductor, who witnessed Chelladurai's daughter's death. However, Rathinaswamy's men barge into Chelladurai's house and kidnap the bus driver and conductor. They put the two people inside ditches, poured petrol on them, and set them alight. Rathinaswamy's daughter, Venba, goes missing, and it reveals that they are planning to get married at a temple. Siva decides to return his daughter to Rathinaswamy. Her uncle gets angry when Rathinaswamy plans their wedding. Rathinaswamy convinces him not to harm Siva. Chelladurai tells the conductor's wife they are searching for him, not revealing he got killed. Chelladurai, his son Madura, and his goons get informed that Rathinaswamy's daughter is getting married. Rathinaswamy reveals to his brother that he intends to kill Siva and protect his daughter at the kovil while blaming Chelladurai's family for Siva's death. Siva's friend tries to tell him that Rathinaswamy plans to kill him, but he dismisses his claim. At the Karuppan kovil, Chelladurai's accomplices and Rathinaswamy's men engage in a bloody battle, hacking at their enemies. Rathinaswamy tries to kill Siva, but Solomon and Siva stab and kill Rathinaswamy. Chelladurai is happy at Rathinaswamy's death and asks who did it. Solomon talks with Chelladurai and learns that Rathinaswamy and his brothers burned Malarkodi alive. He reveals that Siva and he killed Rathinaswamy. Siva vows to kill Rathinaswamy's three brothers, including Varathan and Karthi. Solomon tells Chelladurai that Siva told him they murdered his daughter after giving him her pendant, so Siva and him orchestrated the murder. Siva's friend knows about the murder. Meanwhile, a priest who witnessed Rathinaswamy's murder tells Rathinaswamy's brother that Siva and Solomon are the assassins. Sensing the impending danger, he informs Karthi, and his gang catches him red-handed and takes him home. They take him home, and Venba discovers that Siva murdered his father. He reveals why he wants to kill AKP's sons. Past: Siva is from Poombarai. Yashoda, Chelladurai's daughter, taught children for free. She exposed AKP's corruption and swindling of the people with proper evidence. Six months ago, during the previous panchayat election, Yashoda's family campaigned with a lawyer, Jothi Murugan. AKP eventually died. Yashoda also declares her love for Siva. One day, she was travelling by bus with Malarkodi. Rathinaswamy's men block the bus. His men caught Yashoda, and Malarkodi escaped to the couple's house. Rathinaswamy's men take Malarkodi, and Rathinaswamy suffocates and kills the couple. Rathinaswamy's men tortured Yashoda, gang-raped her, slit her neck, and threw her naked body in the river. Present: Siva fights with Rathinaswamy's brothers. Chelladurai's men arrive and attack them. However, Rathinaswamy's brothers kill Madura, Chelladurai's son. Eventually, Siva brutally kills Rathinaswamy's brothers with an aruval. Chelladurai takes the aruval from Siva. After a few years, Solomon slits the inspector's throat, killing him since the inspector was an informant for AKP's sons. Venba teaches students in Siva's village.

Production
The film's title was changed from Shiva Shiva to Veerapandiyapuram in February 2022.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack is composed by Jai in his debut as composer, and the album features three songs. The background score is composed by Ajesh Ashok.

Reception
The film opened to mixed reviews. Siby Jeyya of India Herald wrote, "Veerapandiayapuram may have been a good film if the storyline had more depth and better storytelling." Logesh Balachandran of The Times of India rated the film with 2/5 stars, stating that, "Veerapandiayapuram could have been a better film if the writing was better with depth in the screenplay." Navein Darshan of Cinema Express gave a rating of 1.5 out on 5 and called the film as an uninventive, dull revenge drama.

However, A Critic from Maalai Malar noted that "Kudos to Jai who is making his debut as a music director with this film. However, the songs in his music did not attract much attention. Aziz's background score is the strength of the film. Cinematographer Velraj has shown the rural beauty of Dindigul in his own style."