Jigarthanda DoubleX is a 2023 Indian Tamil-language action drama film[1] written and directed by Karthik Subbaraj and jointly produced by him, Kaarthekeyen Santhanam, S. Kathiresan and Alankar Pandian under Stone Bench Films, Five Star Creations and Invenio Origin.
The film is a prequel to Jigarthanda (2014) and stars Raghava Lawrence, S. J. Suryah, Nimisha Sajayan, Ilavarasu, Sathyan, Naveen Chandra, Shine Tom Chacko and Aravind Akash.
The film has music composed by Santhosh Narayanan, cinematography handled by Tirru and editing by Shafique Mohamed Ali.
In 1973, DSP Rathna Kumar is assigned to nab the elephant poacher Shettani in Kombai Kaanai forest.
Rathna's elder brother Jeyakodi is a famous film star and rising politician in the ruling SMDK party who desires to be the next CM.
Jeyakodi is distressed about his film screenings being halted in Coimbatore, Ramnad, Madurai and Tirunelveli by supporters of his rival and Minister of Finance Karmegam.
Karmegam, who is the frontrunner to become the next Chief minister, is supported by four criminal gangs across Tamil Nadu, and promotes a younger actor Chinna to replace Jeyakodi.
Selecting Kiruban and three other ex-cop prisoners, Rathna offers them a full pardon and immediate recruitment into the police force, in exchange for them performing covert murders.
On a suggestion from Chinna, Caesar decides to conduct an audition for a director who can make a pan-Indian film with him as the lead and introduce him as the first dark-complexioned actor in Tamil cinema.
Caesar invites the other three gangsters and Karmegam for his wife Malaiyarasi's baby shower and start of the movie shoot.
Wanting revenge, Kiruban convinces Caesar to visit his Kombai Kaanai village and nab Shettani with the pretext that this addition will make a better biopic.
The tribe demands the presence of the Chief minister Sindhanai Rani, who promptly comes for the media publicity.
Shettani reveals that it is the CM-led government that has nurtured him over the years so that he can smuggle ivories on behalf of two business tycoons.
In early April 2022, it was reported that Karthik Subbaraj was going to begin working on the sequel to his film Jigarthanda (2014), which was praised by both audiences and critics.
Santhosh Narayanan was chosen as the music composer, who also scored in Jigarthanda and has been part of Subbaraj's earlier films.
"[31] Manoj Kumar of OTTplay gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Karthik Subbaraj offers an engaging cinematic experience with moving visuals and strong performances while highlighting the cinema's responsibility towards society to make sense of life.
"[32] Kirubhakar Purushothaman of The Indian Express gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Karthik Subbaraj's film tries to be a lot of things at once.
"[34] Logesh Balachandran of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "Karthik Subbaraj yet again tries to explore the influential power of cinema, but despite strong intentions and adrenaline-pumping moments, the narrative loses its cohesion after the intermission.
"[35] Priyanka Sundar of Firstpost gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "Jigarthanda DoubleX is a little bit of a Western film, but instead of a cowboy, we have local gangsters swinging their weapon of choice, be it a camera or a gun.
"[37] Lakshmi Subramaniam of The Week gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "The second installment too evolves around filmmaking with a gangster at the centre.
"[38] Bharathy Singaravel of The News Minute wrote, "Jigarthanda DoubleX is a tormented declaration of Karthik's political views, nearly three hours long, with some elements of his earlier brand of filmmaking still in tow.
If Karthik Subbaraj believes that cinema is a means to political change, he needs to put more thought into it, than superficial gestures that might garner a few claps.