Kendrick, a reformed man and former juvenile drug dealer, has embraced spirituality and now propagates the teachings of Jesus, earning the affection of his fellow inmates.
Ismail, sensing a miscarriage of justice, investigates Parthi's fiance Revathy who provides insight into Parthiban's life.
Parthiban, along with his mother, operates a roadside eatery and is romantically involved with Revathy, the owner of a nearby flower shop.
Kattabomman, who was expecting a promotion to jail superintendent but was overlooked in favor of Sunil Kumar, is appointed by the minister to counter Siga's influence.
Once Parthi discovers Rangu being sexually exploited for the benefit of VIP prisoners, and Sunil confiscates Kendrick's Bible and brutally beats him, confining him to a dark cell.
Realizing the food is being poisoned, Sunil orders Kattabomman to take Siga's corpse to the government hospital for autopsy, where it is discovered that an additional toxic substance was present in his system.
On December 20, the day of Parthi's bail hearing, the news of Siga's death spreads throughout the prison, sparking a violent uprising among the inmates, thereby attacking the police, and breaking free from their cells.
Seelan and Mani plan to leverage the situation to demand better treatment, including the arrest of Sunil and the release of investigation prisoners.
Meanwhile, the prison now placed under the control of the DIG informs that the government has accepted only two of the demands of establishing an inquiry commission and suspending Sunil.
Parthi, determined to rescue the three captive MLAs, embarks on a solo mission to free them, enabling the other prisoners to negotiate with the government and secure their release.
The inmates confront Sunil about Bashir's death, but when he begins to reveal the truth about Siga's poisoning, Parthi kills him to silence him.
Ismail concludes the investigation, closing the case with lingering doubts like, one of the MLAs who was imprisoned during the riot is now the Home Minister, who had ordered the probe.
[5] On 19 October 2024, the title-reveal first look poster was released featuring the lead actor with a slate in his hand with his number in Madras Central Prison in the year 1999.
[21] The distribution rights to Sorgavaasal in Tamil Nadu are held by Dream Warrior Pictures,[22] and in Karnataka by KVN Productions.
Which is aided by commendable performances from RJ Balaji, Karunas, and almost all of the lead cast, which makes Sorgavaasal a gripping watch.
"[28] Avinash Ramachandran of The Indian Express gave 3/5 stars and wrote "In this Virumaandi (2004) meets Vada Chennai (2018) narrative, it is the characters and their effective portrayal that ensures the film doesn't crash and burn in the tepid final act.
"[29] Janani K of India Today gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Sorgavaasal feels like a blend of Virumaandi and Vada Chennai.
"[30] Prashanth Vallavan of Cinema Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Sorgavaasal is only frustrating because we get a glimpse of what it could have been: A compelling prison drama.
"[33] Bhuvanesh Chandar of The Hindu wrote "In the end, Sorgavaasal does not feel like a cohesive screenplay with a few flourishing scenes; you only see the potential, of what it could have been with a tighter storyline and some breathing space for the characters of this claustrophobic prison.
"[34] Latha Srinivasan of Hindustan Times wrote "Sorgavaasal is a strong debut for Sidharth Vishwanath, whose talent is evident, but unfortunately, an underwhelming film.
"[35] Khalilullah of Hindu Tamil Thisai reviewed the film more positively, praising the music, cinematography and editing, although the critic felt Saniya Iyappan was underutilised, and the ending was dragged.