Vellai Pookal

Dandelions) is a 2019 Indian-American Tamil language neo-noir crime thriller film directed by newcomer Vivek Elangovan.

In the other storyline, Rudhran Ganesan, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, visits his estranged son Ajay in Seattle.

Along the way, Rudhran learns about Bharathi's daughter Ramya's troubled past, which fuels his determination to solve the case.

Back at the precinct, Rudhran and Bharathi realize that someone is trying to divert them from the case, indicating that they are getting closer to the criminal.

Rudhran recalls that Ajay went missing on garbage collection day and rushes to the dump, but it proves to be a dead end.

It is revealed that Alice, previously known as Nicole, suffered abuse from her father and sought vengeance as she grew up.

Rudhran emphasizes the need to stand against child abuse and allow the Vellai Pookal (dandelions) to bloom freely, symbolizing the hope for a better future.

[3][4] Elangovan contacted Vivekh through Skype and he joined the film after being hesitant initially since he felt that Sathyaraj would be better suited for the role of a serious cop.

[3] Vellai Pookal was filmed in multiple locations in the Seattle metropolitan area, including WNP-3 and WNP-5 (more commonly known as the Satsop Nuclear Plant), Mount Rainier and India Supermarket (Bellevue).

[8][9][10] While Vivek was shooting for a scene at the Satsop Nuclear Plant, he was climbing up one of the reactors when one of the drones used for filming fell at a height of five-hundred feet and injured a security guard.

A critic from Ananda Vikatan rated the film 43 out of 100, saying that it was on par with its contemporary hits Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru and Ratsasan.

[15] A critic from The Times of India wrote that "Even when it lacks assuredness in terms of form, Vellai Pookal remains sure-footed in its storytelling and keeps us engrossed".

[1] A critic from The New Indian Express wrote that "Debutant director Vivek Elangovan has broken the usual stereotypes that you associate with Vivekh and has brought to the fore the actor's seldom explored zones".