Jilla

Jilla is a 2014 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by Nesan and produced by R. B. Choudary through the company Super Good Films. Starring Mohanlal, Vijay and Kajal Aggarwal, the film revolves around the conflict between a crime boss and his adopted son, a police officer whose life and approach towards law change after a violent incident. The film co-stars Soori, Mahat, Nivetha Thomas, Sampath Raj and Pradeep Rawat. The film features soundtrack composed by D. Imman, with Ganesh Rajavelu and Don Max handling cinematography and editing respectively.

The film released on 10 January 2014 and received generally positive reviews from critics; the performances, background score and action sequences were praised, while the length was criticized and consequently trimmed by ten minutes. Jilla completed a 100-day theatrical run on 19 April 2014. As of 5 February 2014, the film had earned more than ₹85 crore, and ₹120 crore at the end of its run at the box office. The film was a commercial success. It was also screened in Japan in 2020.

Plot

Sakthi is the adopted son of a Madurai-based don Sivan and is also his right-hand man, bodyguard and driver. He hates the police due to a police officer killing his father, who was Sivan's driver, in his childhood. His hatred is such that he hates the khaki colour (which is worn by policemen in India), constantly teases his friend Gopal, who is a sub-inspector, and even loses romantic interest on a woman named Shanthi after he finds out that she is a police inspector. However, when Sivan is insulted by the new Police Commissioner of Madurai, he forces Sakthi to become an IPS officer to save his crime syndicate and prove the Commissioner's words wrong (A policeman can think like a criminal, but a criminal can never think like a policeman). Reluctantly takes charge as Assistant Commissioner of Police of Madurai City East, Sakthi gives free rein to Sivan and his henchmen, who wreak havoc over Madurai, until one of their activities inadvertently causes a gas leak which destroys a school and some nearby buildings, killing several people, including women and children. The incident, along with the assault of a woman, whose husband was killed in the gas leak, by Sivan's henchmen when she had come to the police station to lodge a complaint against Sivan, causes Sakthi to take up the path of an honest and upright police officer. Sakthi's new persona is not liked by Sivan and after a heated argument between the two, he disowns Sakthi. A cat-and-mouse game then begins between Sivan and Sakthi, with Sivan, his henchmen and his family determined to humiliate Sakthi at every opportunity, while Sakthi, assisted by Shanthi and Gopal, tries to rid Madurai of Sivan's influence. Sakthi is soon promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Police for his efforts.

Later, Sakthi finds out that Sivan's other adopted son, a minister Aadhi Kesavan is plotting to kill Sivan in revenge for Sivan killing his police officer father (the same police officer who killed Sakthi's father) in his childhood. Since Sakthi had inadvertently thwarted his earlier plans to kill Sivan, he also plans to get Sakthi killed at the hands of Sivan by killing Sivan's son Vignesh and putting the blame on Sakthi for Vignesh's death. Unfortunately for Aadhi, Sivan sees through his plan and reconciles with Sakthi, both of whom team up to kill Aadhi.

In the end, Sakthi reluctantly arrests a reformed Sivan for his misdeeds, on Sivan's request.