When Parasakthi released in theatres on 10 January 2026, during the culturally charged Pongal window, it arrived carrying far more than the weight of its ₹150–250 crore budget. The film came burdened—and empowered—by history, ideology, controversy, and expectation. Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Sudha Kongara and headlined by Sivakarthikeyan in one of the most politically charged roles of his career, Parasakthi is a historical political action drama that attempts to revisit one of Tamil Nadu’s defining social movements: the 1965 Anti-Hindi imposition agitation.
Streaming conversations around Tamil Dhool Parasakthi Tamil Movie 2026 quickly reflected the film’s polarising nature. It was not a film designed for easy consumption. Instead, Parasakthi positioned itself as a serious, confrontational work—one that sought to interrogate language, power, identity, and resistance through the intimate lens of brotherhood.
A Title Heavy With Legacy
The title Parasakthi itself is a provocation. It inevitably recalls the 1952 Tamil classic Parasakthi, a film that reshaped Tamil cinema and political discourse through its radical dialogues and social critique. Sudha Kongara’s Parasakthi does not attempt a remake or direct homage, but it consciously inherits the ideological weight of the name. “Parasakthi,” meaning The Supreme Power, is interpreted here not as divinity, but as collective resistance—the power of people who refuse to surrender their linguistic and cultural identity.
The choice of title alone triggered legal disputes, ideological debates, and public scrutiny long before the film reached screens. Yet, in many ways, the controversy mirrored the very tensions the film sought to depict: who controls language, culture, and narrative?
Plot: Politics Through Brotherhood
Set in Madras State (present-day Tamil Nadu) during the turbulent mid-1960s, Parasakthi unfolds against the backdrop of widespread protests opposing the declaration of Hindi as an official language of India. At the centre of the narrative is Chezhiyan (Sivakarthikeyan), a principled, articulate, and deeply idealistic young man who believes that language is not merely a means of communication, but a vessel of dignity, access, and self-respect.
Chezhiyan’s involvement in the agitation is ideological from the outset. He views the imposition of Hindi as a threat to Tamil identity and to the everyday lives of ordinary people—especially those excluded from power structures. His speeches, activism, and willingness to confront authority place him firmly in the crosshairs of the state.
Running parallel to Chezhiyan’s journey is that of his younger brother, Chinnadurai (Atharvaa). In contrast to Chezhiyan’s political clarity, Chinna begins as carefree, playful, and largely indifferent to ideology. Politics, to him, feels distant and abstract—until reality intrudes.
One of the film’s most quietly devastating moments involves Chinna witnessing an elderly woman being denied access to a government service simply because it operates solely in Hindi. The humiliation is not loud, but it is absolute. This incident becomes a turning point, awakening Chinna to the lived consequences of policy decisions. What follows is a gradual, believable transformation—from passive observer to committed participant.
The brothers’ arcs, though different in temperament, eventually converge. Their shared realisation is at the heart of Parasakthi: that their fight is not against a language, but against exclusion; not against governance, but against erasure.
Sivakarthikeyan’s Most Transformative Role
For Sivakarthikeyan, Parasakthi marks a decisive shift in screen persona. Known largely for his populist appeal and comic timing, he has steadily expanded his range in recent years. However, Chezhiyan represents his most overtly political and restrained performance to date.
Sivakarthikeyan plays Chezhiyan with controlled intensity. There is fire in his rhetoric, but also fatigue in his eyes—a man who understands that resistance carries a cost. His performance avoids theatricality, opting instead for grounded conviction. It is a portrayal that asks the audience not to cheer, but to listen.
Atharvaa, as Chinnadurai, complements this with a more internalised arc. His transformation feels organic, driven by observation rather than speeches. The emotional spine of Parasakthi arguably lies in Chinna’s awakening, making Atharvaa’s performance one of the film’s quiet strengths.
Ravi Mohan, appearing as Thirunaadan “Thiru,” adds further complexity, while Sreeleela—making her Tamil debut as Ratnamala—brings a subtle emotional presence rather than a conventional romantic arc. Her three-month Tamil language workshop reflects in her controlled, period-appropriate performance.
Direction: Sudha Kongara’s Controlled Fire
Sudha Kongara has built a reputation for blending emotional intimacy with social ambition, most notably in Soorarai Pottru (2020). With Parasakthi, she ventures into even more volatile territory—historical politics—without sacrificing character-driven storytelling.
Her direction is marked by restraint. Despite the film’s large canvas, Sudha avoids turning Parasakthi into a loud, slogan-heavy drama. Protest scenes are intense but grounded. Violence, when it occurs, is unsettling rather than celebratory. The film does not glorify chaos; it examines its necessity and cost.
Sudha’s decision to frame the agitation through personal relationships rather than institutional power is particularly effective. By focusing on brothers, families, and ordinary citizens, Parasakthi humanises a movement often reduced to textbook summaries.
A Production Marked by Turbulence
The journey of Parasakthi to the screen was almost as dramatic as its narrative. Initially conceived as Suriya 43, the project was meant to reunite Sudha Kongara with Suriya after Soorarai Pottru. Announced in October 2023, the collaboration generated immense anticipation.
However, delays, scheduling conflicts, and extended pre-production led to uncertainty. Though Sudha publicly denied shelving rumours in March 2024, Suriya’s eventual exit from the project marked a turning point. Sivakarthikeyan’s entry revived the film under the tentative title SK25, with Dawn Pictures stepping in as producer.
The official title Parasakthi was announced in January 2025, reigniting attention—and controversy.
Technical Excellence and Scale
Visually, Parasakthi benefits enormously from Ravi K. Chandran’s cinematography. His lens captures both the intimacy of conversations and the scale of mass movements with equal confidence. Period detailing—costumes, sets, and props—reflect meticulous research, aided by production designer Bindiya Chhabria and art director Karthick.
The film’s extensive shoot across Chennai, Chidambaram, Karaikudi, Madurai, Colombo, and Pollachi lends it geographical authenticity. The Colombo schedules, which recreated Madurai Junction and Delhi, demonstrate the production’s ambition, even as they became mired in controversy over unpaid dues and stranded workers.
G. V. Prakash Kumar’s music avoids overt nationalism, instead leaning into emotional undercurrents. The background score supports tension without overwhelming it, while the songs function as narrative pauses rather than commercial interruptions.
Controversies That Shaped the Conversation
Before its release, Parasakthi faced multiple controversies—ranging from title rights disputes to allegations about funding sources and plagiarism claims. These issues dominated headlines and, in some cases, overshadowed the film’s artistic intent.
Ironically, the controversies reinforced the film’s central theme: who gets to control stories, symbols, and language? While none of the allegations ultimately prevented release, they contributed to the charged atmosphere surrounding the film.
Reception: A Divided Response
Upon release, Parasakthi received mixed reviews. Critics praised its ambition, performances, and technical finesse, while some found its pacing uneven and its political messaging too restrained—or conversely, too provocative.
Audience response was similarly divided. For some, Parasakthi was a necessary cinematic intervention—a reminder of a defining moment in Tamil history. For others, it lacked the emotional catharsis expected of a Pongal release.
Yet, even detractors acknowledged the film’s sincerity. Parasakthi may not have united viewers, but it undeniably compelled discussion.
Legacy and Significance
Whether Parasakthi ultimately becomes a classic or remains a contested entry in Tamil cinema, its importance is difficult to dismiss. In an industry increasingly driven by formula and spectacle, Sudha Kongara’s film dares to ask uncomfortable questions about identity, access, and power.
For Sivakarthikeyan, the film marks a crucial milestone—cementing his transition into socially conscious cinema. For Tamil cinema, Parasakthi reaffirms that historical political narratives still have relevance, especially when framed through human experience rather than rhetoric.
Conclusion: A Film That Refuses Silence
Tamil Dhool Parasakthi Tamil Movie 2026 is not a film that seeks unanimous applause. Instead, it demands engagement. It asks viewers to remember a time when language became a battleground—and to consider whether those battles are truly over.
In revisiting the 1965 Anti-Hindi imposition agitation, Parasakthi reminds us that history is not static. It lives on in policies, prejudices, and personal encounters. Sudha Kongara’s film does not offer easy answers, but it insists on one essential truth: that dignity, once denied, inevitably demands resistance.
In that insistence lies the film’s supreme power.