Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Naan Kadavul

  • 2009
  • 2h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
Arya and Pooja Umashankar in Naan Kadavul (2009)
Watch Naan Kadavul (2009) Trailer
Play trailer2:44
1 Video
1 Photo
ActionDrama

After Rudran's father leaves him in Kashi, he grows up to be an Aghori. However, when his family gets him back home, he faces problems adjusting to the city lifestyle.After Rudran's father leaves him in Kashi, he grows up to be an Aghori. However, when his family gets him back home, he faces problems adjusting to the city lifestyle.After Rudran's father leaves him in Kashi, he grows up to be an Aghori. However, when his family gets him back home, he faces problems adjusting to the city lifestyle.

  • Director
    • Bala
  • Writers
    • Bala
    • Jayamohan
    • Swaroop Sreenivas
  • Stars
    • Arya
    • Pooja Umashankar
    • Motta Rajendran
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    2.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Bala
    • Writers
      • Bala
      • Jayamohan
      • Swaroop Sreenivas
    • Stars
      • Arya
      • Pooja Umashankar
      • Motta Rajendran
    • 21User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 10 wins & 15 nominations total

    Videos1

    Naan Kadavul (2009) Trailer
    Trailer 2:44
    Naan Kadavul (2009) Trailer

    Photos

    Top cast7

    Edit
    Arya
    Arya
    • Aghori
    • (as Rudra)
    Pooja Umashankar
    Pooja Umashankar
    • Blind woman
    Motta Rajendran
    Motta Rajendran
    • Thandavan
    • (as Rajendran)
    Krishnamoorthy
    • Murugan
    Azhagan Tamizhmani
    • Rudhran's Father
    Singampuli
    • Beggar
    Rajendranath
    • Police Officer
    • Director
      • Bala
    • Writers
      • Bala
      • Jayamohan
      • Swaroop Sreenivas
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews21

    7.72.3K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    9royalstuffer

    A well told 'insensate' film

    Director Bala is notorious for his unique choice of disturbing subjects and Naan kadavul is no different. This time around he comes up with a story down under the hells of reality.

    Aarya plays the lead role of an Aghori devotee named 'Rudra' which probably is the least humane character that any actor would dare to do. Shiva is the lord of elimination in Hindu texts, and an Aghori who is an ardent follower of Shiva believes in 'Dushta nigraha' or elimination of the evil. Aarya has done fair justice to the role and Bala has exploited him in his looks and acting potentials. Bala seems to have spent enough time in studying the life style of the Aghori sects and beggars. That reflects in the eventual realism that results.

    Cold blooded action and shocking pragmatism may disturb the audience. So you have to prepared for 'anything' and 'everything'. Cinematography is a chilling package of the movie and every face that comes along in the movie appears real and original to the plot. Music by ilayaraja is definitely fitting to the scheme.

    Violent imagery is objectionable to minors and women. So it's not any family 'go-watch'. But the movie is well told, and questions the true nature of Kadavul- the God and repeating statements made by Rudra-'Aham brahmasmi' surely keeps you thinking.

    If you can appreciate the alternate thinking that the director has convincingly achieved in the movie then go and give it a try.
    8BhagavathyPadmanabhan

    Excellent

    Have no words to describe this masterpiece. "Naan Kadavul" may offer different kind of feeling to everybody -am sure. But all I want to say is that "This Is A true Indian Movie". This movie must be nominated for Oscars and wish that the world takes note of it. This is good for the world at large and since this was created in India, it will have to follow the same fate of every other immortal classic that was done in India Viz..."No recognition at large" unless the world gives the recognition. It created in me the same sorry feeling when I knew - Vedanta, Mahabharata or any other immortal spiritual classics was produced in India. They will never be acknowledged great unless world looks at it. ...

    About this movie - what happens when an enlightened man living all his life with his guru and as a complete recluse and practicing the teachings taught; is suddenly taken by providence to his birth place. There is this sudden clash...A man beyond the world impacted with not just the world but with the harsh and depraved part of the world. Bala explains thereafter with extreme fragility and immense knowledge of spirituality. Thanks to you Bala...you have proved once again.
    8rambler0

    Bold movie

    One of the bold and unique movie ever made! This movie for sure is not for the faint-hearted. Wish the director could tone down the gore and violence in his movies, even this movie has quite a lot of disturbing visuals. Apart from that, the movie is brilliantly made with pitch- perfect detailing, the exquisite photography and the brilliant re- recording. The lead performers as well as some newbies were top class. Rajendran, the antagonist, was absolutely terrifying. The Kasi episodes with the priest are intensely shot, i haven't seen any similar scenes in any other movie. So are the humorous dance episode inside a police station, you have to watch the expressions of the actors mimicking old actors, terrific indeed!!
    10kathirvelvijaysenthil

    challenge to the world cinema

    as SUPER STAR 'RAJNIKANTH' said here after never such a movie can be made..it goes down as one of the all time classic movies..like bala's previous movies SETHU, NANDHA , PITHAMAGAN he continues to stunt you with realistic story of NAAN KADAVUL..ARYA's dedication in the movie will make his carrier to look back...he has set a standards which other have to follow..ilayaraja has again gave a evergreen memories with his excellent music..he has done magics with the background score..Bala has tried to debate a few serious issues in the movie. The first is obviously about who is God? He also talks about life and death and how death is actually a boon to one who cannot lead a good life. Summing up, Naan Kadavul is not a movie that everyone can digest. It shows reality in such brutality that you wonder whether such things really do happen. It cannot be called violent; the word 'brutal' has to be repeated often to describe the movie.
    8sanloyn

    A master piece made by the legend in the making

    Well I should say that I am just not a movie goer, but a movie analyzer. And it takes a lot of things for me to be impressed by an movie. This master piece made by the legend in the making (BALA)is far away from words. This is pure brilliance and will surely get a place in the world cinema. I don't care if the movie did well or not in the box office

    Two extremists (one of the Agori and the other is of the beggar's life)of our social world, made to meet each other at a point in the movie which mesmerizes the movie watcher. This is not a formula movie flick and will not satisfy every audience, but whoever want to see a movie that is beyond a normal one, here it is

    The way in which Arya's charactered is been told him to do

    The life in the back ground music given by our Illayaraja

    And each and every character told in the movie itself is an art

    The hero is clearly none other than the director of the movie. My rating is 8/10

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    Paradesi
    8.0
    Paradesi
    Avan Ivan
    6.4
    Avan Ivan
    Sethu
    8.1
    Sethu
    Nandha
    7.6
    Nandha
    Pithamagan
    8.3
    Pithamagan
    Kattradhu Thamizh
    8.5
    Kattradhu Thamizh
    Madrasapattinam
    7.9
    Madrasapattinam
    Paruthiveeran
    8.2
    Paruthiveeran
    Raam
    7.8
    Raam
    Polladhavan
    7.7
    Polladhavan
    Market Street
    7.7
    Market Street
    Anjathe
    8.1
    Anjathe

    Related interests

    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      'Ajith Kumar' was selected for the role, but, eventually walked out due to disputes with Bala. Furhtermore Suriya and 'Narain' were also approached for the lead role, before Arya took the role. Similarly for the role of the heroine, Poorna, Gopika, Meera Jasmine, Reema Sen, Parvathi Melton, Neetu Chandra and Meenakshi were all approached and Bhavana and Karthika had started then left the project, before Pooja accepted the controversial role.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Boss Engira Baskaran (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Om Siva Om
      Written by Vaali

      Performed by Vijay Prakash

      Music by Ilaiyaraaja

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ16

    • How long is Naan Kadavul?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 19, 2009 (India)
    • Country of origin
      • India
    • Language
      • Tamil
    • Also known as
      • The Himalayan Aghori
    • Filming locations
      • Benares, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India(opening sequence)
    • Production companies
      • Pyramid Saimira Group
      • Vasan Visual Ventures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • ₹140,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $413,051
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 45m(165 min)
    • Color
      • Color

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.