Junga (film)

Junga is a 2018 Indian Tamil-language action comedy film^[1] written and directed by Gokul. The film stars Vijay Sethupathi in a triple role alongside Sayyeshaa and Madonna Sebastian.^[2] It was released to mixed reviews from critics, praising Vijay Sethupathi's performance and Yogi Babu’s comedy performance.^[3] The music was composed by Siddharth Vipin.

Junga
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Gokul
Written by	Gokul
Produced by	Vijay Sethupathi Arun Pandian Ishari K. Ganesh R. M. Rajesh Kumar
Starring	Vijay Sethupathi Sayyeshaa Madonna Sebastian
Cinematography	Dudley
Edited by	V. J. Sabu Joseph
Music by	Siddharth Vipin
Production companies	Vijay Sethupathi Productions A & P Groups Vels Film International
Distributed by	A & P Groups
Release date	27 July 2018 (2018-07-27)
Running time	157 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil
Budget	₹27 crore

Plot

The film starts with Inspector Manimaran taking the job of Don Junga's encounter, along with Duraisingam (Rajendran). On the way to his encounter, Junga tells his story.

Back in Pollachi, he works as a bus conductor and is in love with Thoppul. He gets involved in a fight, which angers his mother, as his father Ranga and grandfather Linga were dons with very expensive habits. They also lost their theatre Cinema Paradise and had to sell it to Kumarasamy Chettiyaar, so his mother fears that he will follow their spending habits. Junga tells his mother that he will not be a don like Ranga and Linga and will retrieve their ownership of the theatre. He goes to Chennai with Yo Yo, becomes a miserly don, and starts saving money towards his goal. He also leaves Thoppul as he wants him to give her a luxurious life and gift her with 365 saris for each day of the year.

One day, Junga learns that the theatre is being brought down and that Chettiyaar is planning to sell it to a foreign company. He goes to Chettiyaar's house and gives him a crore to buy back his theatre, but Chettiyaar insults him. Junga challenges Chettiyaar that he will retrieve back his theatre. He decides to kidnap Chettiyaar's daughter Yazhini, who is in Paris, so he goes there with Yo Yo, but the Italian mafia group kidnaps Yazhini to release their leader, who was arrested by the French police. Junga tells Chettiyaar that he has kidnapped Yazhini and fights with the mafia group to rescue her from them. Yazhini and Junga escape, and Chettiyaar agrees to give Junga's family the theatre in exchange for Yazhini.

Cast

• Vijay Sethupathi in a triple role as
  • Don Junga
  • Don Ranga (Junga's father)
  • Don Linga (Junga's grandfather)
• Sayyeshaa as Yazhini
• Madonna Sebastian as Thoppuli (Cameo appearance)
• Suresh Chandra Menon as Kumarasamy Chettiyaar, Yazhini's father
• Yogi Babu as Yo Yo, Junga's assistant
• Rajendran as Duraisingam
• Saranya Ponvannan as Junga's mother, Ranga's wife, and Linga's daughter-in-law
• Radha Ravi as Sopraj
• Delhi Ganesh as Sukumar
• Vijaya Patti as Junga's grandmother, Ranga's mother, and Linga's wife
• Vinoth Munna as Inspector G. Manimaran
• KPY Bala as Poetu Dinesh^[a]
• Syed as Senthil, Junga's assistant and friend
• Shelfa as Ali
• Anne Brugé as Kalki
• Louna as French TV journalist
• Chaplin Balu
• Gokul in a special appearance
• Sridhar in a special appearance in the song "Amma Mela Sathiyam"
• Jhony in a special appearance in the song "Amma Mela Sathiyam"
• Boopathy in a special appearance in the song "Rise of Don"
• Emcee Jesz in a special appearance in the song "Rise of Don"

Production

The film was shot in Paris,^[4] Chennai, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram.^[5]

Soundtrack

Junga
Soundtrack album by Siddharth Vipin
Released	13 June 2018
Recorded	2018
Genre	Film soundtrack
Length	23:42
Language	Tamil
Label	Think Music
Producer	Siddharth Vipin
Siddharth Vipin chronology
Seyal (2018) Junga (2018) Thirumanam (2019)

The soundtrack album was composed by Siddharth Vipin. The complete album was released on 30 July 2018 at Sathyam Cinemas.^[6]

Track listing

No.	Title	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Amma Mela Sathiyam"	Jagadeesh Kumar, Pavithra Gokul	04:12
2.	"Rise Of Don"	Suraj Jagan, Siddharth Vipin, Rockstar Ramani Ammal, Emcee Jesz	04:21
3.	"Parrys To Paris"	Anthony Daasan, Kalpana Raghavendar	05:18
4.	"Lolikriya"	Marana Gana Viji, Nakash Aziz	03:50
5.	"Kootippo Koodave"	D. Sathyaprakash, Ranina Reddy	04:53
6.	"Makkal Selvan Fans Song"	Suraj Jagan, Jagadeesh Kumar	01:08
Total length:			23:42

All tracks are written by Lalithanand.

Release and reception

The Tamil Nadu theatrical rights were sold for ₹12 crore.^[7]

A critic from The Times of India rated the film 3+1⁄2 out of 5 and wrote that "A few scenes are far-stretched in the name of comedy, and the pace dips in the second half, but on the whole, Junga is fully worth your time and money".^[8] A critic from the Hindustan Times wrote that "Junga is one such film that calls out every cliché you may have seen in gangster dramas. Everything from the performance of Vijay Sethupathi to the comic timing of Yogi Babu works in its favour".^[3] A critic from The Hindu wrote that "Junga wants to be that film. It never takes itself too seriously; all it tries to do is set up one comedy scene after another".^[9] A critic from The Indian Express rated the film 2+1⁄2 out of 5 stars and wrote that "Had Junga focused more on the ‘Ezhai, Kanja (transl. poor, stingy) Don’, it would have been thoroughly enjoyable. Instead it becomes a product of something that the film itself criticises at a point".^[10] A critic from Deccan Chronicle wrote that "When it switches gears, instead of sticking to the miserly plot in the second half with several clichéd scenes like a song placement just before confrontation between Junga and Yazhini or the far-fetched lengthy car chase scenes during the climax, it succumbs to its own stereotypes".^[11] A critic from Cinema Express wrote that "is at least a lot funnier [than Iraivi, Aandavan Kattalai and Oru Nalla Naal Paathu Solren] — but it’s also scarier because it shows Vijay Sethupathi pandering to the sort of lazy song placements and mundane stunt choreography that are such a striking and frustrating part of routine ‘mass entertainers’".^[12]

Notes

1. Inspired by Dhanush's credited name as a lyricist, Poetu Dhanush.