One film 'Thalapathy' Vijay's fans hold close to their hearts is the 2014 box office blockbuster Kaththi directed by A. R. Murugadoss, which was produced by Lyca Productions and featured chart-buster music by 'Rockstar' Anirudh Ravichander. The social drama-action film was the second time Vijay and filmmaker A. R. Murugadoss collaborated after their Thuppakki in 2012, which signaled the start of a successful partnership. With eight years since Kaththi's release, we now look at eight reasons why the film continues to be celebrated as a cult classic. 

VIJAY - SHARP AS A KNIFE'THALAPATHY' VIJAY - SHARP AS A KNIFE

The first and foremost reason for Kaththi to turn out to be a phenomenal success was the sheer star power of Vijay, who carried the film on his shoulders. Playing dual roles as Kathiresan and Jeevanantham, the actor showed that there's more to him than meets the eye in his performance, which saw him tap into the nuances of an intense performer, while also rising to the occasion as a mass hero consistently and in an effortless manner. Kaththi was a career-defining moment for Vijay and proved once again that the superstar was here to stay and be a powerful voice in the film medium. 

A. R. MURUGADOSS - THE MASTERMIND

Filmmaker A. R. Murugadoss had already carved a niche for himself as a powerhouse director with his earlier films and the excitement for Kaththi was evident right from the moment it was announced since it was a big reunion for him with Vijay once again after their Thuppaaki. And, the duo hit the bullseye as expected as their second-time collaboration turned out to be nothing short of spectacular, with the film basking in massive critical glory, and A. R. Murugadoss once being showered with love for his deft approach to dealing with a sensitive issue that continues to be prolonging and relevant. 

SAMANTHA - ELEGANCE IN EVERY WAY

In hindsight, Samantha's part in Kaththi might seem to be minimal to some, but her character as Ankitha proves to be the catalyst and sets the wheels in motion in the story for Vijay as Kathiresan takes up a monumental battle. When the two meet for the first time, it is love at first sight for the hero, who backs out of flying off to Bangkok in an effort to woo her before arriving at a place where he would stand up for those in need before coming across her once again. A. R. Murugadoss' introduction of Samantha as Ankitha in Kaththi is a sign of smart writing and the filmmaker makes her character's arc come full circle after her first meeting with Vijay, and then once again at the old age home under different circumstances. 

ANIRUDH - ROCKING OUR HEARTS

Kaththi was the first time Anirudh Ravichander had boarded a mass hero film and he did not let go of the golden opportunity. The 'Rockstar' of Tamil cinema, who was already a youth sensation at the time, rose to the occasion and delivered a memorable album as well as a thunderous background score, with the tunes continuing to dominate the playlists of many fans to date. Anirudh was a big pillar of strength for Kaththi's success and the film also marked the start of a regular collaboration for him with Vijay in the future, with the duo working together again in Master (2021) and Beast (2022). 

STORY - THE FOUNDATION OF SUCCESSSTORY - THE FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS

At the heart of Kaththi is the story that revolved around an all-important relevant conflict, which was given a universal nod by fans and critics everywhere. The film shed light on farmers' suicides and the reasons that lead to such a big tragedy in thousands of villages around the country. What happens when one man goes out of his way to bring the world's attention to the plight of the farmers is what Kaththi dealt with and filmmaker A. R. Murugadoss crafted a screenplay that included plenty of goosebump moments, with Vijay stepping up to the forefront as the savior and the protector of the masses that the story demanded.

FARMERS' REBELLION - GOING BACK TO OUR GRASSROOTS

As said earlier, Kaththi's crux lies in the farmers' rebellion and the lengths they go to make their voices heard. When all hopes die, they choose to lay down their lives for the sake of the betterment of everyone, and this tugs our heartstrings leaving a big lump in our throats as the film ends on a triumphant note for the community. Although there have been several films in the past that might have shed light on the issues of farmers and their uphill battles, Kaththi pushed the bar and showed us the circumstances that lead to various tragedies. 

CORPORATE POLITICS - THE SHADY WORLD REVEALED

Kaththi provided an insight into the world of multinational corporations and how they were slowly entering the rural environment to establish and dominate the space. The film showed the conflict between villagers and the corporate world, and how one man makes it his life's mission to change the game forever. Vijay as Jeevanantham goes up against the bigwigs in the corporate world for his Thanoothu village in Tirunelveli district before he is taken out of the game, with his doppelganger Kathiresan then entering the fray due to chance circumstances and big coincidences. 

LITTLE MOMENTS - BIG MEMORIES

Any Vijay film will have plenty of memorable moments and Kaththi is no different as it featured several instances that turned out to be special for fans everywhere. The fight sequences were a rage at the time of the film's release and praises poured in for stunt choreographer Anl Arasu, whose work in the action department showed the level of effort he had put in to make them stand out from anything that was witnessed for quite some time. Be it the scene where Vijay confronts two female assassins with knives or the coin fight scene when he takes on more than 50 goons or the culminating final battle when he goes up against the big baddie Chirag played by Neil Nitin Mukesh, we see Anl Arasu's stamp of greatness in each of the fight sequences. Similarly, the scene where Vijay leads the way with old-age home inmates to block the water supply to Chennai by sitting inside the pipelines and the resulting consequences left a big impression in the minds and hearts of the audiences.