Kombuseevi (கொம்புசீவி)

Water… Water!

On a dry mountain, under the blazing sun,

if they could hang a Police Officer upside down from a tree,

Who could they be, and what’s their reason?

Go, go, quick!

-Hey! -Nab him, now.

- Don't let him go. - Hey, hey.

I spent fifty thousand on this dam, and they’re fishing under my nose at night!

It smells good!

Sir… Sir… Sir!

What is it?

File an FIR against them.

-Where are you from? -Madurai, Kaalavasal.

You’ll just say it and leave without a problem.

Don’t we need to earn a living here?

There was an issue last week. They destroyed the police station.

This week, they sent a carpenter to make up for it.

-Hello, sir. -Hey!

From any of the 12 villages,

Mela Kamaka Patti, Keela Kamaka Patti, Jalli Patti, or Sarathu Patti, Buskaran Patti,

I’ll file the FIR only if Rokka Puli says so.

If Puli Uncle comes, he'll be the one facing the FIR.

-Is Rokka Puli the inspector here? -Yes.

From DSP to Collector to Inspector, he’s everything in this district.

Nagesh, you bit me in the blink of an eye. Come, let’s go to the hospital.

Come with me!

Upon the Lord’s holy, Matted crown lies the noble serpent!

-Oh, my God! -A snake!

Doctor, where's the snake bite ward?

Why are you writhing like a snake too?

-Did you check him thoroughly? -Doctor.

Doctor, this snake bit me. I need treatment.

Why bring it alive? You should’ve just killed it.

What did it do to deserve death?

We’re the ones who took it's home.

What could it possibly do? Maayi, get that bag.

Place your leg here, sir.

-Take him to the forest and let him go. -Okay, brother.

Your townspeople are quite strange, sir.

At least you just tied up your leg when the snake bit you.

But he strangled himself thinking it’d stop the venom from reaching his head!

And now he's gone.

I’m out of words. Turn around.

Roll up your sleeves.

Later, we learned it was a swamp snake that bit him.

Such illiterates!

- So what did you study? - I've got tons of work, doctor.

What's the issue today?

Sir, we got that…

- dam bid legally! -Hey.

Why all the noise, you retro-shirt?

Who even asked you to bid on the dam?

The government did! So we placed a bid and got it.

-Why do I need his permission? -Don't you argue!

You should! Was it your town that drowned when the dam was built?

Was it your house or your street?

It was all our homes, our town, our farmlands, and our deity!

If you want to fish, you’ll need our permission.

Just because the government held a bid,

these people think they can come here to fish.

First of all, coming to the dam without our permission is a mistake!

- I will-- - Rokka Puli!

I was just going to sit.

I wasn’t planning to break it!

Answer him.

Why did you enter the dam?

Yesterday, I was reminded of my home.

So I took a boat to see it again.

There, I saw my home, swallowed by the water.

Suddenly, my grandpa came to mind.

I just broke down, crying uncontrollably.

I even saw a few fish swimming in my kitchen.

I just wanted to give those fish a home, so I brought some back.

But now they’re calling me a thief and beating me.

Sir, enough with the drama!

First, file an FIR against them.

He’s right, file the FIR.

But last night he fired at my people.

The shots echoed all over town.

-Oh, is that so? -Hey, bring that gun here.

This is the gun they shot with.

Are my people animals for you to hunt?!

Rokka Puli, no, calm down!

Today's my lucky day!

Even we officers must get the Collector’s permission to shoot.

But you’re the one asking for an FIR now.

Just go.

Pacha, look how Puli Uncle twisted the case to his side.

Yes, Sivappu. Puli Uncle can eat a hundred lawyers for breakfast!

Fish swimming in the kitchen? That was clever!

Rokka Puli!

The one who bid legally was made out to be the villain and arrested.

But the swindlers are respected, and people bow to them.

You’re wondering if this is justice, right? In this town, it is.

When the Vaigai Dam was built in 1959, twelve villages were drowned.

So the people were shifted to the cactus forest.

If the dam water recedes, their wells and lands will show again.

They’ll begin vegetable farming.

If the water level rises, it’ll all go underwater again.

And they’ll smuggle liquor and stash.

Not everyone from a cactus forest can turn into a Poet Vairamuthu, after all.

From celebrations to funerals, Rokka Puli is always there for Athanur’s people.

Do you think crying day and night will bring her back?

I don’t care how long it takes. Give me 25,000 and take the body.

She passed this morning, and flies are already buzzing.

- If we don’t act, it’ll get worse. - Let it be!

Heartless moron!

Take her now! If each home had pitched in, we could’ve paid it back.

But you delayed, and now it’s too late!

Give it to me.

Without 25,000 rupees, Pandi was helpless and couldn’t perform his mother’s last rites.

Rokka Puli stepped in for him too.

-Five ones are five - Five ones are five!

-Five twos are ten. - Five twos are ten!

-Five threes are fifteen! - Five threes are fifteen!

Teacher, Pandi’s mom told us to bring him.

Your mom is gone, so how can she call for you?

This is the boy whose mom took that girl's body.

I'm not going!

Listen, you asked to see your son, and here he is, brought from his school.

See him, take the holy ash, and go immediately.

Please don’t torment the newlyweds.

-Is he here? -Yes, now open your eyes.

Oh my, this isn't my mother. Leave me alone!

Pandi, please, stop.

Please, I’m begging you.

Your mother promised to leave her after she oils and combs your hair.

Please help me. It’s the only way I can get my wife back.

My fate is in your hands. I’ll touch your feet if I must.

See, I did it.

Don’t be scared. It’s your mom.

Pandi…

Why’s your hair such a mess?

Wherever you go, make sure you oil and comb your hair first.

Mother, my precious golden one

You’ve become my guiding god!

But your gentle lullaby is gone

A song I’ll never hear again!

You didn’t merge with the river

- Nor did you become the water itself -Hey, Pandi. Did you eat?

-No, brother. -Here you go. Eat this.

-Pandi? -Hmm.

If thieves see no one at home, they’ll take your grinders and mortars.

How about I keep it safe at my place?

A child without a mother

Has no shoulder to lean on!

Who will soothe his hunger?

- Whose lap will he rest his head? Pandi, food for you.

I'll take the woods with me.

Mother, my precious golden one

You’ve become my guiding god!

-Pandi, did you eat? -No brother, I didn't.

Fine, then go eat!

Who’s the one giving Pandi, Thangamma’s son, his food?

I think it’s his neighbors!

They’ll just point to the next house and he’ll end up unfed.

So send him food each day through our daughter.

My father sent you some food.

Mother, my precious golden one

You’ve become my guiding god!

But your gentle lullaby is gone

A song I’ll never hear again!

Pandi, why are you here and not at school?

I can’t count on strangers to feed me daily.

-So? -I've decided to work. Give me a job.

Can you even work, to be asking me this?

I can be a henchman.

A henchman?

Look at him so little, asking for a henchman job.

Do I look like a goon to you?

Focus on your studies.

Return the tiffin box at my home and get back to school.

Else, I'll end you.

He called me a goon.

Do I look like one?

That day, you humiliated me in the police station.

Today, we’ve got him alone. So show him who we are!

- Go. - Hey!

Hey… stop.

-What's your blood group? -He's asking my blood group.

Kill him!

Hey.

What's with all the skating?

Life hit him below the belt.

I don't hit people who are already hurt.

Just a moment.

At least you answer me. What's your blood group?

-I don't know. -Why don't you know?

Go, find it out!

Son, give me the knife.

-I will pay in lakhs. -Pandi, throw it to me.

-Promise me you'll give me a job. -Is this the time to ask for a job?!

Give me your word.

Pandi, I'll give you a job!

I asked you to give it to me.

Not stab him!

Isn't it my job from now?

Hand it over to me. I asked you to throw it not stab!

Come with me, Pandi.

A young bull fears nothing!