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 (single lead role and double cameo roles) 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 byGokul
Written byGokul
Produced byVijay Sethupathi
Arun Pandian
Ishari K. Ganesh
R. M. Rajesh Kumar
Starring
CinematographyDudley
Edited byV. J. Sabu Joseph
Music bySiddharth Vipin
Production
companies
Vijay Sethupathi Productions
A & P Groups
Vels Film International
Distributed byA & P Groups
Release date
  • 27 July 2018 (2018-07-27)
Running time
157 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil
Budget₹27 crore

Plot

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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

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Production

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

Soundtrack

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Junga
Soundtrack album by
Released13 June 2018
Recorded2018
GenreFilm soundtrack
Length23:42
LanguageTamil
LabelThink Music
ProducerSiddharth 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]

All tracks are written by Lalithanand

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Amma Mela Sathiyam"Jagadeesh Kumar, Pavithra Gokul04:12
2."Rise Of Don"Suraj Jagan, Siddharth Vipin, Rockstar Ramani Ammal, Emcee Jesz04:21
3."Parrys To Paris"Anthony Daasan, Kalpana Raghavendar05:18
4."Lolikriya"Marana Gana Viji, Nakash Aziz03:50
5."Kootippo Koodave"D. Sathyaprakash, Ranina Reddy04:53
6."Makkal Selvan Fans Song"Suraj Jagan, Jagadeesh Kumar01:08
Total length:23:42

Release and reception

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

A critic from The Times of India rated the film 3+12 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+12 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

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

References

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  1. ^ "JUNGA (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  2. ^ Mrinalini Sundar (1 September 2017). "In Junga, the actor is also the producer!". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  3. ^ a b Sundar, Priyanka (27 July 2018). "Junga movie review: Vijay Sethupathi is hilarious in this gangster spoof". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Vijay Sethupathi, Sayyeshaa's new film Junga will be shot in Paris and Chennai". Hindustan Times. Indo-Asian News Service. 28 August 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  5. ^ LM, Kaushik [@LMKMovieManiac] (5 September 2017). "#VijaySethupathi @sayyeshaa 's #Junga -60% shoot to be done in France, rest in Chennai, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram -Yogi Babu in an imp part" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2017 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Vijay Sethupathi's 'Junga' audio and trailer launched". The News Minute. 13 June 2018. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  7. ^ ஜுங்கா, மோகினி - ஒரிஜினல் கலெக்‌ஷன் ரிப்போர்ட்! | #311 | Valai Pechu (in Tamil). Valai Pechu. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2018 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ Suryanarayanan, Subramanian (27 July 2018). "JUNGA MOVIE REVIEW". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  9. ^ "'Junga' review: A frivolous comedy that goes nowhere". The Hindu. 27 July 2018. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  10. ^ Aiyappan, Ashameera (27 July 2018). "Junga movie review: A gangster satire that digresses more than it entertains". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  11. ^ Subramanian, Anupama. "Junga movie review: Tepid 2nd half and adorable Vijay Sethupathi stand out". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  12. ^ Srinivasan, Sudhir (27 July 2018). "Junga Review: A stingy don goes to France to ruin the film". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
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