05 Films Where Ordinary People Rise Up Against Powerful Systems

1. Jana Nayagan (Tamil Zee 5)

Directed by H. Vinoth, Jana Nayagan stars Vijay, Pooja Hegde and Bobby Deol and explores the relationship between the people and those in the establishment. Vijay plays a former police officer who joins a bigger fight against the establishment, highlighting themes of leadership, public resistance and fighting an oppressive system. The film is centered around Vijay and his journey as an activist that reveals the importance of people questioning the status quo.

2. Sarkar (Netflix)

Directed by A.R. Murugadoss and starring Vijay, Keerthy Suresh and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Sarkar follows a successful businessman who has returned to his home country to cast his vote but finds out that his vote has already been used. Not willing to accept this injustice, he begins his path of taking the political establishment down with him, showing how an ordinary citizen can take an active role in reforming a corrupt system when they refuse to be silent.

3. Kaththi (Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by A.R. Murugadoss and featuring Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kaththi is a film about farmers who are oppressed by a corrupt corporation who wants to take over their land and water. After learning about the farmers’ plight, the protagonist joins in on the fight against the company, proving that the strength of the common people is greater than the wealth and resources of the establishment. This commercial action movie has a strong social message and shows the fight of ordinary farmers against corporate interests.

4. Indian (Amazon Prime Video)

An Indian film directed by S. Shankar and starring Kamal Haasan in a dual role alongside Manisha Koirala and Urmila Matondkar, Indian is a story about a former freedom fighter named Senapathy who refuses to accept the corruption of the new regime. Determined to give citizens a
fair system that isn’t built on bribery and misusing the establishment, he takes the fight directly to the corrupt officials. Indian is a grand production with an ensemble cast and a social message about fighting the establishment.

5. Maamannan (Netflix)

Directed by Mari Selvaraj, Maamannan is a political drama starring Vadivelu, Fahadh Faasil, Udhayanidhi Stalin and Keerthy Suresh about social hierarchy and the problems that people from lower castes must face. Maamannan is a political leader who has spent most of his life under the control of aristocracy and has now come to terms with the fact that he must fight for his rights, and so has his son, who joins the fight alongside him. The story has powerful
performances and social messages about caste system and class oppression.

Watch Jana Nayagan only on Tamil Zee 5