Viduthalai: Part I

Charismatic leader of Makkal Padai, determined to defend the hill village from the mining project. He becomes the central figure the authorities hunt as the group’s face and symbol. His actions force both villagers and police into difficult moral positions, highlighting the human cost of political conflict.

Newly recruited constable assigned as a driver in E-Company. He starts out by the book but soon sees how orders enable brutality and erode trust. He discovers Perumal’s network and ultimately helps in a critical arrest while facing personal consequences.

Tamilarasi, nicknamed Pappa, is Kumaresan’s love interest and the granddaughter of a villager Kumaresan once rescued. Her family history and the crackdown illuminate the personal stakes of the conflict. Her experiences with arrest and torture underscore the villagers’ vulnerability.

DSP Sunil Menon heads Operation Ghosthunt against Perumal. He embodies the pragmatic, hardline approach of the state, coordinating interrogations and the crackdown. His actions highlight the efficiency-versus-ethics tension within law enforcement.

Officer-in-Charge of E-Company who orchestrates brutal arrests and interrogations to break Makkal Padai. His ruthless approach reveals how power and fear are used to enforce policy. He seeks to claim credit for harshly suppressing dissent.

Head Constable who secretly acts as Perumal’s mole. He passes covert information to Perumal, exposing the fissures within the police and the dangers of divided loyalties. His double allegiance destabilizes trust within the force.

An elder in Tamilarasi’s family who is tortured and killed during police interrogations. Her death crystallizes the villagers’ sense of injustice and intensifies the call for accountability.

A photographer who documents the brutality at the camp. His footage provides a record of state violence and adds a meta-commentary on truth-telling and accountability within the narrative.

A young onlooker among the villagers, whose perspective underscores the impact of the conflict on innocent lives and the long shadow of violence in the community.