Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum

Kathiravan aka Kathir (Vijay Sethupathi) is the henchman and a glorified errand boy of a local area councillor. Kathir's only aim in life is to own a bar of his own. He had just been released from prison after serving a five-year sentence for being the voluntary fall-guy for a crime he did not commit on the orders of the councillor (G.M. Sundar). Kathir did the deed on the promise that his status within the henchman crew will be elevated once he is released. Meanwhile, a young Villupuram-based engineering graduate Yazhini (Madonna Sebastian), leaves for Chennai despite her parents' reluctance to let her go, to pursue a career in the IT sector. When the company she works for shuts down suddenly some months after, she faces financial hardship and is forced to move into a low-cost housing colony while searching for a new job. Her neighbour is Kathir. Though both of them dislike each other in the beginning, they gradually warm up to each other despite their different backgrounds and become a sort of support system for one another.

Facing pressure from her family over her career and wedding, Yazhini introduces Kathir to her parents as her boyfriend who is a successful manager in an IT firm. Her parents decide to fix their marriage but change their mind after seeing Kathir thrashing two men opposite a temple, realising that he is a rowdy. They bar Yazhini from returning to Chennai, even forbidding her to attend an important job interview. Meanwhile, Kathir starts a gang war by beating up the henchmen of a rival gangster (Samuthirakani). The councillor decides that Kathir should murder the rival and make their new recruit henchman be the fall-guy this time. After ensuring that Yazhini attends her interview, Kathir proceeds with the plan to murder the rival gangster. However, during the ensuing scuffle, Kathir ends up being stabbed with a rebar and is left to bleed to death.

Some years later, Yazhini has become a director in her company and has moved out from the housing colony. She constantly thinks about Kathir, whom she has never seen again after her interview. Yazhini yearns to show Kathir her new life, knowing that he is the one person who will be happier than even herself in her having achieved her dreams. Then, she sees him in a gas Petrol Bunk with Murali, only to realize that he survived the incident, and is living a new life. The two rejoice in the happy ending.

• Vijay Sethupathi as Kathiravan aka Kathir
• Madonna Sebastian as Yazhini
• Samuthirakani
• Ramesh Thilak as Cab Driver
• G.M. Sundar as Local Politician
• K. S. G. Venkatesh as Yazhini's Father
• D. R. K. Kiran

Nalan Kumarasamy shelved a film titled Kai Neelam and began working on a remake of the Korean film My Dear Desperado for the same producers, C. V. Kumar paid ₹40 lakh (US$48,000) to acquire the Korean film's remake rights.^[4]

The film had an official launch in April 2015 and began filming, with Dinesh Krishnan announced as the cinematographer and Leo John Paul as editor.^[5] The film was developed under the title of Eskimo Kadhal, but was later renamed as Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum.

The film's soundtrack and background score were composed by Santhosh Narayanan. A single "Ka Ka Ka Po" sung by the composer was released on 25 January 2016.^[6] The soundtrack album consist of five tracks. The album was released on 4 March 2016 with positive reviews. Behindwood rated the music 3/5 stating "Santhosh Narayanan strikes again with his unique ideas of fusion music!"^[7]

The film was initially planned to release it on 12 February 2016 but due to Vijay Sethupathi's other film Sethupathi releasing on that day, the film was postponed. The film released on 11 March 2016.

The film opened to positive reviews from critics.^[8] Behindwoods wrote: A film that makes you smile, sad, laugh out loud and feel pain, but never bored with rating 3/5.^[9] Sify gave the film a rating of 3 stars out of 5, noting "Overall, Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum is a classy rom-com, which can be watched for the superb writing and phenomenal performances." ^[10] Times of India rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, calling it, "A film where the magic lies in lingering on - rather than rushing through - in this world."^[11] Hindustan Times rated the film 3 out of 5 stars. "Packed with wit rather than violence, the movie has us tickled with innumerable one-liners."^[12] India Today assesed a rating of 3.5 of 5 stars, commenting, "Nalan Kumarasamy makes ordinary something look extraordinary."^[13] Movie Crow : A treat of a different kind from the team of Soodhu Kavvum rated 3.25/5 ^[14] Rediff: With riveting performances by the lead actors, a delightful script and the magic wielded by the director and composer, the film is a sure winner with a rating of 3.5/5 ^[15]

In its opening weekend, the film collected ₹7.45 crore (US$890,000) in Tamil Nadu from 327 screens, and ₹1.17 crore (US$140,000) crore from 264 shows in Chennai. Overall, it was the highest opening in Vijay Sethupathi's career.^[16][17] It continued its number one position at the Chennai city box office making it a total of ₹2.58 crore (US$310,000) in its first week. ^[18]

In the United States, the film grossed $41,000 on its first day. The film was released in 47 theatres in North America.^[19] In the United Kingdom, the film collected ₹1.59 crore (US$190,000) across 23 screens. In Australia, it earned ₹1.71 crore (US$200,000) and in Malaysia, ₹0.86 crore (US$100,000).^[20]

Santhosh Narayanan, Nalan Kumarasamy and Vijay Sethupathi had earlier worked together in Soodhu Kavvum, which was the debut film for Nalan Kumarasamy as film director.

• Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum at IMDb