Watch Laabam

Laabam is a Tamil language movie from 2021 that stars Vijay Sethupathi, Shruti Haasan, and Jagapathi Babu. The movie is directed by S. P. Jhananathan and produced by P. Arumugakumar and Vijay Sethupathi himself under their banners of 7Cs Entertainment and Vijay Sethupathi Productions, respectively. The movie begins by highlighting the village of Pulliampakkam, which is at the center of the story. The village is lush green and full of trees, and the villagers live in harmony with nature. However, the serenity of the village is disturbed when a private company decides to set up a factory in the village, which threatens the livelihood of the villagers and the environment.

The movie's protagonist, played by Vijay Sethupathi, is a social activist named S. Dharmaraj. He is the founder of a group called the 'Wall of Truth.' The group aims to educate the common people about their rights and the importance of environmental conservation. When Dharmaraj learns about the proposed factory in Pulliampakkam, he mobilizes his team and the villagers to protest against the company's plans.

Soon, Dharmaraj finds himself at odds with a powerful industrialist named Ranganathan, played by Jagapathi Babu. Ranganathan is the owner of the private company that wants to set up the factory in the village. He is a ruthless businessman who is willing to go to any lengths to achieve his goals. Ranganathan sees the protests as a mere hindrance to his plans and has no qualms about using force to suppress them.

To make matters worse, Ranganathan has also convinced the local politicians to support his plans. Dharmaraj knows that his team and the villagers are up against a formidable opponent, but he is determined not to give up. The rest of the movie shows how Dharmaraj and Ranganathan engage in a battle of wits and ideologies, with the fate of the village and its people hanging in the balance.

Shruti Haasan plays the role of a journalist named Nandhini, who is sympathetic to Dharmaraj's cause. She helps to spread the word about the protests and the environmental degradation caused by the factory. Her character also acts as a bridge between Dharmaraj and the outside world. In a way, she becomes the voice of the people who are not directly affected by the factory but care about the environment.

The movie raises several pertinent questions about the importance of environmental conservation and the role of capitalism in modern society. It also highlights the power dynamics that exist between the rich and the poor, and how difficult it is for the latter to protect their interests in a world dominated by the former. The movie sends a strong message that environmental conservation is not just the responsibility of the government or a handful of individuals but should be a collective effort of the entire society.

Overall, Laabam is an engrossing movie that balances action and drama with a meaningful message. The performances of the lead actors are top-notch, and the direction is impressive. The movie is a must-watch for those who care about the environment and social justice.

Laabam is a 2021 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 24 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 3.5.