Viduthalai Part 1

Viduthalai Part 1 (transl. Liberation Part 1) is a 2023 Indian Tamil-language period political crime thriller film directed and co-produced by Vetrimaaran under Grass Root Film Company and RS Infotainment. It is the first of a two-part adaptation of the short story Thunaivan (transl. Companion) by Jeyamohan. Set in 1987, the film follows a police constable, who is recruited to arrest the leader of a separatist group but soon gets caught in ethical dilemmas. The ensemble cast includes Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, Bhavani Sre, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Rajiv Menon, Ilavarasu, Balaji Sakthivel, Saravana Subbiah, Chetan, Munnar Ramesh, and Pavel Navageethan.

Viduthalai was originally announced as a single film in April 2021, with principal photography already having commenced in December 2020. However, it was later announced to be released in two parts. It was predominantly shot in Chengalpattu, with the first part's portions wrapping by late December 2022. The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, cinematography handled by R. Velraj and editing by R. Ramar.

Viduthalai released on 31 March 2023 in theatres receiving critical acclaim and became a commercial success at the box office. A direct sequel titled Viduthalai Part 2 was released in 2024.