We often see that influential people often abuse their power and take advantage of the helpless. Vijay Milton’s movie, Mazhai Pidikatha Manithan follows a similar plight where we come across a man named Salim who waged a war against the powerful but has to constantly change his identity to stay hidden. After Salim takes down a powerful minister’s son, Salim has to disappear and live under a secret identity. But Salim isn’t just hiding—he’s fighting for justice, helping those who can’t defend themselves. Once Salim finishes a mission, his boss spreads the word that he’s dead, even though he’s still alive and working in the shadows. Salim doesn’t have a real name; he goes by his agent code, 2223. When he arrives on a new island, he’s told to keep a low profile and avoid getting involved in any new missions for a while. But Salim can’t just sit back when he sees injustice. There’s a smuggler named Daali on the island who uses his power to hurt and control people. Salim knows he can’t ignore the situation and feels compelled to step in and do the right thing, even if it puts him at risk. How does he do it here? Let’s find out through Mazhai Pidikatha Manithan’s recap and explainer.
Spoilers Ahead
Who was Daali?
Daali was the local mafia boss in town and everyone was afraid of him. Daali was known for lending money to those in need, but if they couldn’t pay him back on time, he would do whatever it took to get his money, no matter the cost to them. Mazhai Pidikatha Manithan begins with a man named Raghavan, who falls into Daali’s trap. Raghavan wasn’t the one who borrowed money from Daali, but he had been the guarantor for someone who did. Unfortunately, that person had skipped town and left Raghavan to deal with Daali’s wrath. Daali’s henchmen abducted Raghavan to make him pay off the debt. Daali threatened him and told him to either voluntarily retire from his government job or face death. He even gave Raghavan poisoned coffee as a warning of what could happen if he didn’t comply. Raghavan was stuck. If he took early retirement, Daali would take his retirement money and claim the land he had sold. And on top of that, Daali had already taken his scooter. Raghavan had no choice but to give up his money to Daali, because he knew there was no way out. Daali was just too powerful. Raghavan was also thinking about his two daughters. For their sake, he sacrificed everything he could—his scooter, his money—because he knew that Daali wasn’t someone he could escape from.
Why did Salim think of taking revenge on Daali?
When Salim first arrived in the new town with his fresh identity and name, he was completely alone. The only thing we knew about him was his deep hatred for the rain. He had lost his loved ones to the sea during a terrible storm, and ever since then, he had lived a lonely life. In the new town, things weren’t much different for Salim. He kept to himself and felt disconnected from everything—until one day, a stray dog with a broken leg wandered up to him. Seeing the poor creature stirred something in Salim. He began taking care of the dog, and it gave him a new sense of purpose. Living under a secret identity as an agent was challenging. Salim’s chief told him to stay out of trouble, but he couldn’t ignore injustice. He felt the need to step in, even when he was supposed to stay out of it.
One day, as he was walking down the road, Daali’s henchmen picked him up and put him to work. That’s how Salim first learned about Daali and just how powerful and dangerous he really was. During that time, Salim met one of his henchmen named Burma, who soon became a friend. Burma took him into his home, where his kind-hearted mother treated Salim like her own son. This kindness touched Salim’s heart. He decided that if Daali’s men ever troubled Burma’s family, he would help them in any way he could.
Later in the story, we meet a girl named Sowmya, who turns out to be Raghavan’s daughter. She was also the owner of the dog with the broken leg. Daali’s men had deliberately hurt the dog as revenge. Realizing how cruel and heartless Daali was, Sowmya started connecting the dots. She soon understood that Daali and his men were the reason her father, Raghavan, had died, and why their scooter had been taken away. Salim felt a deep sympathy for Sowmya and knew he had to do something about it. But what really pushed him over the edge was what happened to Burma. One day, Burma was transporting some of Daali’s belongings when a police officer, DSP Surla, stopped him on the road. Surla hated Daali and didn’t care how powerful he was, so he humiliated Burma in front of a crowd. Someone filmed the whole thing and posted it online, which wounded Daali’s pride. Furious, Daali ordered Burma to hit the police officer in public, at a mall, so that Daali and his men could regain their “respect.” But Salim saw through it all. Daali was feeding his own ego by preying on the innocent and helpless, and that fueled Salim’s anger. He knew, without a doubt, that he had to take revenge.
How did Salim take revenge on Daali?
Salim knew that Burma was being forced to hit Officer Surla in the mall in front of everyone. But before that could happen, Salim took matters into his own hands. He managed to hang six of Daali’s men from the roof of the mall as revenge and created a shocking spectacle. Even Officer Surla was stunned by the sight, and as they connected the dots, both Daali and Surla realized that it was Salim behind it. At first, Officer Surla wanted to go after Salim. But when they faced off, Salim, with his sharp blade skills, cut Surla’s face just enough to leave him with a wound that wouldn’t heal anytime soon. This sent a strong message. From then on, Salim began taking out Daali’s men one by one with precision, as he sought his revenge. In the end, it came down to a final showdown between Daali and Salim. Daali tried to show his power, but against a trained agent like Salim, who had a history of bringing down criminals, he was no match. Salim’s skills, determination, and sense of justice were too strong for Daali to fight back. Just as Daali was about to admit defeat, Salim stopped him. Instead of killing him, Salim offered him a different path. He told Daali that instead of preying on the helpless, he should use his billion-dollar empire, built from stealing from the poor, to help them instead. Salim reminded him that once upon a time, Daali had helped people before he became a mafia leader. He could still be a hero if he chose to do good again. Through this, Salim spared Daali’s life, giving him a second chance to make things right.
But just as Salim’s mission in the town came to an end, his chief shot him from a distance, and spread the news that Salim was dead. But we all know the truth—Salim wasn’t really gone. He’s that kind of hero who never truly dies. He may now move on to another town with a new identity and a new mission, but the story stays the same: he will always be there to defeat the powerful who prey on the helpless and powerless.
