Thalaivi trailer: Kangana Ranaut portrays a fierce Jayalalithaa

Actress-turned-politician Jayalalithaa's biopic, Thalaivi, is one of the most anticipated films of the year. The trailer of the film, which stars Kangana Ranaut, showcases the influential leader's tumultuous journey from the studio to the chief minister's chair.

The almost-four minute trailer is divided into two halves. The first half concentrates on the initial chapters of Jayalalithaa's life — her career in the film industry and her bond with actor and politician MG Ramachandran (MGR), played by Arvind Swami, who was like a mentor to her. 

The latter half focuses on her political ascent and how she rose above a patriarchal system that always sought to undermine her. The trailer also shows an infamous episode when Jayalalithaa was brutally attacked by the DMK members in the state assembly in 1989.

In the trailer, Jayalalithaa is treated as a larger-than-life personality,  where everything revolves around the protagonist. Ranaut looks convincing in the younger avatar of the personality but looks a tad unnatural as the older Jayalalithaa. The poor prosthetics play spoilsport as they restrict her facial movement. This is evident in the last part of the trailer in the scene where the character demands respect from her party members. Also, the trailer reveals all major scenes.

Thalaivi has been directed by A.L. Vijay and produced by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Shailesh R Singh under the banner of Vibri Media. 

The biopic, which has been shot simultaneously in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, will be released on 23 April.

Check out the trailer below and let us know if you are keen on watching the film.