Making a movie is hard. Making a movie that sits on a shelf for five years while the world changes around it? That’s almost impossible.
Joshua Imai Pol Kaakha finally hit screens in early 2024, and honestly, the reception was a bit of a rollercoaster. You’ve got the die-hard Gautham Vasudev Menon (GVM) fans who will watch anything he touches because of that specific "GVM vibe"—the slick suits, the urban romance, the English-inflected Tamil dialogue. Then you’ve got the skeptics who felt this was just a "producer’s project" meant to clear some debts.
The truth? It’s probably somewhere in the middle.
The Story Behind the Protection
Basically, the plot is straight out of a 90s Hollywood action flick, but with a modern Chennai-to-London-to-NYC makeover. Varun plays Joshua, an assassin who decides he's done with the killing life after falling for Kundhavi (played by Raahei).
Classic trope, right?
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But then Kundhavi, who is a high-profile attorney, gets targeted by a Mexican drug cartel because she's prosecuting one of their own. Suddenly, Joshua isn't just an ex-boyfriend; he’s a "Close Protection Specialist." He has to keep her alive while a bunch of international hitmen try to take her out. The movie's subtitle, Imai Pol Kaakha, literally translates to "protecting like an eyelid." It’s poetic, but the movie itself is much more interested in broken bones and bullet casings than poetry.
Why the Five-Year Wait Mattered
The film started back in 2019. Think about how much the "John Wick" style of action has evolved since then. By the time Joshua actually came out in March 2024, we’d already seen Extraction, Vikram, and a dozen other high-octane "bodyguard" movies.
Varun, the lead, actually went through a massive transformation for this. He lost about 22 kilograms (nearly 50 pounds!) to look the part of a sleek hitman. He even spent a month in Paris training with Yannick Ben, the stunt director who worked on Fury and Raayan. You can see that effort on screen. The fights aren't your typical "one punch sends ten guys flying" South Indian cinema style. They’re gritty. They’re fast.
But the delay hurt the momentum. When a movie stays in "the can" for that long, the CGI can start to look a bit dated, and the hype naturally cools off.
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The GVM Factor: Love it or Hate it?
If you've seen Minnale or Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, you know GVM's signature. He loves a protagonist who is articulate and a bit brooding. In Joshua Imai Pol Kaakha, he tries to mix that romantic "voiceover" style with a hardcore action movie.
Some people found it a bit jarring.
- The romance felt a little rushed.
- The villain (played by Krishna) was interesting but maybe didn't get enough screen time to be truly terrifying.
- The lead actress, Raahei, was a newcomer, and while she looked the part, the chemistry didn't always sizzle the way a GVM romance usually does.
However, the music by Karthik (taking over the mantle from GVM's usual collaborators) actually hits the mark. The track "Naan Un Joshua" is catchy, and the background score keeps the energy up during the long chase sequences.
What Most People Get Wrong
There’s this rumor that this movie was just a repurposed version of Yohan: Adhyayam Ondru, a legendary "lost" project GVM was supposed to do with Thalapathy Vijay years ago.
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GVM has been pretty vocal about debunking this.
He’s said that while Joshua lives in a similar "spy universe" (and there are even hints it connects to his other long-delayed project, Dhruva Natchathiram), it's a standalone story. It was designed to be a smaller-scale, no-frills actioner. It wasn't trying to be the next Baahubali. It was trying to be a stylish B-movie.
The Verdict: Is It Worth Your Time?
Look, if you're looking for a deep, soul-stirring cinematic experience, this isn't it. But if you want to see some of the best-choreographed hand-to-hand combat in recent Tamil cinema, it’s actually pretty solid.
Joshua Imai Pol Kaakha works best when Joshua is just doing his job—taking down bad guys in hallways and parking garages. It struggles when it tries to be a heavy drama.
Actionable Insights for Viewers:
- Watch it for the Stunts: Yannick Ben’s choreography is the real star here. Pay attention to the "barefoot" fight scene—it’s a highlight.
- Manage Expectations: Don't go in expecting the emotional depth of Vaaranam Aayiram. This is a genre exercise.
- Check the Soundtrack: Even if you skip the movie, the songs are worth a "save" on your playlist.
- Streaming Status: If you missed the theatrical run, it’s generally available on Prime Video (depending on your region), making it an easy weekend watch.
Ultimately, the film serves as a showcase for Varun’s potential as an action lead and a reminder that even GVM’s "minor" works still have a level of technical polish that most action movies miss. It’s a fast-paced 130 minutes that doesn't overstay its welcome, even if it doesn't reinvent the wheel.
If you’re a fan of the "Bodyguard" trope or just want to see how a Tamil filmmaker handles international-style hitman sequences, give it a go. Just don't expect it to change your life.