2021 · Film
Jai Bhim
Tamil legal drama based on a 1993 case, in which lawyer Chandru, played by Suriya, fights for an Irula tribal woman whose husband vanished from police custody.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Jai Bhim is free to watch in India on Prime Video.
- Checked Sun, 18 Oct, 2026Open ↗
The story
In 1993, Rajakannu and Sengeni, a couple from the Irula tribe, make a living catching rats and snakes for landowners. When jewellery is stolen from a house where Rajakannu has just caught a snake, police raid their home. They detain the pregnant Sengeni and arrest his relatives. Rajakannu is later caught and tortured, and then the police say the men have escaped from custody. With help from a literacy teacher, Sengeni reaches Chandru, a lawyer who takes tribal cases without charging fees. He files a habeas corpus petition in the Madras High Court.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
For viewers drawn to courtroom dramas and true stories about caste and police abuse. It carries an A certificate for prolonged scenes of custodial torture, so it is not for children, and it runs close to three hours.
thought-provokingemotionaldark
Genres:DramaTrue storiesCrime
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Jai Bhim is based on a 1993 incident in Cuddalore district and the legal case fought by K. Chandru, who later became a judge of the Madras High Court. Chandru was involved from the story discussions through post-production. Suriya and Jyothika produced it through 2D Entertainment, and the title refers to a slogan used by followers of B. R. Ambedkar.
The CBFC gave it an A certificate. It skipped cinemas under a four-film deal between 2D Entertainment and Amazon Prime Video, and premiered there on 2 November 2021 with dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. It later screened at the Pune International Film Festival, and it was eligible for the 94th Academy Awards but was not nominated.
At the 67th Filmfare Awards South, it won Best Film – Tamil, and Lijomol Jose won Best Actress – Tamil. It was the most-searched film of 2021 on Google in India.
The facts
- Language
- Tamil
- Hindi
- Hindi dub available
- Genre
- Legal drama, True story
- Runtime
- 164 min
- Certificate
- A
- Director
- T. J. Gnanavel
- Cast
- Suriya, Lijomol Jose, K. Manikandan, Rajisha Vijayan, Prakash Raj
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Jai Bhim in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Jai Bhim is free to watch in India on Prime Video.
- Is Jai Bhim available in Hindi?
- Yes. Jai Bhim was made in Tamil, and a Hindi-dubbed version is available on Prime Video.
- Is Jai Bhim suitable for children?
- Jai Bhim has a CBFC A certificate, which means it is restricted to adults aged 18 and above.
- How long is Jai Bhim?
- Jai Bhim runs for 2 hours 44 minutes (164 minutes).