2019 · Film
Kaithi
Tamil action thriller by Lokesh Kanagaraj in which a just-released prisoner, played by Karthi, drives a lorry of drugged policemen to hospital through one night of gang attacks.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Kaithi is free to watch in India on Prime Video.
Free
This Prime Video title has Hindi audio only and lists a 2 h 14 min runtime; shown as 'Watch for free'
Checked Sun, 18 Oct, 2026Open ↗
The story
Police in Trichy have seized 900 kilograms of cocaine, and the drug lord's gang wants it back. During a party, they drug the city's senior officers, leaving Inspector Bejoy as the only one still standing. He needs someone to drive the unconscious men to hospital, so he turns to Dilli, a prisoner who has just been released. Dilli wants only to meet the daughter he has never seen, but he agrees to drive the lorry while gang members hunt it through the night. Karthi, Narain and Arjun Das star.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
Fits viewers who like lean, real-time action thrillers with no songs or romance, and the place to start with Lokesh Kanagaraj's connected films before Vikram and Leo. Expect constant gunfire and close-quarters fights.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Kaithi ("Prisoner") is the first film in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. It is followed by Vikram (2022), where Narain returns as Bejoy, and by Leo (2023), where George Maryan returns as Napoleon. Most of the film was shot at night, and it has no songs. Sam C. S. composed the score.
It opened on 25 October 2019, ahead of Diwali, against Vijay's Bigil. It started streaming on Hotstar on 25 November 2019, only a month later, and some multiplex chains stopped showing it after that. The Telugu dub, Khaidi, later premiered on Aha. The film grossed about ₹105 crore worldwide, Karthi's first ₹100 crore film. It won Best Film – Tamil at the South Indian International Movie Awards.
It was remade in Hindi as Bholaa (2023). A follow-up, Kaithi 2, about Dilli's past, is in development.
The facts
- Language
- Tamil
- Hindi
- Hindi dub available
- Genre
- Action thriller
- Runtime
- 146 min
- Director
- Lokesh Kanagaraj
- Cast
- Karthi, Narain, Arjun Das, George Maryan, Harish Uthaman
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Kaithi in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Kaithi is free to watch in India on Prime Video.
- Is Kaithi available in Hindi?
- Yes. Kaithi was made in Tamil, and a Hindi-dubbed version is available on Prime Video.
- How long is Kaithi?
- Kaithi runs for 2 hours 26 minutes (146 minutes).