'Kannur Squad' vs 'Theeran - Adhigaaram Ondru': Do comparisons hold water?

Ever since Mammootty Kampany’s 'Kannur Squad' began streaming on OTT, the film’s similarity to Karthi’s 2017 film ‘Theeran - Adhigaaram Ondru' has become a major point of discussion on social media. While Karthi’s superhit film gave the actor a pan-Indian reach, ‘Kannur Squad’ gave Mammootty his first Rs 100 crore blockbuster. We dissect both films to see if these comparisons hold any water.

Both are inter-state investigations

While it is true that both films feature the cops investigating the crime across the states, there is a striking difference in the way, both the probes are carried out. In ‘Theeran’, Karthi, who is a DCP, is mostly stationed at a police station and giving out orders to his subordinates, while in ‘Kannur Squad’, Mammootty plays an ASI who is always on the field, investigating the case with his team.

Both feature different timelines

The police force in both the films are cracking cases that occur in different time periods. However, in 'Theeran', all the cases involve the same set of dacoits who are ruthlessly murdering innocent families. In ‘Kannur Squad’, the investigation team is solving different cases in different time periods.

Both based on real life stories
'Kannur Squad' is inspired by the men who were part of an investigation team of the same name. They were set up in Kannur to bring down crimes in the district. The team is still active. ‘Theeran' is based on Operation Bawaria, which was launched by the Tamil Nadu police in 2005 after a group of dacoits mercilessly killed a couple of influential and affluent families near the National Highway in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Search operations extend to different states

In Kannur Squad, the four-man team travels the length and breadth of the country to nab the accused. They travel through UP, Karnataka and even reach the Indo-Nepal border to nab the accused. In 'Theeran', the police team kicked off their investigation in South Indian states and then expand the search to Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana.

Action sequences in villages
In both films, the police are confronted by goons of an entire village who have been colluding with the criminals. Most of the action sequences in both films were centered around these villages. The scenes in Kannur Squad were raw compared to ‘Theeran’.

Commercial aspect of both movies

‘Kannur Squad’ is a commercial film with enough action sequences and adrenaline-rush moments. However, the film is devoid of a few other aspects of a commercial movie, including a romantic angle. However, in ‘Theeran’, the filmmaker H Vinoth stayed true to most aspects of a commercial movie, including a cute-bubbly romance, which is a mainstay of Tamil movies.