Cobra (2022)

Cobra 2022: the idea behind the film

Cobra is a 2022 Tamil-language psychological action thriller directed by R. Ajay Gnanamuthu. It stars Vikram in a dual role as the twin brothers Kathirvelan, who is the assassin known as Cobra, and Mathiyazhagan, called Mathi. The central hook, as described on Wikipedia, is a cat-and-mouse chase: Aslan Yilmaz, a Turkish Interpol officer played by former cricketer Irfan Pathan, is trying to track down a killer who plans each murder around mathematics.

The character names and the film's psychological tag suggest that the twin relationship and the main character's state of mind matter as much as the chase. We have not seen the film, so we will not say how it handles any of that.

Cast, music and the long runtime

Alongside Vikram and Pathan, the cast includes Srinidhi Shetty as Bhavana Menon, Roshan Mathew as Rajeev Rishi, Mirnalini Ravi as Jennifer Rosario, K. S. Ravikumar as Nellaiappan, Robo Shankar as Kumaresan and Meenakshi Govindarajan as Judith Samson. Wikipedia notes that this was Pathan's acting debut and the Tamil debut of Srinidhi Shetty, Roshan Mathew and Sarjano Khalid.

S. S. Lalit Kumar produced it under Seven Screen Studio, and the music is by A. R. Rahman, with cinematography by Harish Kannan. The writing is credited to Gnanamuthu together with Neelan K. Sekar, Kanna Sreevathsan, Innasi Pandiyan and Bharat Krishnamachari.

One practical point is length. The theatrical cut is listed at about 183 minutes, with the BBFC giving 181, and a shorter version was put into cinemas on 1 September 2022, the day after opening. If you watch it on streaming, check which cut you are getting.

Release and where to watch

Cobra reached cinemas on 31 August 2022. Earlier announcements had pointed to 11 August, so the date moved. Streaming rights went to SonyLIV, and Wikipedia gives 28 September 2022 as the streaming start; satellite rights are listed with Kalaignar TV. Platform catalogues shift over time, so verify where it is available to you now.

It suits viewers who enjoy twisty, puzzle-style Tamil thrillers and those who follow Vikram's habit of taking on physically and psychologically demanding dual roles. If you prefer fast, compact thrillers, the running time is something to plan for. The film is also billed as a thriller with an international angle, since the pursuing officer is Turkish, and we would suggest reading synopses only up to the setup if you want to keep any twists intact.