Sirai (transl. Prison) is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film directed by debutant Suresh Rajakumari from a screenplay he co-wrote with Tamizh, who wrote the story. Produced by SS Lalit Kumar under Seven Screen Studio, the film stars Vikram Prabhu, LK Akshay Kumar, Anishma Anilkumar (in her Tamil debut) and Anantha Thambirajah in the lead roles. It is Akshay Kumar's acting debut, and the second collaboration of Prabhu and Thamizh after the latter's directorial debut. Sirai released on 25 December 2025 in theatres. == Cast == Vikram Prabhu as Constable V. Kathiravan LK Akshay Kumar as Abdul Rauf Anishma Anilkumar as Kalaiyarasi Ananda Thambirajah as Mariyam Harishankar Narayanan as Pandi Remya Suresh Siju Wilson Munnar Ramesh as Inspector Kadhar Baasha P. L. Thenappan as Sivangangai Court Judge == Production == The film is directed by debutant Suresh Rajakumari for a story written by Taanakkaran (2022) fame Tamizh, marking his second collaboration, reuniting with Vikram Prabhu, after his directorial debut film Taanakkaran. Apart from the story, Tamizh has also contributed towards the screenplay along with Suresh Rajakumari, who earlier worked as an assistant director to Vetrimaaran. The film is produced by SS Lalit Kumar under his Seven Screen Studio banner. Apart from Vikram Prabhu, the film stars Anantha as the female lead, alongside I Am Kathalan (2024) and Maranamass (2025) fame Anishma Anilkumar, in the lead role in her Tamil debut. Vikram Prabhu is said to portray the role of a police officer, while the producer Lalit's son LK Akshay Kumar will debut as an accused in the film. Filming got wrapped in May 2025, after shooting across Chennai, Sivagangai, and Vellore, and the post-production works began during its announcement in early-August 2025. The technical team consists of Justin Prabhakaran as its music composer, Madhesh Manickam as its cinematographer, Philomin Raj as the editor, and Raghava Sanjivi as the production designer. == Music == The film has music composed by Justin Prabhakaran, with the lyrics written by him along with Karthik Netha and Sarathi. The first single titled "Mannichiru" was released on 29 November 2025. The second single titled "Minnu Vattaam Poochi" was released on 16 December 2025. The third single titled "Neelothi" was released on 22 December 2025. == Release == === Theatrical === Sirai released in theatres on 25 December 2025, coinciding with Christmas. === Home media === The post-theatrical streaming rights were acquired by Zee5. == Reception == Abhinav Subramanian of The Times of India gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "The film tugs hard at heartstrings, sometimes sacrificing character depth for emotional manipulation. You sense the story wants you to feel things more than it wants to develop these people beyond their narrative functions. [...] Still, these missteps are outweighed by Vikram Prabhu's performance and the film's procedural honesty." Avinash Ramachandran of Cinema Express gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Sirai is an important documentation of how it doesn't take much to be a victim of systemic violence, and how it doesn't take much to be a harbinger of change, either." Janani K of India Today gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Director Suresh Rajakumari's Sirai, starring Vikram Prabhu, LK Akshay Kumar and Anishma, is a crisp procedural drama. With restrained performances and exceptional social commentary on minority oppression, the film serves as a fitting conclusion to 2025." Bhuvanesh Chandar of The Hindu wrote "Imbued with an atmosphere suitable for such a suspense thriller, Sirai holds your attention effortlessly. It’s a no-frills plotline that uses elements in its backdrop to their best, and what truly surprises one is its ambition." == References == == External links == Sirai at IMDb