Deva is a computer science post-graduate in Chennai who works with Dass by smuggling pre-release unlicensed films on DVD and other small contrabands mainly through the air. Deva's widowed mother Kaveri does not appreciate his career choice. Their former business associate Nemichand Seth's son Kamalesh tries to foil their Diwali film piracy operations to take over that smuggling deal for himself through police-backed channels. After Kamalesh orchestrates a raid on their hideout, the inspector offers Dass that one of his men should take the blame for the crimes. Deva attempts to do so, but another man Chitti Babu, who has no affiliation with the gang, takes responsibility. Later, Chitti joins Dass's group and befriends Deva and Deva completes his education. Chitti and Deva run a variety of smuggling jobs for Dass for months, often on international routes. Chitti learns about all the means and modes of operation.
Meanwhile, Deva accidentally meets Chitti's younger sister Yamuna and they soon fall in love. On Deva's birthday, he and Chitti smuggle gold bars worth $150 million from a tanker in Chennai port. When Dass learns of Deva's birthday, Dass gives him money and the day off to enjoy while the others trade the gold. Deva is called for temple worship by his mother, where trouble ensues when he learns that the customs authorities have received a tip-off to the hideout amid a major smuggling operation. However, the others narrowly escaped with the goods. He finds out that Chitti has been working for Kamalesh all this time. Chitti goes on to work as a drug mule for Kamalesh, ingesting heroin capsules and transporting them to Malaysia. He meets Deva on the flight. While disembarking, Chitti falls ill and Deva fends off Kamalesh's gang to help Chitti even though they are estranged. Chitti confesses that though he worked for Kamalesh, his friendship with Deva was genuine.
In a tragic turn of events, Kamalesh's gang kidnaps Chitti before Deva can save him and they cut him up to recover the drugs. Deva fends off the thugs and tries to save Chitti. In his final moments, Chitti requests that Deva burn him so that his family never learns of his death. Deva burns Chitti's body along with the drugs and returns to India with Chitti's belongings. However, Kamalesh tips off the authorities about Chitti's death, and Yamuna herself files a case against Deva. However, Yamuna finds Chitti's phone, in which Chitti had recorded the circumstances of his death. Deva is released, and Yamuna reunites with him. Deva plans not to engage in the smuggling business for a while, but Kamalesh has his people plant drugs at the airport and blames Deva, who tips off the customs officer Parthiban. In turn, Deva informs Parthiban about the drug mules working for Kamalesh in exchange for his freedom. Deva works with Parthiban to monitor Kamalesh's calls with his clients, thus busting many illegal smuggling consignments.
Kamalesh eventually discovers the bug and tries to eliminate Deva and Parthiban. However, they both escape and secure a massive cocaine shipment from Kamalesh. Despite this, they trace the shipment to Kamalesh's accountant, who agrees to become a witness after Deva records Kamalesh sexually advancing on the accountant's daughter. Kamalesh has the accountant killed before the court hearing and gets released due to lack of evidence. Kamalesh tries to kill Deva and his mother, but they have a narrow escape. He then plans a hit on Dass as he foresee Deva to take control of their diamond smuggling operation. Dass saves Deva, but Dass dies after his vehicle collides with a petroleum tanker. Deva heads to Congo, where he finishes Kamalesh and retrieves the diamonds. When Deva returns to India, Parthiban searches him again, admitting that Deva's mother exposed him to get Deva out of his illegal activities. Deva surrenders the diamonds disguised under a wig and Parthiban reveals that he can now enlist Deva to work as a customs official. Deva accepts the job and walks out with his mother and Yamuna.
Cast
Suriya as Devaraj Velusamy (Deva), a post graduate in computer science and involved in smuggling to help his father's friend Dass.
Prabhu as Dass, a local smuggler who starts with Kamalesh's father. Later become number one.
Tamannaah Bhatia as Yamuna, Chitti's sister, and Deva's love interest (Voice dubbed by Chinmayi)
Akashdeep Saighal as Kamalesh, Dass's business enemy who later kills him, dubbed by Ajay Kapoor
Jagan as Chitti Babu, Deva's friend and later revealed to be Kamalesh's spy in Dass' group who later dies.
Karunas as Dilli, Dass's driver, who is hearing impaired.
Ponvannan as J. Parthiban IRS, the customs officer and the Assistant Commissioner of the Income Tax-Air Intelligence Unit.
Renuka as Kaveri Velusamy, Deva's mother, who does not approve of his affairs with Dass.
Koena Mitra in a performance in the special song "Honey Honey"
Raghuvaran as Velusamy, Deva's father (Photo only)
Production
Development
Three years after the release of his debut venture Kana Kandaen starring Srikanth and Gopika, cinematographer K. V. Anand expressed his desire to commence his second film as director. He and Subha discussed several plots and settled for "Ayan" because "it was not only different but had scope for entertainment".[11] It was later announced that Anand would be directing his next film, produced under the AVM Production banner, titled Ayan. The film was inaugurated at AVM Studios on 24 March 2008 with the presence of most of the unit members.[12] On the occasion, Anand announced the film's genre to be an action thriller interlaced with Romance and Comedy. He also suggested Ayan meant "outstanding", excellence" or can be the name for sun rays in five different languages. However, this was later doubted by a few critics, raising a point saying Ayan was not necessarily a Tamil language word. Despite the film's lyricist Vairamuthu's calls for the word to be a Tamil word, it was argued that Ayan was a nickname for the Hindu deity Lord Brahma. Since the word was then touted to be borrowed from the Sanskrit language, the film was prone to a title change, in light of Tamil Nadu's Entertainment Tax Exemption Act, which was passed in 2006.[13] A similar problem was faced by the producers of Aegan, which was also under production at the time. The controversy was later dropped. Ayan was announced to be predominantly set in various locations of both South Asia and Africa. It was made at a production cost of ₹200 million.[14]
Casting
K. V. Anand announced the film with both Suriya and Tamannaah Bhatia to play the lead roles in the film.[15] Suriya was initially expected to play the lead role in Anand's earlier film but was not able to do so.[11][16] Anand expressed his thoughts during the film's inauguration that "Suriya was apt for the title role" since the film's title meant "sun rays" and the name "Suriya" refers to the sun. Ayan would also make Suriya's second film with AVM Productions, after their previous partnership in Perazhagan. Furthermore, Suriya had worked with Anand since Suriya's debut in the 1997 film Nerukku Ner for which Anand was the film's photographer.[11][17] Suriya's physique was key for his character, as he would be acting as a powerful and active youngster. He also sported 10 different looks in the film, the most for an actor at that time.[18] During the film's launch, he announced that he would give the film his best, understanding the nature of the producers, who previously presented the big-budget film Sivaji. Tamannaah, after starring in the Tamil films Kalloori (for which she was nominated for a Filmfare Award) and Padikathavan, was cast in Ayan. Prabhu was consecutively cast in Ayan in a pivotal role, as per his previous films, in which he played important supporting characters.[19] It was later announced that Anand would introduce a new actor to Tamil cinema in the film, who will be playing a negative role, which was later known to be Akashdeep Saighal, who predominantly works in Bollywood films.[20]
The film's concept revolves around smuggling and custom officers. In order to prepare the script, K. V. Anand did a lot of research and is said to have spoken to a lot of custom officers to understand the modus operandi of smuggling.[25][26]
The soundtrack album received mostly positive reviews from music critics as well as listeners. Behindwoods gave the album 3 out of 5 stating, "Harris Jayaraj’s crafting is elegant as ever. But what disappoints us here slightly is that the songs have influences of his earlier albums here and there, which could have been avoided. Harris does have it in him to give us many more ‘wah wah’ numbers."[32] Indiaglitz gave the album 2.75 out of 5 and stated, "'Ayan' has a whole lot of mix in spellbinding melodies and mind-boggling peppy numbers. Undoubtedly, Harris is there over the top with the prodigious score for his ducky actor Suriya."[33] Rediff gave the album 2.5 out of 5 stating, "Harris Jeyaraj wants to break away from his usual melodies and try something new. And he has succeeded, to a certain extent. Barring one or two numbers, this effort doesn't seem to sustain itself after the first few lines, but perhaps, with repeated listening, its appeal might increase."[34]
The film received highly positive reviews from critics, upon release.
Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu wrote: "Ayan is Suriya’s show all the way. He bears the onus with a smile and the death-defying stunts add to the robust image he aims to project".[36]Behindwoods wrote: "Ayan is fun. Just buy a huge bag of popcorn, a can of cola, and have a blast! But do remember the first step about the logic".[37]Indiaglitz wrote: "Though the storyline is familiar and oft-seen in the past, the pacy narration and captivating visuals provide the necessary pep to the film".[38][39]Sify rated 3 out of 5 stars stating "Paisa Vasool" (transl. Box office hit).[40]Rediff.com rated 3.5 out of 5 stars stating "Ayan is definitely a must-watch."[41]
Box-office
In Chennai alone, box office totals were reported as ₹7 crore (US$880,000) in theatrical revenue.[42] International distribution rights were sold to Ayngaran International. Ayan's revenue was US$1,046,027 in Malaysia[43] and £119,220 in the UK.[44] The film's Telugu dubbed version, Veedokkade, was sold to Hyderabad based producer, Bellamkonda Suresh.[45][46][47][48][49][50] The final worldwide box office was around ₹80 crore (US$10 million).[3] The film ran over 100 days in Kerala. The Telugu dubbed version Veedokkade ran over 100 days in Andhra Pradesh.[3]
