Aayirathil Oruvan
Encyclopedia
Aayirathil Oruvan is a 2010 Tamil
fantasy-adventure film directed by Selvaraghavan
in his fifth feature film. Produced by R. Ravindran at a budget of 32 crore
rupees ($7,140,126), it features music composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar
, cinematography by Ramji
and editing by Kola Bhaskar
. The film stars Karthi Sivakumar, Reemma Sen and Andrea Jeremiah
in the lead roles with Parthiban playing a pivotal role.
The film begins with an episode in 1279 AD, when the successor of the last great Chola Emperor
, pending invasion, sends his people to a mystery location, to survive the threat. The story resumes with an archaeologist, a coolie
and a member of the army going in search of the archaeologist's father to the ruined city that was the place the exiled Chola Prince retreated to. An expedition is promptly arranged, and on the course they stumble on the lost Chola civilization and its king and find unexplained links between them and the culture. The shocking events and the problems that arise forms the crux of the story.
Aayirathil Oruvan languished in development hell
due to slow progress of the shoot and the extensive pre- and post-production works, evading release dates ranging one year. Shooting began in July 2007, and took place in various locations with a record number of extras in areas including Chalakudy
, Kerala
and Jaisalmer
, Rajasthan
amongst other regions throughout India. Prior to release, the film was given an adult rating by the Central Board of Film Certification
and worldwide theatrical and television rights for the film were sold for a record Rs.35 crores. The film released coinciding with the festival of Thai Pongal on 14 January 2010, with a Telugu
dubbing version following suit weeks later. Upon release, the film received contrastingly mixed reviews whilst proceeding to become a successful venture commercially.
seems imminent as the Pandyas drive the Chola people out of their kingdom in southern India
. To escape them and save the life of his successor the Chola emperor sends his son along with the Chola people to a secret territory. The refugees take along an idol sacred to the Pandyas, angering them. To capture the escaped Cholas and the stolen idol, the Pandyas extend their invasion to unexplored territories but cannot find them.
Centuries later, in 2009, Indian archaeologists continue searching for the existence of the lost Chola group based on clues left by the ancient Pandyan warriors. All archaeologists who attempted to search for the secret land have disappeared. Archaeologist Chandramouli is the most recent person to have gone missing.
The Indian government organizes a search expedition led by officer Anitha to find Chandramouli and the Chola empire; she is assisted by the Indian army led by Ravisekharan. They recruit archaeologist Lavanya, the estranged daughter of Chandramouli, because her insight is essential for the success of the expedition. She hands over crucial documents on the Chola dynasty, prepared by her father, with instructions on the route to reach the destination.
Along with the army, Anitha employs a group of porters
headed by Muthu, to transport the baggage during the journey. The crew embark on their voyage leading them to an island, Min-gua, near Vietnam
. They face seven traps set by the Cholas: sea creatures, cannibals, warriors, snakes, hunger, quicksand and a village. Many porters and army men are killed by these traps.
Muthu, Anitha and Lavanya get separated from the others. They reach the ruins of a village where they are subjected to black magic and nearly go mad before reaching the secret hideout of the Chola. The three find an ethnic isolated primitive Tamil group, ruled by a Chola king. The king and his people are in hiding, awaiting the arrival of the fabled messenger who will bring glory and prosperity back to their land and lead them back to Thanjavur, their motherland. The king and the priest consult the gods for omens and order Muthu, Anitha and Lavanya to be burnt alive as sacrifices.
Anitha tells the king that she is the messenger sent from the homeland. Muthu and Lavanya are enslaved while Anitha is given a chance to prove herself. She tries to seduce and convince the Chola king to march towards the homeland in two days so he can be crowned properly as a king. He suspects her bona fides since none of her actions match those described by the king's ancestors. The ancestors wrote that the messenger will be preceded by hail and following his ill-treatment will eventually help the tribe.
Meanwhile, Anitha drugs the priest and poisons the water sources. She catches a glimpse of the Pandyas' sacred idol and leaves, finally exposing her identity as a descendant of the Pandya Dynasty. For generations, her race has been trying to find the whereabouts of the Chola prince and his people. The central minister, who sponsors the expedition, is also shown to be a Pandyan. The Chola king is shattered for having believed in Anitha. Anitha and Ravishekaran gather an army and assault the hidden kingdom. The king discovers that Muthu is the true messenger who would save the Cholas from the clutches of Anitha and the army.
The Cholas fight bravely, but eventually lose and are taken prisoners. Their women are molested and raped by the army. The king is killed and the men drown in the seas. Muthu is able to escape and save the Chola prince. The seed of the Chola dynasty is brought back to India by the messenger as prophesied.
, Selvaraghavan
took a sabbatical to plan future projects and set up a production company, White Elephants, whose first project Idhu Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam
started in November 2006. The film was co-produced by new producer R. Ravindran, and the first schedule began with Karthi Sivakumar, whose first film, Paruthiveeran
, was awaiting release, and Sandhya
. The film was stalled in early 2007 due to cinematographer Arvind Krishna
's decision to leave White Elephants and the project was eventually shelved. In July 2007, Selvaraghavan announced a new film with a new team of Karthi and Reemma Sen in the cast, with Ramji replacing regular Arvind Krishna as the cinematographer. Erum Ali
, wife of actor Abbas
, became the team's head costume designer, whilst, Selvaraghavan's sister-in-law and Rajinikanth's daughter, Aishwarya Dhanush
, was signed on as an associate director. The film was named after a popular M. G. Ramachandran
film, Aayirathil Oruvan
. The producer was announced to be R. Ravindran whilst Yuvan Shankar Raja
was appointed as music director following five previous successful soundtracks in Selvaraghavan films. Despite early indications that the director's brother Dhanush
was going to play a guest role, it became evident that the role was subsequently given to R. Parthiban. Andrea Jeremiah
was also signed for a role in the film in October 2007, in her second film after Pachaikili Muthucharam and director-actor Azhagam Perumal
followed suit in November 2007.
Nearly six months after filming began, Yuvan Shankar Raja left the project, because he could not spend as much time on this film as Selvaraghavan wanted. Subsequently, the role of the music director was handed to G. V. Prakash Kumar
, for whom Aayirathil Oruvan became his biggest project to date. Rambo Rajkumar
, the film's stunt director, died in April 2009 and was posthumously praised for his action choreography. The film's music released two months later to much appraisal in a well-held audio release function. Soon after the filming finished, the lead actors moved onto other projects as did Selvaraghavan whilst post-production continued. In August 2009, Selvaraghavan divorced his wife, Sonia Agarwal
with his close proximity to Andrea being a speculated cause. During the period, G. V. Prakash Kumar and Selva also worked on the music in Mumbai
whilst re-recording was also held in Austria
and London
. Towards the end of the year, the film began to announce release date of Christmas
which was later further delayed to coincide with the Pongal
festival. A date clash occurred with Karthi's Paiyaa, with an eventual hearing leading to the Karthi's latter film being delayed. Throughout December 2009, release work began with a trailer and promotional songs being released on 13 December with Kamal Haasan
and Surya Sivakumar attending as special guests. The film was subsequently censored before the end of the year by the Central Board of Film Certification
and settled with an adult rating, after Selvaraghavan refused to get rid of gory scenes. On 31 December, it was announced that the film was sold worldwide for 35 crore
rupees for theatrical, television and other rights.
in Kerala
with Karthi, Reemma Sen and Andrea during October 2007. The project developed a reputation for its gruelling shoots, a novel concept in Tamil films, at an early stage of production. Thirty-five days into the shoot, Selvaraghavan gave a statement that the film was forty percent over and the film should release by May 2008 whilst also mentioning that rains in Kerala led to the budget going over expectations two months into the project. In January 2008, the unit moved to Jaisalmer
in Rajasthan
to shoot in the deserts in the region, however they were delayed again by unseasonal rains. Missing its original release date, the film's progress carried on through 2008, with shooting occurring towards the end of the year inside sets at Ramoji Film City
in Hyderabad. In the studios, choreographer Shivshankar composed a classical dance for Reemma Sen and Parthiban, and the sequence was shot over twenty days. Shooting carried on in sets for three more months with second half scenes being recorded. Shoots in all regions were tough and demanding for the crew as the film featured more than three thousand junior artistes from a variety of unions across India, with the language barrier becoming a problem. The project, eighteen months into shoot, soon began to face questions about its progress, with the producer, Ravindran, having to complain to the Tamil Film Producers Council that Karthi was trying to change his look for his next film, Paiyaa, following the long period he had spent with Aayirathil Oruvan. In February 2009, filming was completed after 263 days of shooting; therefore the producers signaled for a summer release but it was postponed by six months.
When inquired by the media in regard to the long periods of shoot, whilst in production, the lead actor expressed that they were also unaware of how long the film's shoot was going to carry on. Reemma Sen originally signed for forty days whilst Andrea signed for three months, without knowing that the film would eventually take 263 days of filming. Furthermore, Parthiban claimed to have been signed for forty days, whilst his segment lasted up to 140 days.
, the film was finally released on 14 January 2010 coinciding with the Tamil festival of Thai Pongal. Aayirathil Oruvan faced competition from three other films released across Tamil Nadu
: Kutty, starring Selvaraghavan's brother, Dhanush
, Naanayam and Porkkalam. Aayirathil Oruvan took the biggest opening by a considerable distance earning Rs. 70,04,264 ($156,342) in the opening weekend across Chennai
, more than double the opening of Kutty. Furthermore, in the United Kingdom
, the film opened across seven screens and grossed £29,517 ($44,868) in the opening week, becoming the biggest opening for a film without the six established leading actors of the Tamil film industry. The film, distributed by Ayngaran International
opened at 22nd place. The film also managed to beat the other Indian releases in Malaysia, earning $340,082 in the second weeking, after opening in seventh. Similarly, the Telugu dubbing version of the film which released on February 5, Yuganiki Okkadu, took a strong opening and was declared a very successful venture following the opening weekend. The Telugu version released across 93 screens across Andhra Pradesh
and grossed 1.78 crore ($396,039) in its opening weekend, a major achievement for a dubbed film.
, cited that the film represented "something new in the placid world of Tamil cinema" adding that it "broke away from the shackles of the stereotypes". Selvaraghavan
also was praised by the reviewer with claims that "the director transports us to a whole new world and at the end of it all, we are dumb stuck by the visuals, the packaging and the new way of storytelling". Furthermore, in regard of the crew, Sify described the "top class camera work" by Ramji
and that G. V. Prakash Kumar
's background score and his music was "tangy". Rediff.com gave the film 3.5 out of 5 claiming that viewers should "steel your stomach before [you] watch it" and "regardless of the minor discrepancies, AO is definitely a movie to watch". The reviewer, like Sify.com's review, acknowledged Selvaraghavan for attempting such a subject, whilst praising the film technically, claiming it is "a visual treat". Moreover it claims that G. V. Prakash's music sets the tone for the period pieces; adding that "otherwise, the BGM is adequate" whilst Ramji's cinematography "is brilliant but the movie could use some editing". In contrast, Behindwoods.com gave the film 0.5 out of 5 describing the film as "wildly crass", dismissing that "the underdeveloped script lacks everything - starting from strong plot twists to captive locations to graphics to credibility, above all".
In regard of the performances of the lead cast, the Sify reviewer cites that Reemma Sen brings "an uninhibited joie to her role as Anitha" and has "extracted a fine performance". Andrea Jeremiah
is described as "likeable", whilst Parthiban
is "adequate as the king". Karthi Sivakumar was widely praised, citing that he "is a scream. Right from his introduction scene till the end, he is lovable and provides humour" and "has made a sensational comeback three years after his debut film". Similarly Rediff claims that Reemma is "revelation", whilst alo praising the performances of Karthi and Andrea. The Behindwoods reviewer criticized all three actors, claiming that Karthi has "very little to spare for Aayirathil Oruvan", whilst Reemma Sen fails with her "improper synchronization" and that Andrea might be "multi-talented, but acting, sadly, is not one of those".
, following five successive successful albums together. However, Yuvan Shankar Raja was opted out from the project in March 2008 due to differences of opinion. Subsequently, G. V. Prakash Kumar
was signed on for his biggest project to date and work for the soundtrack began again from scratch. Controversially, a song composed for the project by Yuvan Shankar Raja was still used as Prakash Kumar composition.
The soundtrack to Aayirathil Oruvan was released on 14 June 2009 at a University Auditorium in Chennai
, in a critically praised event. Prominent film personalities across the South Indian film industry attended the launch, which became one of the first films to play live music at the audio launch. The launch featured live performances from G. V. Prakash Kumar and Andrea Jeremiah
for several songs, as well as songs from Selvaraghavan
's brother, Dhanush
, and his wife, Aishwarya Dhanush
. Furthermore, the night featured a fashion show from Erum Ali, a Kalari
performance in Chenda Melam by dancers from Kerala
led by actress Poorna
and choreographed by Sivashankar.
The album features ten tunes; six songs, two alternate versions and another two theme songs. The album featured vocals from singers Karthik
, Vijay Yesudas
, Bombay Jayashri
, Nithyasree Mahadevan
and P. B. Sreenivas, who made a comeback to playback singing with his song. Moreover husband-wife personality, Dhanush
and Aishwarya Dhanush
, sung for the album along with the composer, Prakash Kumar and lead actress, Andrea Jeremiah
. Lyrics for the songs were written by Vairamuthu
, Veturi Sundararama Murthy, Selvaraghavan and Andrea Jeremiah. For a song set in the thirteenth century, research was carried out to find instruments used during that period. A Yaazh, a melodic instrument used in the Sangama Dynasty
from Sri Lanka
, and a horn, a brass instrument made from animal horns from Bhutan
, were used. The soundtrack garnered critical acclaim and was considered Prakash Kumar's finest work to date. Furthermore, shortly after the music release, an album success meet was held.
In the film, only three songs from the album are used in their entirety. Moreover, the first song in the film, not included in the soundtrack, is the original version of "Adho Andha Paravai Pola" from the 1965 film Aayirathil Oruvan
, which was bought from the original copyright holders of the song in December 2007. The film's picturisation of the three exploring the ruins of the fallen kingdom in the song, were praised.
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
fantasy-adventure film directed by Selvaraghavan
Selvaraghavan
-Personal life:Selvaraghavan is the son of film director Kasthuri Raja, elder brother of actor Dhanush and has two sisters, who are both doctors. On 15 December 2006, he married actress Sonia Agarwal, with whom he had previously worked with on three films...
in his fifth feature film. Produced by R. Ravindran at a budget of 32 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
rupees ($7,140,126), it features music composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar
G. V. Prakash Kumar
G. V. Prakash Kumar is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer and singer. He has mainly scored music for Tamil, while also doing three Telugu films and a Hindi film...
, cinematography by Ramji
Ramji
Ramji is an Indian film cinematographer, who has worked with directors such as Selvaraghavan and Ameer Sultan.-As cinematographer:* Kannabiran * Mayakkam Enna...
and editing by Kola Bhaskar
Kola Bhaskar
Kola Bhaskar is an Indian film editor.-As editor:* 7G Rainbow Colony - * Oru Kalluriyin Kathai - * Kedi - * Pokkiri - * Yaaradi Nee Mohini -...
. The film stars Karthi Sivakumar, Reemma Sen and Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah is an Tamil playback singer, voice actor and a film and theatre actress. Beginning her career singing playback, Andrea has gone on to appear in critically acclaimed films such as Pachaikili Muthucharam and Aayirathil Oruvan, winning praise for her portrayals.-Career:Andrea was born...
in the lead roles with Parthiban playing a pivotal role.
The film begins with an episode in 1279 AD, when the successor of the last great Chola Emperor
Chola Dynasty
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which was one of the longest-ruling in some parts of southern India. The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BC left by Asoka, of Maurya Empire; the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until...
, pending invasion, sends his people to a mystery location, to survive the threat. The story resumes with an archaeologist, a coolie
Coolie
Historically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...
and a member of the army going in search of the archaeologist's father to the ruined city that was the place the exiled Chola Prince retreated to. An expedition is promptly arranged, and on the course they stumble on the lost Chola civilization and its king and find unexplained links between them and the culture. The shocking events and the problems that arise forms the crux of the story.
Aayirathil Oruvan languished in development hell
Development hell
In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...
due to slow progress of the shoot and the extensive pre- and post-production works, evading release dates ranging one year. Shooting began in July 2007, and took place in various locations with a record number of extras in areas including Chalakudy
Chalakudy
Chalakudy is a municipal town situated on the banks of Chalakudy River in Thrissur District of the Kerala State in India. It is the base camp for travellers to Athirappilly and Vazhachal Falls...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
amongst other regions throughout India. Prior to release, the film was given an adult rating by the Central Board of Film Certification
Central Board of Film Certification
The Central Board of Film Certification is a Government of India regulatory body and censorship board of India controlled by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It reviews, rates and censors motion pictures, television shows, television ads, and promotional material...
and worldwide theatrical and television rights for the film were sold for a record Rs.35 crores. The film released coinciding with the festival of Thai Pongal on 14 January 2010, with a Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
dubbing version following suit weeks later. Upon release, the film received contrastingly mixed reviews whilst proceeding to become a successful venture commercially.
Plot
In 1279 A.D., the downfall of the Chola dynastyChola Dynasty
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which was one of the longest-ruling in some parts of southern India. The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BC left by Asoka, of Maurya Empire; the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until...
seems imminent as the Pandyas drive the Chola people out of their kingdom in southern India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. To escape them and save the life of his successor the Chola emperor sends his son along with the Chola people to a secret territory. The refugees take along an idol sacred to the Pandyas, angering them. To capture the escaped Cholas and the stolen idol, the Pandyas extend their invasion to unexplored territories but cannot find them.
Centuries later, in 2009, Indian archaeologists continue searching for the existence of the lost Chola group based on clues left by the ancient Pandyan warriors. All archaeologists who attempted to search for the secret land have disappeared. Archaeologist Chandramouli is the most recent person to have gone missing.
The Indian government organizes a search expedition led by officer Anitha to find Chandramouli and the Chola empire; she is assisted by the Indian army led by Ravisekharan. They recruit archaeologist Lavanya, the estranged daughter of Chandramouli, because her insight is essential for the success of the expedition. She hands over crucial documents on the Chola dynasty, prepared by her father, with instructions on the route to reach the destination.
Along with the army, Anitha employs a group of porters
Porter (carrier)
A porter, also called a bearer, is a person who shifts objects for others.-Historical meaning:Human adaptability and flexibility early led to the use of humans for shifting gear...
headed by Muthu, to transport the baggage during the journey. The crew embark on their voyage leading them to an island, Min-gua, near Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. They face seven traps set by the Cholas: sea creatures, cannibals, warriors, snakes, hunger, quicksand and a village. Many porters and army men are killed by these traps.
Muthu, Anitha and Lavanya get separated from the others. They reach the ruins of a village where they are subjected to black magic and nearly go mad before reaching the secret hideout of the Chola. The three find an ethnic isolated primitive Tamil group, ruled by a Chola king. The king and his people are in hiding, awaiting the arrival of the fabled messenger who will bring glory and prosperity back to their land and lead them back to Thanjavur, their motherland. The king and the priest consult the gods for omens and order Muthu, Anitha and Lavanya to be burnt alive as sacrifices.
Anitha tells the king that she is the messenger sent from the homeland. Muthu and Lavanya are enslaved while Anitha is given a chance to prove herself. She tries to seduce and convince the Chola king to march towards the homeland in two days so he can be crowned properly as a king. He suspects her bona fides since none of her actions match those described by the king's ancestors. The ancestors wrote that the messenger will be preceded by hail and following his ill-treatment will eventually help the tribe.
Meanwhile, Anitha drugs the priest and poisons the water sources. She catches a glimpse of the Pandyas' sacred idol and leaves, finally exposing her identity as a descendant of the Pandya Dynasty. For generations, her race has been trying to find the whereabouts of the Chola prince and his people. The central minister, who sponsors the expedition, is also shown to be a Pandyan. The Chola king is shattered for having believed in Anitha. Anitha and Ravishekaran gather an army and assault the hidden kingdom. The king discovers that Muthu is the true messenger who would save the Cholas from the clutches of Anitha and the army.
The Cholas fight bravely, but eventually lose and are taken prisoners. Their women are molested and raped by the army. The king is killed and the men drown in the seas. Muthu is able to escape and save the Chola prince. The seed of the Chola dynasty is brought back to India by the messenger as prophesied.
Cast
- Karthi Sivakumar as Muthu, a chief coolieCoolieHistorically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...
working at Chennai PortChennai PortChennai Port , formerly known as Madras Port, is the second largest port of India, behind the Mumbai Port, and the largest port in the Bay of Bengal. Being the third oldest port among the 12 major ports of India, it is over 125 years old, although maritime trade started way back in 1639 on the sea...
, leading a very low class life alongside his fellow workers. Muthu, a die-hard MGRM. G. RamachandranMaruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
fan, is taken on the journey and is one of the final trio who are taken into the Chola kingdomChola DynastyThe Chola dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which was one of the longest-ruling in some parts of southern India. The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BC left by Asoka, of Maurya Empire; the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until...
. - Reemma Sen as Anitha Pandiyan, an intelligence officer who gathers a team to investigate the disappearance of Chandramouli. Anitha is strong-minded, ruthless and determined. However she nurtures a soft feeling for Muthu during the course of the journey. The film became Reemma Sen's first attempt at parallel cinema following a series of roles in commercial projects, and her portrayal was highly appreciated by film critics.
- Andrea JeremiahAndrea JeremiahAndrea Jeremiah is an Tamil playback singer, voice actor and a film and theatre actress. Beginning her career singing playback, Andrea has gone on to appear in critically acclaimed films such as Pachaikili Muthucharam and Aayirathil Oruvan, winning praise for her portrayals.-Career:Andrea was born...
as Lavanya Chandramouli, the estanged daughter of Chandramouli, who also embarks on the journey to find her father. An archaeologist by profession, Lavanya becomes the quiet tactical leader of the journey through her knowledge of the culture and the history of the Chola dynasty. Andrea Jeremiah, like Karthi, appears in her second major role for the film, also singing parts of two songs which appear in the soundtrack. During the making of the film news websites linked Andrea with the director, SelvaraghavanSelvaraghavan-Personal life:Selvaraghavan is the son of film director Kasthuri Raja, elder brother of actor Dhanush and has two sisters, who are both doctors. On 15 December 2006, he married actress Sonia Agarwal, with whom he had previously worked with on three films...
, albeit to the pair's displeasure. - R. Parthiban as Chola King, successor and last of the Chola dynastyChola DynastyThe Chola dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which was one of the longest-ruling in some parts of southern India. The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BC left by Asoka, of Maurya Empire; the dynasty continued to govern over varying territory until...
after escaping an attack from the Pandyas. The city that the Cholas lived in perished, resulting in the city becoming haunted with Parthiban, the head of the people. The images for the Chola King, not dated or named in the film, were kept under wraps prior to the movie's release. Parthiban signed for the role after much speculation that DhanushDhanushVenkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja , better known by his stage name Dhanush , is an Indian film actor, occasional playback singer and lyricist, working in the Tamil film industry...
would be selected, and his performance won plaudits from critics. - Pratap PothanPrathap K. PothanPrathap K. Pothan , popularly known by his first name , is an Indian actor, director, writer, producer who has acted in about 95 films. He has acted in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu as well as Hindi films...
as Chandramouli, an archaeologist who went missing during a search for the Chola kingdom, prompting a manhunt. Chandramouli earlier walked out on his daughter, Lavanya, and is later found trapped in the Chola kingdom. - Azhagam PerumalAzhagam Perumal-Directorial:-Acting:-External links:...
as Ravisekharan, who leads the army brigade in the search for Chandramouli. Known for his exploitative and violent ways, Ravisekharan develops a mutual foe in Muthu and his fellow workers.
Development
After the disappointing reception to his 2006 gangster film, PudhupettaiPudhupettai
Pudhupettai is a 2006 Indian Tamil gangster film written and directed by Selvaraghavan, starring his brother Dhanush in the lead, whilst Sneha and Sonia Agarwal enact the lead female character roles...
, Selvaraghavan
Selvaraghavan
-Personal life:Selvaraghavan is the son of film director Kasthuri Raja, elder brother of actor Dhanush and has two sisters, who are both doctors. On 15 December 2006, he married actress Sonia Agarwal, with whom he had previously worked with on three films...
took a sabbatical to plan future projects and set up a production company, White Elephants, whose first project Idhu Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam
Idhu Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam
-Reception:The film received generally positive reviews. Pavithra Srinivasan of Rediff gave the film 3 out of 5 and wrote: "[It] has a brilliant first half but the film looses the steam in the second half"...
started in November 2006. The film was co-produced by new producer R. Ravindran, and the first schedule began with Karthi Sivakumar, whose first film, Paruthiveeran
Paruthiveeran
Paruthiveeran is a 2007 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Ameer Sultan. The film stars Karthi in his feature film debut as the titular character, with Priyamani as the female lead and Ponvannan, Saravanan and Ganja Karuppu and Sujatha essaying supporting roles...
, was awaiting release, and Sandhya
Sandhya (actress)
Revathi , known by her stage name Sandhya, is an Indian film actress who acts primarily in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films. She made her debut as an actress in the 2004 Tamil film Kaadhal , her performance in which earned her a Filmfare Award and Tamil Nadu State Film Award...
. The film was stalled in early 2007 due to cinematographer Arvind Krishna
Arvind Krishna
Arvind Krishna is an Indian cinematographer, who has worked in the Tamil and the Hindi film industries .-Career:Arvind Krishna, always passionate about photography and studied Visual communication at the Loyola College in Chennai, after which he joined ace cinematographer P. C. Sreeram and worked...
's decision to leave White Elephants and the project was eventually shelved. In July 2007, Selvaraghavan announced a new film with a new team of Karthi and Reemma Sen in the cast, with Ramji replacing regular Arvind Krishna as the cinematographer. Erum Ali
Erum Ali
Erum Ali is an Indian fashion designer, mainly working for the Indian movie industry. Apart from film commitments, Ali has also participated at the Chennai Fashion Week and has a self-named collection.- Career :...
, wife of actor Abbas
Abbas (actor)
Mirza Abbas Ali , known as Abbas, is an Indian film actor and model. He has appeared in Kollywood Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi and Kannada films.Born in Calcutta and educated in Mumbai, he was discovered modeling in Bangalore...
, became the team's head costume designer, whilst, Selvaraghavan's sister-in-law and Rajinikanth's daughter, Aishwarya Dhanush
Aishwarya Dhanush
Aishwarya Rajnikanth Dhanush is an Indian classical dancer, playback singer. Her father is the actor Rajinikanth. She is married to the Indian film actor Dhanush, with whom she has two sons, Yatra born in 2006 and the second boy in 2010 who is named as Linga. Her mother is Latha. She is the sister...
, was signed on as an associate director. The film was named after a popular M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
film, Aayirathil Oruvan
Aayirathil Oruvan (1965 film)
Aayirathil Oruvan is a 1965 swashbuckling action-adventure film in Tamil directed by B.R. Panthulu. The film stars M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalitha in the lead roles. The film further stars other widely known actors such as M. N. Nambiar, R. S. Manohar, Nagesh and L. Vijayalakshmi...
. The producer was announced to be R. Ravindran whilst Yuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer, singer and occasional lyricist. He has predominantly scored music for Tamil as well as several Telugu films. His musical career began in 1996, at age 16, as he composed the film score for Aravindhan...
was appointed as music director following five previous successful soundtracks in Selvaraghavan films. Despite early indications that the director's brother Dhanush
Dhanush
Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja , better known by his stage name Dhanush , is an Indian film actor, occasional playback singer and lyricist, working in the Tamil film industry...
was going to play a guest role, it became evident that the role was subsequently given to R. Parthiban. Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah is an Tamil playback singer, voice actor and a film and theatre actress. Beginning her career singing playback, Andrea has gone on to appear in critically acclaimed films such as Pachaikili Muthucharam and Aayirathil Oruvan, winning praise for her portrayals.-Career:Andrea was born...
was also signed for a role in the film in October 2007, in her second film after Pachaikili Muthucharam and director-actor Azhagam Perumal
Azhagam Perumal
-Directorial:-Acting:-External links:...
followed suit in November 2007.
Nearly six months after filming began, Yuvan Shankar Raja left the project, because he could not spend as much time on this film as Selvaraghavan wanted. Subsequently, the role of the music director was handed to G. V. Prakash Kumar
G. V. Prakash Kumar
G. V. Prakash Kumar is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer and singer. He has mainly scored music for Tamil, while also doing three Telugu films and a Hindi film...
, for whom Aayirathil Oruvan became his biggest project to date. Rambo Rajkumar
Rambo Rajkumar
Rambo Rajkumar , born Rajkumar, was an Indian Stunt coordinator. Rajkumar, dubbed with the prefix Rambo after the films, produced notable work in action films, Pudhupettai and Kadhal Kondein...
, the film's stunt director, died in April 2009 and was posthumously praised for his action choreography. The film's music released two months later to much appraisal in a well-held audio release function. Soon after the filming finished, the lead actors moved onto other projects as did Selvaraghavan whilst post-production continued. In August 2009, Selvaraghavan divorced his wife, Sonia Agarwal
Sonia Agarwal
Sonia Agarwal is an Indian film actress and model. Having predominantly acted in Tamil films, she is probably best known for her performances as Divya...
with his close proximity to Andrea being a speculated cause. During the period, G. V. Prakash Kumar and Selva also worked on the music in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
whilst re-recording was also held in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Towards the end of the year, the film began to announce release date of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
which was later further delayed to coincide with the Pongal
Pongal
Thai Ponggal is a harvest festival celebrated by Tamils in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Indian Union Territory of Pondicherry and in Sri Lanka. Pongal coincides with the festival Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India. Pongal in Tamil means "boiling over" or "spill over". The boiling...
festival. A date clash occurred with Karthi's Paiyaa, with an eventual hearing leading to the Karthi's latter film being delayed. Throughout December 2009, release work began with a trailer and promotional songs being released on 13 December with Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting...
and Surya Sivakumar attending as special guests. The film was subsequently censored before the end of the year by the Central Board of Film Certification
Central Board of Film Certification
The Central Board of Film Certification is a Government of India regulatory body and censorship board of India controlled by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It reviews, rates and censors motion pictures, television shows, television ads, and promotional material...
and settled with an adult rating, after Selvaraghavan refused to get rid of gory scenes. On 31 December, it was announced that the film was sold worldwide for 35 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
rupees for theatrical, television and other rights.
Filming
After extensive development and pre-production which took four months for scripting, the film started the first schedule in the forests of ChalakudyChalakudy
Chalakudy is a municipal town situated on the banks of Chalakudy River in Thrissur District of the Kerala State in India. It is the base camp for travellers to Athirappilly and Vazhachal Falls...
in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
with Karthi, Reemma Sen and Andrea during October 2007. The project developed a reputation for its gruelling shoots, a novel concept in Tamil films, at an early stage of production. Thirty-five days into the shoot, Selvaraghavan gave a statement that the film was forty percent over and the film should release by May 2008 whilst also mentioning that rains in Kerala led to the budget going over expectations two months into the project. In January 2008, the unit moved to Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
to shoot in the deserts in the region, however they were delayed again by unseasonal rains. Missing its original release date, the film's progress carried on through 2008, with shooting occurring towards the end of the year inside sets at Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City
Ramoji Film City is one of the world’s largest integrated film studio complexes at over of land, situated in India near Hayathnagar and Peddamberpet on Hyderabad. It is also a popular tourism and recreation centre, containing both natural and artificial attractions including an amusement park...
in Hyderabad. In the studios, choreographer Shivshankar composed a classical dance for Reemma Sen and Parthiban, and the sequence was shot over twenty days. Shooting carried on in sets for three more months with second half scenes being recorded. Shoots in all regions were tough and demanding for the crew as the film featured more than three thousand junior artistes from a variety of unions across India, with the language barrier becoming a problem. The project, eighteen months into shoot, soon began to face questions about its progress, with the producer, Ravindran, having to complain to the Tamil Film Producers Council that Karthi was trying to change his look for his next film, Paiyaa, following the long period he had spent with Aayirathil Oruvan. In February 2009, filming was completed after 263 days of shooting; therefore the producers signaled for a summer release but it was postponed by six months.
When inquired by the media in regard to the long periods of shoot, whilst in production, the lead actor expressed that they were also unaware of how long the film's shoot was going to carry on. Reemma Sen originally signed for forty days whilst Andrea signed for three months, without knowing that the film would eventually take 263 days of filming. Furthermore, Parthiban claimed to have been signed for forty days, whilst his segment lasted up to 140 days.
Reception
After languishing in development hellDevelopment hell
In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...
, the film was finally released on 14 January 2010 coinciding with the Tamil festival of Thai Pongal. Aayirathil Oruvan faced competition from three other films released across Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
: Kutty, starring Selvaraghavan's brother, Dhanush
Dhanush
Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja , better known by his stage name Dhanush , is an Indian film actor, occasional playback singer and lyricist, working in the Tamil film industry...
, Naanayam and Porkkalam. Aayirathil Oruvan took the biggest opening by a considerable distance earning Rs. 70,04,264 ($156,342) in the opening weekend across Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, more than double the opening of Kutty. Furthermore, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the film opened across seven screens and grossed £29,517 ($44,868) in the opening week, becoming the biggest opening for a film without the six established leading actors of the Tamil film industry. The film, distributed by Ayngaran International
Ayngaran International
Ayngaran is a film distribution and production company of Tamil films, based in the United Kingdom. The company has distributed various Indian-produced Tamil films in Europe and North America. It is also responsible for the production of Tamil films into home media, such as VHS, DVD, and blu-ray...
opened at 22nd place. The film also managed to beat the other Indian releases in Malaysia, earning $340,082 in the second weeking, after opening in seventh. Similarly, the Telugu dubbing version of the film which released on February 5, Yuganiki Okkadu, took a strong opening and was declared a very successful venture following the opening weekend. The Telugu version released across 93 screens across Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
and grossed 1.78 crore ($396,039) in its opening weekend, a major achievement for a dubbed film.
Reviews
Upon release, the film remarkably gained predominantly either extremely positive or negative reviews. Reviews were often based upon the expectations that the film created prior to release, hampering the chances of the film living up to expectations. A reviewer from the website SifySify
Sify Technologies Limited is an Internet service provider established in 1998, based in Chennai, India.-Company profile:...
, cited that the film represented "something new in the placid world of Tamil cinema" adding that it "broke away from the shackles of the stereotypes". Selvaraghavan
Selvaraghavan
-Personal life:Selvaraghavan is the son of film director Kasthuri Raja, elder brother of actor Dhanush and has two sisters, who are both doctors. On 15 December 2006, he married actress Sonia Agarwal, with whom he had previously worked with on three films...
also was praised by the reviewer with claims that "the director transports us to a whole new world and at the end of it all, we are dumb stuck by the visuals, the packaging and the new way of storytelling". Furthermore, in regard of the crew, Sify described the "top class camera work" by Ramji
Ramji
Ramji is an Indian film cinematographer, who has worked with directors such as Selvaraghavan and Ameer Sultan.-As cinematographer:* Kannabiran * Mayakkam Enna...
and that G. V. Prakash Kumar
G. V. Prakash Kumar
G. V. Prakash Kumar is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer and singer. He has mainly scored music for Tamil, while also doing three Telugu films and a Hindi film...
's background score and his music was "tangy". Rediff.com gave the film 3.5 out of 5 claiming that viewers should "steel your stomach before [you] watch it" and "regardless of the minor discrepancies, AO is definitely a movie to watch". The reviewer, like Sify.com's review, acknowledged Selvaraghavan for attempting such a subject, whilst praising the film technically, claiming it is "a visual treat". Moreover it claims that G. V. Prakash's music sets the tone for the period pieces; adding that "otherwise, the BGM is adequate" whilst Ramji's cinematography "is brilliant but the movie could use some editing". In contrast, Behindwoods.com gave the film 0.5 out of 5 describing the film as "wildly crass", dismissing that "the underdeveloped script lacks everything - starting from strong plot twists to captive locations to graphics to credibility, above all".
In regard of the performances of the lead cast, the Sify reviewer cites that Reemma Sen brings "an uninhibited joie to her role as Anitha" and has "extracted a fine performance". Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah is an Tamil playback singer, voice actor and a film and theatre actress. Beginning her career singing playback, Andrea has gone on to appear in critically acclaimed films such as Pachaikili Muthucharam and Aayirathil Oruvan, winning praise for her portrayals.-Career:Andrea was born...
is described as "likeable", whilst Parthiban
Parthiban
Parthiepan is a Tamil film actor, director, film producer and writer. Parthiepan is known for having directed critically acclaimed films like Pudhiya Paadhai and Housefull and for his performances in films like Bharathi Kannamma, Vetri Kodi Kattu, Azhagi and Aayirathil Oruvan.-Career:He came from a...
is "adequate as the king". Karthi Sivakumar was widely praised, citing that he "is a scream. Right from his introduction scene till the end, he is lovable and provides humour" and "has made a sensational comeback three years after his debut film". Similarly Rediff claims that Reemma is "revelation", whilst alo praising the performances of Karthi and Andrea. The Behindwoods reviewer criticized all three actors, claiming that Karthi has "very little to spare for Aayirathil Oruvan", whilst Reemma Sen fails with her "improper synchronization" and that Andrea might be "multi-talented, but acting, sadly, is not one of those".
Soundtrack
The film was launched in 2007 with Selvaraghavan's regular music director, Yuvan Shankar RajaYuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer, singer and occasional lyricist. He has predominantly scored music for Tamil as well as several Telugu films. His musical career began in 1996, at age 16, as he composed the film score for Aravindhan...
, following five successive successful albums together. However, Yuvan Shankar Raja was opted out from the project in March 2008 due to differences of opinion. Subsequently, G. V. Prakash Kumar
G. V. Prakash Kumar
G. V. Prakash Kumar is an Indian film score and soundtrack composer and singer. He has mainly scored music for Tamil, while also doing three Telugu films and a Hindi film...
was signed on for his biggest project to date and work for the soundtrack began again from scratch. Controversially, a song composed for the project by Yuvan Shankar Raja was still used as Prakash Kumar composition.
The soundtrack to Aayirathil Oruvan was released on 14 June 2009 at a University Auditorium in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, in a critically praised event. Prominent film personalities across the South Indian film industry attended the launch, which became one of the first films to play live music at the audio launch. The launch featured live performances from G. V. Prakash Kumar and Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah is an Tamil playback singer, voice actor and a film and theatre actress. Beginning her career singing playback, Andrea has gone on to appear in critically acclaimed films such as Pachaikili Muthucharam and Aayirathil Oruvan, winning praise for her portrayals.-Career:Andrea was born...
for several songs, as well as songs from Selvaraghavan
Selvaraghavan
-Personal life:Selvaraghavan is the son of film director Kasthuri Raja, elder brother of actor Dhanush and has two sisters, who are both doctors. On 15 December 2006, he married actress Sonia Agarwal, with whom he had previously worked with on three films...
's brother, Dhanush
Dhanush
Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja , better known by his stage name Dhanush , is an Indian film actor, occasional playback singer and lyricist, working in the Tamil film industry...
, and his wife, Aishwarya Dhanush
Aishwarya Dhanush
Aishwarya Rajnikanth Dhanush is an Indian classical dancer, playback singer. Her father is the actor Rajinikanth. She is married to the Indian film actor Dhanush, with whom she has two sons, Yatra born in 2006 and the second boy in 2010 who is named as Linga. Her mother is Latha. She is the sister...
. Furthermore, the night featured a fashion show from Erum Ali, a Kalari
Kalari
The word Kalari means battle ground in Tamil and translates as "threshing floor" or "battlefield" in Malayalam. Training for Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is traditionally done inside the Kalari....
performance in Chenda Melam by dancers from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
led by actress Poorna
Poorna
Shamna Kasim, also known as Poorna, is an Indian film actress and model. She started her career as a classical dancer and got into media when she was participating at the reality-based dance competition Super Dancer on Amrita TV. She made her acting debut in the 2004 Malayalam film Ennittum and...
and choreographed by Sivashankar.
The album features ten tunes; six songs, two alternate versions and another two theme songs. The album featured vocals from singers Karthik
Karthik (singer)
Karthik is an Indian playback singer.Karthik started his professional singing career as a backing vocalist and has since been a playback singer in Tamil cinema while also single in other Indian languages for various composers...
, Vijay Yesudas
Vijay Yesudas
Vijay Yesudas Kattassery , commonly credited as Vijay Yesudas, is an Indian playback singer, who has sung songs in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Tulu and Telugu.-Early life:...
, Bombay Jayashri
Bombay Jayashri
Bombay Jayashri Ramnath is an Indian Carnatic music vocalist. She has also recorded songs as a playback singer in South Indian films. She has many albums to her credit, released as cassettes and CDs....
, Nithyasree Mahadevan
Nithyasree Mahadevan
Dr. Nithyasree Mahadevan, also previously referred to as S. Nithyashri, is an eminent Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. Nithyasree's paternal grandmother, D. K. Pattammal, and her granduncle, D. K...
and P. B. Sreenivas, who made a comeback to playback singing with his song. Moreover husband-wife personality, Dhanush
Dhanush
Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja , better known by his stage name Dhanush , is an Indian film actor, occasional playback singer and lyricist, working in the Tamil film industry...
and Aishwarya Dhanush
Aishwarya Dhanush
Aishwarya Rajnikanth Dhanush is an Indian classical dancer, playback singer. Her father is the actor Rajinikanth. She is married to the Indian film actor Dhanush, with whom she has two sons, Yatra born in 2006 and the second boy in 2010 who is named as Linga. Her mother is Latha. She is the sister...
, sung for the album along with the composer, Prakash Kumar and lead actress, Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah
Andrea Jeremiah is an Tamil playback singer, voice actor and a film and theatre actress. Beginning her career singing playback, Andrea has gone on to appear in critically acclaimed films such as Pachaikili Muthucharam and Aayirathil Oruvan, winning praise for her portrayals.-Career:Andrea was born...
. Lyrics for the songs were written by Vairamuthu
Vairamuthu
Vairamuthu Ramaswamy Thevar is an award-winning Tamil poet and lyricist.Debuting in the film Nizhalgal with the lyrics for the song "Ponmalai Pozhudhu", he has now about 5800 songs to his credit as of January 2009. His partnership with the composers Ilaiyaraaja, and later A. R...
, Veturi Sundararama Murthy, Selvaraghavan and Andrea Jeremiah. For a song set in the thirteenth century, research was carried out to find instruments used during that period. A Yaazh, a melodic instrument used in the Sangama Dynasty
Sangama Dynasty
The Sangama Dynasty was the first dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire. Founded by the brothers, Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, they were sons of Bhavana Sangama...
from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, and a horn, a brass instrument made from animal horns from Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, were used. The soundtrack garnered critical acclaim and was considered Prakash Kumar's finest work to date. Furthermore, shortly after the music release, an album success meet was held.
In the film, only three songs from the album are used in their entirety. Moreover, the first song in the film, not included in the soundtrack, is the original version of "Adho Andha Paravai Pola" from the 1965 film Aayirathil Oruvan
Aayirathil Oruvan (1965 film)
Aayirathil Oruvan is a 1965 swashbuckling action-adventure film in Tamil directed by B.R. Panthulu. The film stars M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalitha in the lead roles. The film further stars other widely known actors such as M. N. Nambiar, R. S. Manohar, Nagesh and L. Vijayalakshmi...
, which was bought from the original copyright holders of the song in December 2007. The film's picturisation of the three exploring the ruins of the fallen kingdom in the song, were praised.