Kallan

Directed by writer-turned-filmmaker Chandra Thangaraj, the film was reported to be based on real-life events which had occurred in a small village in Theni.^[1] An erstwhile assistant to directors Ameer and Ram, Chandra stated that it took her nearly four years to find a producer for the film and she finally landed with producer Madhiazhagan after narrating the script to about 50 other producers.^[2][3]

Director-actor Karu Pazhaniappan was cast in the lead role, while debutant Nikita from new Delhi was cast opposite him during late 2015.^[4] The film began production in December 2015 in Kochi, before the team moved to film scenes in Theni and Bodimettu.^[5]

As the film became delayed, Chandra chose to screen the film for prominent directors Vetrimaaran. Based on his feedback, she re-edited the film during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.^[6]

The film was released on 18 March 2022 across theatres in Tamil Nadu. A critic from the Times of India wrote "the screenplay is very one-dimensional in spite of having twists and turns" and that "a little extra effort in the writing to enhance a gritty plot like this could have worked wonders for the film".^[7] A reviewer from Cinema Express noted "what sounds like an arresting story on paper, faces endless stutters in getting transferred to the screen".^[8] OTTplay critic said that "This heist drama, starring Karu Palaniappan in the lead, is an avoidable mess"^[9]