Ayya (2005 Tamil film)

Ayya is a 2005 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by Hari, and produced by Kavithalayaa Productions. The film stars R. Sarathkumar in a dual role with Napoleon and Nayanthara in lead while Vadivelu, Prakash Raj, Lakshmi, Rohini, and Charle play supporting roles. The music was composed by Bharadwaj with cinematography by V. T. Vijayan and editing by Priyan. Ayya released on 14 January 2005 coinciding Pongal and turned out to be a critical and commercial success

Plot
The movie starts during the times of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, where there is a heavy drought in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Ayyadurai and Madasamy are close friends and landlords of different castes presumably from the Mukkulathor and Nadar communities respectively in Tenkasi town in Tirunelveli district, and they try hard to help people and save them from dying during the drought.

The Tenkasi MLA Shanmugapandi, also a relative of Madasamy, smuggles rice given by the Government of Tamil Nadu, and people protest upon knowing this. Shanmugapandi denies knowing anything about the sanctioned rice. That night, he starts to smuggle the rice via Karaiyar instead of the usual route via Sengottai, but the lorries are waylaid and ransacked by the people led by Madasamy. Shanmugapandi comes there and starts shooting towards people. Ayyadurai sees Shanmugapandi aiming for Madasamy and pushes him. Then, Ayyadurai beats Shanmugapandi using the hilt of the gun, following which the latter dies. The local people support Ayyadurai, save him from police, and also urge him to contest in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by-elections.

The film comes to the present, where Ayyadurai has been the unopposed MLA of Tenkasi for more than 35 years. He returns from Chennai after resigning his post because the state department did not sanction his request to renovate the lakes in his constituency. He is welcomed by the people along with his son Chelladurai and friend Madasamy in Tenkasi Junction railway station. Chelladurai, a civil engineer, runs their business and helps his father for the people's welfare. Selvi is Madasamy's teenage daughter who deliberately fails her 12th standard exam as she loves Chelladurai and wants to marry him.

Meanwhile, Karuppusamy is the son of Shanmugapandi and wants to take revenge by either defeating or killing Ayyadurai. He has contested thrice against Ayyadurai in the past decade, with no avail. He has also made around 20 attempts on Ayyadurai's life without any success. Meanwhile, Selvi proposes her love to Chelladurai, but he does not accept, saying that it might result in clashes between their families as they both belong to different castes. Also, there comes a flashback where it is shown that a few years back, Chelladurai's arranged marriage got cancelled the night before the wedding as the bride Thulasi had eloped with her lover, which makes Chelladurai feel embarrassed. Because of this, he prefers to stay unmarried.

Selvi, after failing her exams, informs about her love to both families, and after much deliberation due to varying castes, they decide to get them married. Now, Karuppusamy (being a second cousin of Madasamy) plays tricks to separate both Ayyadurai and Madasamy. He sends police on the day of the marriage, saying that Selvi is still a minor and that it is illegal to get her married before 18 years of age. Ayyadurai accepts this and informs Madasamy to postpone the wedding. This angers Madasamy, who believes that the police were sent only by Ayyadurai to cancel the marriage as both of them belonged to different castes. The policeman also confirms Madasamy's suspicion, and the four-generation friendship is broken off. Karuppusamy uses this opportunity to get close to Madasamy and makes him the witness for Shanmugapandi's murder by Ayyadurai. The police arrests Ayyadurai.

The general election dates are announced in the state. The ruling party again gives a chance for Karuppusamy to contest, giving him an ultimatum to win. Ayyadurai cannot contest due to the murder case, and hence, he nominates an unwilling Chelladurai in his stead. Karuppusamy, in order to get both caste votes and win the election, plans to murder Madasamy and blame Chelladurai. However, before this, Chelladurai saves Madasamy, though he later gives his signed withdrawal form to Karuppusamy and says that he let him become the unopposed MLA as he is also a good-natured man, and his anger is only on Ayyadurai and not on the people of the town. Karuppusamy realises his mistake and apologises to Ayyadurai and Chelladurai for all his criminal activities. However, Ayyadurai prefers to stay in prison as he still feels guilty for murdering Shanmugapandi years ago. Karuppusamy becomes the MLA, and Chelladurai and Selvi marry to unify the families.

Production
The film's subject was first narrated to Rajinikanth. However R. Sarathkumar clarified that the film was first offered to him first which he was not able to do due to busy schedule, then it was narrated to Rajinikanth which did not work out then later it again came back to him. Navya Nair was initially cast in the film, before being replaced by Nayanthara, marking her Tamil film debut. The filming was held at Thirunelveli, Thenkasi, Courtallam, Thoothukudi and Tiruchendur and at Karnataka. A fight sequence where some men block the title character's car and fight following it was shot at Kallidaikurichi, near Tirunelveli.

Soundtrack
The songs and background score were done by Bharadwaj in his second collaboration with director Hari after Thamizh. The song "Oru Vaarthai" was used in the 2006 Taiwanese film I Don't Want to Sleep Alone, as well as the official trailer for it.

Release and reception
The film's theatrical and satellite rights were sold to Ravichandran's Oscar Films for ₹7.25 crore at a table profit of ₹2.25 crore. Ayyaa was released on 14 January 2005 on Pongal festival alongside films like Thirupaachi, Aayudham and Devathaiyai Kanden.

Nowrunning.com gave 3/5, saying, "Another splendid performance from Sarath Kumar. His Pongal release "Ayya" has the right dose of emotions, drama and action. Hari, the director, played precisely by giving Sarath a memorable role". Malini Mannath of Chennai Online wrote "'Ayya' is an emotion-packed family drama worth watching." Behindwoods wrote "The director has presented the story with no villains, vulgarity, and crude commercial elements. Eventhough these types of films have come already, Hari’s screen play is what makes this film totally different from the others. Here only, the talent of a good director like Hari comes into light". Visual Dasan of Kalki wrote even within the commercial formula, Ayya makes the mind heavy with high ambitions. Cinesouth wrote "After the debacle of his previous films, Kovil and Arul had made the director Hari to stand tall with pride. There are directors who would make a good screenplay out of good story and make successful movie, and there are directors who would make good screenplay from not so good story and yet make successful movies. But the director Hari had taken up a good story and also made effective screenplay out of it. He should be appreciated very much for this".