# Naanayam

Naanayam (transl. Integrity, Currency) is a 2010 Indian Tamil-language heist thriller film written and directed by Shakti Soundar Rajan in his directorial debut. Produced by Atharsh Capital Film Works, the film stars Prasanna, Sibiraj, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Ramya Raj, and debutante Yasmin. The film's songs were composed by James Vasanthan, and the score was by Thaman. The film released on 14 January 2010 to mixed reviews. It marked the last Tamil film of Ramya Raj.

## Plot

Ravi (Prasanna) is an electronics engineer who introduces himself as a youthful guy who aspires to become a businessman. He meets Viswanath (S. P. Balasubrahmanyam), the CEO of Trust Bank, in a golf course when he fights to grab a bag belonging to Viswanath from a stranger. Ravi saves Viswanath and chases the stranger. He is unable to catch the man but gets a glimpse of his face. Viswanath thanks Ravi, offers him a job in his bank, and assures to provide a loan of Rs. 2 crores to start his own business. The bank promotes its new branch as the "world's safest bank" with the security locker designed by Ravi. Ravi works in Trust Bank for five years, but his loan approval gets rejected so many times despite Viswanath's attempts to get it approved.
Ravi meets a divorced news reporter Nandhini (Ramya Raj) in a golf club. They become friends, and slowly, love blossoms between them. However, Ravi, once during his date with Nandhini, is attacked by Nandhini's ex-husband Raghu. Ravi counterattacks Raghu and goes home. At home, Ravi meets Fareed (Sibiraj), who tells that Ravi killed Raghu and there are evidences to prove. Fareed also kidnaps Nandhini. Ravi is confident that he did not kill Raghu, but he has to obey the words of helping rob the bank to save himself and Nandhini.
Fareed says that he is an ex-employee of Trust Bank and was fired by Viswanath for fund mismanagement. As a result, he wants to take revenge on Viswanath by robbing Trust Bank (which will negatively impact its trustworthiness) and also wants Ravi to help him as he is the one behind the safety system design. Ravi and Fareed plan to rob the bank, which has infrared lasers and a four-leveled lock system vault. Meanwhile, Ravi records the conversations going on between them and hands the recording to his assistant Devaki to save himself. Ravi demands Rs. 2 Crore, the photographic evidences of the murder from the robbers before the theft. Fareed initially gives it but takes it back and gives Ravi another bag similar to it.
Ravi discloses all the security systems to enter the vault, which Fareed and his men enter as per plan. However, Ravi did not inform them about a secret exit in the vault, and he makes a plan to get Fareed and his men trapped. Ravi suddenly escapes through the secret exit, locks others inside the vault, and rushes to meet Viswanath, where he also sees Nandhini with him. Ravi gets shocked seeing Nandhini along with Viswanath and gets to know the truth. The robbery is actually a plan of Viswanath, who did it in order to grab the bag, which has evidences of his illegal affair with Nandhini, who is actually named Eswari. The stranger took pictures of Viswanath and Eswari and blackmails Viswanath for money. The stranger also safely placed the evidence in Trust Bank's locker. To steal the evidence, Viswanath planned a robbery with Fareed, Eswari's brother. The man who Ravi was told to be killed by him was actually a new employee in Fareed's gang. Viswanath apologizes to Ravi for the trouble he created and commits suicide. Fareed and Eswari are arrested, and all of Fareed's gang members die inside the vault due to lack of oxygen.
Ravi destroys all the evidence of the illegal affair of Viswanath and finds Rs. 2 Crore in the back side of his car, which actually was demanded by him from Fareed, and which he uses to start his new business.

## Cast

* S. P. Balasubrahmanyam as Viswanath
* Prasanna as Ravi
* Sibiraj as Fareed
* Ramya Raj as Eswari / Nandhini
* Yasmin as Devaki
* Vijaya as Mrs. Viswanath
* Jasper as Logu
* Jayanth as Pandi
* Sundarapandian as Imran
* Magi as Inspector Venkat
* R. Senthil as Senthil
* Arunachalam as Rangarajan
* V. Viswanath as Murali
* Rathnavelu as Bhaskar
* Balaji as Chief Guest
* Taslima as Dancer

## Production

In November 2008, the film began its pre-production with Prasanna being signed on to play the lead role, whilst before the end of the year, Sibiraj and Ramya Raj were also signed on to be a part of Charan's project. The film progressed quietly through 2008 under the working title of Kavasam, with the subject being described as a "crime thriller". The music for the film released in November 2009, whilst the film released the following January coinciding with the Tamil festival of Thai Pongal.

## Soundtrack

The film score (BGM) was composed by Thaman of Eeram and Mundhinam Paartheney fame. The songs were composed by James Vasanthan of Subramaniapuram and Pasanga fame. Actor Silambarasan and music composer Devi Sri Prasad sung together for one song, apart from the likes of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra and Sunitha Sarathy. The title song was based on "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes.

## Release

The film was released on 14 January 2010 on Pongal alongside Aayirathil Oruvan, Kutty and Porkkalam.

### Box office

The film opened in most centres across Chennai, Tamil Nadu to a mixed opening. The filmgrossed Rs. 7,99,274 in the opening weekend in Chennai

### Reviews

Upon release, the film generally received mixed reviews. In reference to the performances, Rediff claimed that Prasanna is "sweet, savvy, intense and desperate as the situation demands" and that his diction "too is superb". It went on to claim that Sibiraj, who makes more of an impact, despite that "he apes his esteemed father often, especially in tone of voice and modulation" but "he seems to have had a blast doing it". Ramya Raj has "more than one role to play, and does justice to it" whilst SPB plays his role with "élan". In reference to the script, Behindwoods criticized it by labelling that "the script employs countless twists and turns, although only a few of them really work – before which the damage of ruining it is already done", whilst also mentioning that "Naanayam also feels like it is inspired from a vaguely familiar Hollywood movie."