Ayan () is a 2009 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film co-written and directed by K. V. Anand. The film, starring Suriya, Prabhu, Tamannaah, Akashdeep Saighal, Jagan, and Karunas, was produced by M. Saravanan, M. S. Guhan, Aruna Guhan and Aparna Guhan and distributed by Sun Pictures. The film score and soundtrack was composed by Harris Jayaraj, edited by Anthony Gonsalvez, the film was filmed by M. S. Prabhu.
The film was launched in Chennai, while filming also took place in various locations out of India, including Namibia, Malaysia, Zanzibar and South Africa. It released on 3 April 2009 worldwide to positive reviews. Ayan was declared as the solo blockbuster of 2009 in Tamil cinema, collecting about worldwide. The film was also successful in Kerala.
Plot
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.