Perumaan
Perumaan (transl. Shiva) is a 2012 Indian Tamil-language thriller film written and directed by Rajesh Kannan.[1][2] The film stars newcomers Arjun Das in the lead role as Shakti, an IT professional, alongside Shruti as his girlfriend and Sriram Vedam as a gangster.[1][2] The story centers on Shakti, who dreams of becoming a famous superstar and sees wealth as the key to achieving it.[2] When a friend offers him a chance to assist a businessman in an underhanded scheme—transporting crores of rupees illegally for a gangster—Shakti seizes the opportunity, only to face mounting challenges in concealing his sudden fortune from his family, friends, girlfriend, and pursuing law enforcement.[1][2] This forces him to confront the consequences of his choices and reassess his priorities amid escalating tension.[1] Released theatrically in India on August 31, 2012, the film runs for 1 hour and 47 minutes and blends elements of mystery, thriller, and drama.[3] Produced by Sriram Vedam under Kannan Elumalai, it marked the debut feature for its lead actors and received a 3 out of 5 rating from critics for its handling of a complex premise and Arjun Das's assured performance, though noted for pacing issues in its musical sequences.[1]Cast and characters
Lead roles
Arjun Das portrays Shakti, the film's protagonist, an ambitious IT professional in Chennai who dreams of achieving superstardom akin to Rajinikanth but believes he requires vast wealth to realize this aspiration.[4][2] Initially grappling with moral dilemmas about his straightforward life, Shakti accepts an illicit opportunity to transport large sums of money for a businessman, earning a substantial commission that propels him into a world of sudden affluence and ensuing paranoia over safeguarding his newfound riches.[1] This marks Das's feature film debut in 2012, where his confident screen presence is noted, though emotional depth in key scenes shows room for growth.[1][5] Shruti plays the female lead, Shakti's girlfriend who enters his life amid his escalating schemes, offering emotional anchorage while her involvement inadvertently heightens the risks surrounding his illegal dealings.[4][1] As a newcomer like her co-star, Shruti's character provides a grounding romantic subplot, complicating Shakti's isolation as he navigates the consequences of his choices, with her performance delivering a neat, supportive portrayal that complements the thriller's tension.[6][1]Supporting roles
In Perumaan, the supporting cast features newcomers Rajkumar, Ashwin, Krishna, Madhan, and Jai, who portray ensemble roles as friends entangled in the money-laundering subplot central to the thriller's narrative.[7] These actors appear in group scenes that illustrate the underhanded, commission-based operations, providing comic relief and highlighting the risks and moral ambiguities of the plot without overshadowing the leads.[2][4] Sriram Vedam delivers a notable performance as the gangster whose illicit funds drive the central conflict, providing a menacing antagonist that escalates the stakes for the ensemble.[1] The naturalistic portrayals by these relative newcomers enhance the film's realism, grounding the thriller elements in authentic interpersonal dynamics and everyday Chennai settings.[8] Their interactions with the lead actors in collective sequences underscore the scheme's collaborative nature, briefly referencing Shakti's influence in steering the group's actions toward escalating peril.Production
Development
Perumaan was the directorial debut of Rajesh Kannan J., who also wrote the screenplay. The project was produced under the banner of Kannan Elumalai, with principal development activities commencing around 2010-2011 ahead of its 2012 release. Producers Sriram Vedam and Brinda Das led the project.[9][10]Filming and crew
Principal photography for Perumaan began in early 2011 following its launch in Chennai on March 4, 2011, and wrapped up ahead of its August 2012 release, capturing the film's urban thriller elements in Chennai locations.[11][10] The production was managed by the company Kannan Elumalai, with Brinda Das and Sriram Vedam serving as producers.[3][10] Cinematography was handled by C. J. Rajkumar, who utilized unusual camera angles to build suspense in key scheme-related sequences.[10][1] The technical crew worked with debut actors Arjun Das and Shruti, ensuring a realistic depiction of office and hideout settings through art direction that emphasized authentic urban IT environments.[10]Soundtrack
Composition
The soundtrack for Perumaan was composed by newcomers Vikram Sarathy and Luiji, who incorporated a blend of electronic elements such as dubstep, hip-hop, and techno with traditional Tamil influences like Carnatic vocals, kuthu rhythms, and instruments including veena, tabla, and flute to create tension suited to the film's thriller narrative.[12][13] Vikram Sarathy, then a final-year engineering student and keyboard programmer under G. V. Prakash Kumar, handled four of the six tracks, pioneering the first Tamil dubstep song in "Om Om Siva" by fusing dubstep orchestration with Carnatic vocal lines for a dynamic, genre-experimental sound.[13] Luiji contributed the remaining two songs, emphasizing hip-hop beats and techno gimmicks alongside local kuthu elements to underscore action and suspense sequences involving underhanded schemes.[12] The composition process began during the film's pre-production in 2011, with the duo crafting tracks to align closely with the story's realistic portrayal of moral dilemmas and illicit activities, resulting in a limited score of six songs that prioritized experimental variety over extensive orchestration.[12][14] Stylistic choices focused on heavy percussion and synthesizer layers for rhythmic drive in thriller moments, while softer melodic sections incorporated flute and veena for emotional depth, reflecting the composers' intent to balance western influences with Tamil folk traditions.[12] Recording emphasized minimalistic instrumentation in select tracks to maintain a raw, unpolished edge that complemented the low-budget production's aesthetic, with well-mixed elements evoking comparisons to established composers like Yuvan Shankar Raja without relying on overproduced effects.[12] This approach extended to the overall sound design, where the score's subtle electronic pulses heightened suspense during key plot sequences without overpowering the dialogue-driven realism.[12]Track listing
The soundtrack of Perumaan, composed by Luiji and Vikram Sarathy, was released on December 15, 2011, ahead of the film's theatrical premiere in 2012. It features six tracks that blend hip-hop, gaana, and melodic elements to complement the thriller's themes of aspiration and tension.[15]| No. | Title | Singers | Duration | Lyricist | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bimbilaaki Bilaapi | Rajesh Kannan J, Chakravarthy SR | 3:45 | Rajesh Kannan J | A high-energy hip-hop track with kuthu influences and a catchy refrain, capturing the protagonist's energetic pursuit of wealth and fame in an upbeat montage.[12][15] |
| 2 | Soppana Sundari | Keerthana S, Vikram Sarathy | 4:01 | Rajesh Kannan J | A lively gaana-style item number with veena interludes, suited for a celebratory dance sequence amid the film's romantic interludes.[12][15] |
| 3 | Om Om Siva | Madhana Gopal, Sricharan (rap) | 4:18 | Rajesh Kannan J | An experimental Western-fused track with a chaotic "Sivaya Nama Om" chant and rap, underscoring moments of spiritual tension during high-stakes chases.[12][16] |
| 4 | My Sarah | Luiji, Smruthi | 4:51 | Luiji | A soft romantic ballad with techno and guitar elements, highlighting the emotional bonds and aspirational dreams in intimate scenes.[12][16] |
| 5 | Vaanum Mannum | Rajesh Kannan J | 1:54 | Rajesh Kannan J | A short, passionate piece with heavy percussion, serving as a thematic underscore for the film's core conflicts involving risk and desire.[12][16] |
| 6 | Hey Snehidhiye | Nikhil Mathew | 4:31 | Rajesh Kannan J | A melodic friendship anthem with piano, violin, and tabla orchestration, accompanying scenes of camaraderie and building suspense.[12][16] |