Anniyan turns 19 – Here's why Vikram and Shankar’s film deserves a global re-release

Anniyan, the iconic psychological thriller film which marked the first collaboration of Chiyaan Vikram and filmmaker Shankar, completed 19 years of its release.

Sadha and Vikram in Anniyan; the official poster of Shankar's film.

Anniyan, the psychological thriller that hit the big screens on June 17, 2005, remains one of the landmark movies of Tamil cinema. The project, which marked the first onscreen collaboration of National award-winner Chiyaan Vikram and veteran filmmaker S Shankar, pushed the industry's creative and commercial boundaries in every way. Anniyan, which remains the perfect example of a well-made commercial film, is now available for streaming on Sun NXT and OTTplay Premium. However, as the Vikram-Shankar film completed 19 years of its release we think the movie truly deserves a global re-release in 4K format.

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5 reasons why Anniyan deserves a global re-release in 4K format

Vikram as Anniyan, Ambi, and Remo

The supremely talented actor delivered one of the finest performances of his acting career as P Ramanujam aka Ambi, and his alternate egos Anniyan and Remo, in this Shankar directorial. Chiyaan Vikram played the role of a straightforward, honest lawyer who suffers from multiple personality disorder in the film to near perfection. Especially, the scene in police custody with Prakash Raj is an absolute treat to watch.

A Shankar film

Shankar once again proved why he is always considered one of the finest filmmakers of Indian cinema, with Anniyan - an extremely well-written, and well-made film. The movie made use of all the commercial possibilities of Vikram – the star while still providing immense scope for the actor to perform. Shankar, along with co-writer Sujatha, made a never-seen-before cinematic experience that still deeply connected with the audience.

Harris Jayaraj’s outstanding music

The renowned musician delivered one of the finest music albums of his career with Anniyan. Every single song from the film’s soundtrack remains afresh and still ignites the same euphoria it created 19 years back. The background score, on the other hand, is the heart and soul of the movie. Especially, the theme music of the titular character Anniyan, the cold-blooded serial killer, is an absolute masterpiece.

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Vivek, Prakash Raj, and the supporting cast

Any cine-goer who watched Anniyan would never forget Chari, played by veteran actor Vivek, in the film. The celebrated actor-comedian played the role of Ambi’s best friend who loves him unconditionally, to near perfection. Vivek's comedy timing and one-liners are just unmatched. Prakash Raj, who appeared as DCP Prabhakar, shined as the revenge-driven cop who has his moral dilemmas. The rest of the cast, including leading lady Sadha, Nedumudi Venu, Nassar, Cochin Haneefa, Kalabhavan Mani, Charle, and others played their parts to near perfection.

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The action set pieces and technical aspects

Anniyan was truly way ahead of its time, especially when it comes to the unparalleled action choreography. Peter Hein choreographed the extraordinary stunt sequences of the film. The scene in which Vikram fights a big group of martial arts experts is an absolute treat to watch. Ravi Varman and V Manikandan’s cinematography, Sabu Cyril’s production design, and VT Vijayan’s editing made Anniyan a visually enthralling theatre watch.

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