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Iru Mugan () is a 2016 Indian Tamil language-language science fiction action film directed by Anand Shankar and produced by Shibu Thameens under the banner Thameens Films. The film stars Vikram in dual roles, alongside Nayanthara, Nithya Menen, Nassar, Thambi Ramaiah and Karunakaran in supporting roles. In the film, an ex-R&AW agent sets out to track down a scientist, who has created a hazardous drug that can boost adrenaline levels.
Principal photography commenced in December 2015. The major portion of the film was shot in Malaysia with few sequences in Chennai, Bangkok, Ladakh and Kashmir. Harris Jayaraj composed the soundtrack and musical score, while R. D. Rajasekhar and Bhuvan Srinivasan handled the cinematography and editing respectively.
Iru Mugan was released on 8 September 2016 to positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success at the box office.
On viewing the video footage of the attack, Akhilan concludes that the elderly Malaysian man had taken a mysterious performance enhancing drug which allowed him to attack the Indian officials and decides to investigate the matter further in Malaysia. Since Akhilan is under suspension, Malik assigns him as a deputy to a junior R&AW agent named Arushi and the two of them leave for Kuala Lumpur. At Kuala Lumpur, Akhilan and Ayushi learn that the mysterious drug is inhaled using an asthma inhaler. Further investigations leads them to Peter, a scientist who is on LOVE'S payroll.
Peter becomes an informer and tells them about the drug called Speed. The drug causes a person, who inhales it, to have extraordinary strength for five minutes before falling unconscious, and if the person inhales the drug again within a few hours, they will suffer a massive heart attack. Peter also reveals that a shipment of Speed inhalers is to be dispatched to LOVE within the next 15 minutes. Akhilan and Arushi pursue the lorry carrying the inhalers, but a lorry driver inhales Speed and subdues the duo, where they are then taken to LOVE'S hideout. Akhilan goes to arrest LOVE, but is knocked out by Meera, who is still alive and has been working for LOVE as a computer hacker by the name ROSY.
It is then revealed that Meera suffers from retrograde amnesia after being attacked four years ago and that LOVE took advantage of her situation to employ her as a computer hacker to create an impenetrable firewall. However, when LOVE orders Meera to kill Akhilan and Arushi, she points the gun at LOVE and calls the police, who arrests him. Meera reveals that she had been forced to take Speed by LOVE to work faster, but the drug caused her to regain old memories, including those with Akhilan. Meera had soon regained her full memory after continuous use of the drug. While in custody, LOVE manages to obtain a Speed inhaler and inhales it, helping her escape and destroy the entire police station, killing Arushi and everyone present. Arushi had recorded the whole incident by using a bluetooth camera.
Akhilan finds out that LOVE had made a satellite call to Chang, the Transport Minister of Malaysia, who had allowed LOVE to send shipments of Speed inhalers to India to perpetrate terror attacks there in return for money. Akhilan rushes to the hospital, where Chang is admitted and interrogates him. During the interrogation, LOVE sneaks into the hospital and, hiding in the air conditioning vent, sprays a neurotoxin gas in Chang's room, causing Akhilan and Chang to get paralyzed. LOVE then kills Chang and puts the knife on Akhilan's hand, framing him as Chang's assassin. Akhilan and Meera are declared fugitives, but the duo manages to escape from the Malaysian police.
Akhilan and Meera decide to finish off LOVE using her kill switch activation device, which had been restored and hidden by Arushi before she was killed. As the device can only be opened with LOVE's fingerprint, they plan on obtaining her fingerprint. They sneak into an illegal airfield owned by Chang, where LOVE is planning to leave for India with the shipments of Speed inhalers. Akhilan inhales Speed and fights LOVE, who has also inhaled Speed, and manages to get her fingerprint before collapsing after the drug effect wears off.
On regaining consciousness, Akhilan finds out that LOVE has already left for India. It is shown that Akhilan used silica gel to get LOVE's fingerprints. Akhilan then uses the fingerprints to open the kill switch activation device, deactivates Meera's kill switch and kills all of LOVE's henchmen, including those piloting the plane. The plane crashes into a remote jungle, killing LOVE and destroying the Speed shipments. A few weeks later, Akhilan and Meera are enjoying a holiday cruise on a private boat, sponsored by the Government of Malaysia, as a reward for killing LOVE. It is revealed that Akhilan had secretly kept a Speed inhaler.
Ayngaran International backed out of the film in November 2015, prompting Anand Shankar to re-approach different producers to find new funding for the project. Later on in the month, Shibu Thameens agreed to produce the film and announced that the film would finally begin its first schedule in Malaysia during December 2015. The change of producer also meant significant changes were made to the cast and crew of the film, with Kajal Aggarwal dropped for Nayanthara. Bindu Madhavi was left out of the new team, while the makers discussed the secondary lead role with actresses Nithya Menen and Parvathy Thiruvothu, before Menen was selected. Likewise, R. D. Rajasekhar and Suresh Selvarajan were brought on board to handle the film's cinematography and art direction, respectively.
The album received mixed reviews.
Sify rated the album 4.25/5 reviewing that "This is vintage Harris delivering a mellifluous album!" The Times of India rated 2.5/5, stating "Except for two songs, Harris doesn't really make an impact with this album."
Srivatsan of India Today gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Iru Mugan could've easily been Tamil cinema's answer to Hollywood thrillers but it's neither a damn-good film or a bad one."
Anupama Subramanian of Deccan Chronicle wrote "Although formulaic in nature, Iru Mugan is a straightforward drug-infused thriller that is high on tempo and very unrelenting." Sreedhar Pillai of Firstpost wrote "Iru Mugan is a one-time stylish and racy entertainer and an out and out Vikram show, which has its moments."
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