Writer and director Vetrimaran, stated that the film was inspired by some real-life experiences of his friend Andrew who lost his bike in North Madras.
This movie is the debut of director Vetrimaaran, who would go on to become one of the most successful and critically-acclaimed directors in Tamil Cinema.
The movie shares its title with the 1980 film in which Dhanush's father-in-law Rajinikanth who had played the lead role.
The movie was later remade into Kannada as 'Punda', and in Telugu as 'Kurradu' starring Varun Sandesh, in the year 2009.
The reach of the movie was so wide that it was reported to be remade in Sinhalese as 'Pravegeya' with the famous Sri Lankan Hemal Ranasinghe, and Miss Sri Lanka Jacqueline Fernandez playing the lead roles.