Anniyan
Anniyan () is a 2005 Indian Tamil-language psychological action thriller film written and directed by S. Shankar and produced by V. Ravichandran of Aascar Films. The plot centres on a disillusioned everyman whose frustration at what he sees as increasing social apathy and public negligence leads to a split personality that attempts to improve the system. Vikram stars as Ambi, an idealistic, law-abiding lawyer who has Dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as Multiple personality disorder) and develops two other identities: a suave fashion model named Remo and a murderous vigilante named Anniyan. Sadha plays the female lead role. Actors Vivek, Nedumudi Venu, Nassar and Prakash Raj also featured in the film. Shankar conceived the film in mid-2003 during the post-production period of his previous film, Boys. He based the film on his own life experiences during his formative years when he was disturbed by what he saw around him, and his eventual displeasure with the society. Pre-production for Anniyan began in November 2003 and principal photography in March 2004. The making of the film, which included numerous production delays, took 14 months. The film was shot at Hyderabad, Thanjavur, Tindivanam and Chennai, and the song sequences were filmed in Mumbai, Malaysia, Amsterdam and Tenkasi. The film was notable for its recreation of the Tyagaraja Aradhana music festival and the extensive use of time slice photography in an action sequence. Cinematographer V. Manikandan abandoned the project halfway through, until he was replaced with Ravi Varman. The technical departments were headed by V. T. Vijayan (editing), Sabu Cyril (production design), and Peter Hein (stunt choreography), and the soundtrack was composed by Harris Jayaraj, who was in his first collaboration with the director. The film was touted as the director's magnum opus and was budgeted at 263.8 million, making it at the time of its release the most expensive South Indian film ever made. Notably, it was the first South Indian film to obtain institutional finance, and it had the highest insurance coverage available for films at that time. Originally filmed in Tamil, and released simultaneously in the 4 South Indian states on 10 June 2005, the film was dubbed into Telugu as Aparichithudu and Hindi as Aparichit The Stranger, was released a year later on 19 May 2006. Further, the film was also dubbed into French and released in French-speaking countries worldwide by Columbia Tristar. The film received positive reviews from critics and became a commercial success across South India. In addition to winning a record breaking eight Filmfare Awards and six State Film Awards, the film also won a National Award in the Special Effects category. Plot 
Ramanujam Iyengar alias Ambi is a straightforward consumer protection advocate from Triplicane who expects everyone to follow the law and prosecutes those who violate it, but his efforts fail as circumstantial evidence favours the accused. Ambi's efforts to raise civic awareness fails due to a general lack of seriousness and widespread corruption. Frustrated, Ambi's suppressed anger manifests as an alter ego called Anniyan, a grim reaper-themed vigilante who seeks out corrupt and indifferent individuals in order to eliminate them. Anniyan creates a website, where he compiles a list of wrongdoers and kills them using punishments described in the ancient Hindu scripture Garuda Purana. Ambi secretly loves his neighbour named Nandini, a medical student and an aspiring Carnatic singer, but never expresses his feelings due to fear of rejection. When Ambi gets the courage to propose Nandini during the annual Thyagaraja Aradhana with the help of his friend, SI Chari, she rejects him as she cannot bear his overbearing nature and constant complaining and nitpicking. Distraught, Ambi attempts suicide, almost drowning himself before having second thoughts. Subsequently, Ambi develops another personality named Remo, a metrosexual fashion model. Nandini becomes smitten with Remo and falls in love with him, but she is unaware that Remo is one of Ambi's split personalities. While purchasing a plot of land for her dowry, Nandini undervalues the property to evade stamp duty. Ambi, who accompanies her to the government office, refuses to help her after learning her intention to skirt the law. Later, when Nandini and Remo are on a date, Remo transforms into Anniyan and attempts to punish her for her corrupt act. As Anniyan is about to kill her, Nandini calls out for Ambi and Anniyan reverts back to Ambi, who collapses and loses consciousness. Nandini takes Ambi to NIMHANS, where he is diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. Through recovered-memory therapy, Vijaykumar, the chief psychiatrist of NIMHANS, uncovers Ambi's past. When Ambi was ten years old, he witnessed the accidental death of his younger sister Vidya due to civic apathy. The incident left a deep emotional scar, which was the reason for his lofty ideals. The psychiatrist realises that although Anniyan and Remo know about Ambi as a separate person, Ambi is oblivious to their existence within him. Vijaykumar declares that Remo will cease to exist if Nandini reciprocates Ambi's feelings, but Anniyan will cease to exist only when society reforms. Nandini accepts Ambi's love and Remo vanishes. Meanwhile, DCP Prabhakar and Chari investigate the murders committed by Anniyan. In disguises, they discover clues left behind by Anniyan, which are the names of the punishments he meted out to his victims. Prabhakar is determined personally to punish Anniyan as one of his victims named Chockalingam, an errant catering contractor with the Indian Railways, was his elder brother. In a dramatic publicity stunt, Anniyan admits to the murders when he appears amidst the public and the press at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Anniyan explains the rationale behind the murders and tells that only when every Indian is responsible and sincere will the country prosper on par with developed nations. His methods draw both praise and criticism. Prabhakar tries to catch Anniyan, but he escapes. On investigating the phone records and IP address of Anniyan's internet activity, Prabhakar discovers that the connection belongs to Ambi. Upon further analysis of security footage of Anniyan's public appearance, Ambi's face gets revealed under the hood. Prabhakar arrests Ambi and subjects him to a polygraph test to make him confess his crimes. The officers see that he is telling the truth and is oblivious to killing anyone, believing his innocence. Prabhakar gets enraged, where he orders all the officers and Chari to leave and begins brutally attacking and tormenting Ambi alone with Garuda Puranam punishments. Ambi is eventually thrown into a boiling saltwater tank by Prabhakar. When a traumatised Ambi begs for mercy, Prabhakar mockingly uses the water cooler and makes the water extremely cold, where it becomes ice so that Ambi will freeze to death. The near-death experience and pain triggers Anniyan's reappearance. Ambi's personality alternates between him and Anniyan; he brutally subdues Prabhakar as Anniyan while begging for mercy as himself. When Ambi gets tried for several murders, Vijaykumar testifies to Ambi's mental condition. Chari also secretly recorded Ambi's interrogation and torture at Prabhakar's hands and presented it as evidence of Ambi's mental state. Ambi is acquitted, but is directed to undergo psychotherapy in a mental hospital and will be eligible for release when cured. When Ambi is released two years later, his rigid adherence to protocol has diminished and appears more open and accommodating. He marries Nandini, and while travelling on a train during their honeymoon, Ambi notices a man (an electrician who was indirectly responsible for his sister's death several years ago) drinking among fellow passengers. Moving himself and Nandini away from the man, he secretly transforms into Anniyan and throws the man off the train, thus killing him. However, Ambi hides the incident from Nandini, revealing that instead of  eradicating his other personality, the two characters have blended into one identity. 