# Maayavan (மாயவன்)
**Maayavan** (மாயவன்) is a 2017 Indian Tamil-language science fiction crime thriller directed by C. V. Kumar, in which a police officer investigates a series of eerily similar murders linked to neuroscientist Pramodh's memory-transfer experiment, which allows the killer to continue living in other bodies.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7221634/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maayavan) • [15](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/maayavan-movie-review-sundeep-kishan-jackie-shroff-star-rating-4984149/lite/) It marked Kumar's debut as a director after a career as a producer of Tamil films such as *Attakathi*, *Pizza*, and *Soodhu Kavvum*.[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/Dec/13/i-never-wanted-to-become-a-filmmaker-cv-kumar-3564.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 14 December 2017, in Tamil, with a U/A certificate in India[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/maayavan/story.html) |
| Director / story | C. V. Kumar, his directorial debut; screenplay and dialogues by Nalan Kumarasamy[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/Dec/13/i-never-wanted-to-become-a-filmmaker-cv-kumar-3564.html) • [5](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/19269/tamil/maayavan/) |
| Lead cast | Sundeep Kishan, Lavanya Tripathi, Jackie Shroff, and Daniel Balaji[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7221634/) |
| Runtime | About 2 hours 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the listing[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7221634/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maayavan) |
| Technical crew | Music by Ghibran, cinematography by Gopi Amarnath, editing by Leo John Paul[6](https://www.moviebuff.com/maayavan) |
| Audience rating | 7.2/10 on IMDb from about 4,600 votes[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7221634/ratings/) |
| Franchise | A direct sequel, *Maaya One*, was announced in December 2023, and a further film, *XY*, was placed in the Maayavan cinematic universe in 2025[8](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/Dec/09/maayavan-sequel-titled-maaya-one-50248.html) • [9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Oct/02/cv-kumars-upcoming-film-xy-now-part-of-maayavan-cinematic-universe-full-cast-and-crew-revealed) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and premise
The film follows Kumaran (Sundeep Kishan), a police inspector who is injured while apprehending a killer and later returns to work to investigate the murder of an actress (Akshara Gowda). He notices that the new killing resembles earlier murders committed by a man who is already dead, and the investigation draws in a motivational speaker named Ruthran ([Daniel Balaji](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-balaji)) and the army officer Major Sathyam ([Jackie Shroff](https://www.edgepedia.org/jackie-shroff)).[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/maayavan/movie-review/62069467.cms) The psychiatrist Adhirai ([Lavanya Tripathi](https://www.edgepedia.org/lavanya-tripathi)) treats Kumaran's trauma and helps him track the murderer.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/meet-the-characters-of-maayavan/articleshow/60276429.cms)
The high concept behind the murders is a scientific take on immortality through technological memory transfer, which the film explains in simple terms for the audience.[12](https://www.moviecrow.com/movie/3100/maayavan-tamil-movie-review/review) C. V. Kumar said the story was inspired by articles on human evolution he read in 2012 and by real-life incidents, and that he met police officers to learn how murder cases are solved.[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/Dec/13/i-never-wanted-to-become-a-filmmaker-cv-kumar-3564.html) Reviewers noted that the film's premise resembles spirit possession, a familiar device in [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema), but gives it a technological explanation in keeping with a *Black Mirror*-style sensibility.[13](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2017/Dec/16/maayavan-review-fascinating-in-theory-faulty-in-execution-1728542.html)
### Sequel and franchise
A sequel was officially announced in April 2021 under the working title *Maayavan Reloaded*, with C. V. Kumar again directing and producing.[18](https://tamil.samayam.com/tamil-cinema/movie-news/cv-kumar-maayavan-movie-second-part-official-announcement/articleshow/81966793.cms) A formal launch with a pooja ceremony took place in [Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/hyderabad) in September 2023, with Sundeep Kishan returning as a cop and the film planned for release in both Tamil and Telugu.[19](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/sundeep-kishan-cv-kumar-reunite-for-sequel-to-their-sci-fi-thriller-maayavan/articleshow/103948737.cms) In December 2023 the sequel was rechristened *Maaya One*, with Akansha Ranjan Kapoor as the female lead and [Santhosh Narayanan](https://www.edgepedia.org/santhosh-narayanan) replacing Ghibran as composer; Kumar described it as a direct sequel set in the same universe, with his own script.[8](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/Dec/09/maayavan-sequel-titled-maaya-one-50248.html) In October 2025, Kumar's new film *XY* was announced as part of a Maayavan cinematic universe, though it was not stated whether it is a sequel or a standalone story.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Oct/02/cv-kumars-upcoming-film-xy-now-part-of-maayavan-cinematic-universe-full-cast-and-crew-revealed)
## Production
Kumar began directing the film while it was in its final schedule of shooting in 2016, produced jointly by his Thirukumaran Entertainment and [K. E. Gnanavel Raja](https://www.edgepedia.org/k-e-gnanavel-raja)'s Studio Green.[14](https://www.maalaimalar.com/cinema/final-stage-of-cvkumar-mayavan-shooting) He said that [Nalan Kumarasamy](https://www.edgepedia.org/nalan-kumarasamy), a friend, read the story and offered to write the screenplay, and that it was Kumarasamy's suggestion that Kumar direct it himself.[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/Dec/13/i-never-wanted-to-become-a-filmmaker-cv-kumar-3564.html) [Taapsee Pannu](https://www.edgepedia.org/taapsee-pannu) was originally cast but exited the project over date issues.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/maayavan/story.html)
## Reception
**Critical response.** The Times of India gave the film 3.5 out of 5, calling it a gripping whodunit with a touch of sci-fi that keeps the audience guessing until the killer and his method are revealed, while noting flaws such as a quickly resolved post-traumatic subplot and a prologue set in 2037 that felt unnecessary.[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/maayavan/movie-review/62069467.cms) [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) rated it 3 out of 5, crediting Nalan Kumarasamy's screenplay with keeping the audience hooked but criticizing unanswered questions and loose ends.[15](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/maayavan-movie-review-sundeep-kishan-jackie-shroff-star-rating-4984149/lite/) [IndiaGlitz](https://www.edgepedia.org/indiaglitz) gave 2.5 out of 5, praising the novel concept and the futuristic laboratory sets by art director Gopi Anand but finding the second-half screenplay flat.[16](https://www.indiaglitz.com/maayavan-review-tamil-movie-20899) The New Indian Express titled its review "Fascinating in theory, faulty in execution."[13](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2017/Dec/16/maayavan-review-fascinating-in-theory-faulty-in-execution-1728542.html)
**Audience response and commercial performance.** The film holds a 7.2/10 rating on IMDb from about 4,600 users.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7221634/ratings/) Tamil reporting states that the film received a moderate theatrical reception but recorded a large financial loss on release.[17](https://cinereporters.com/maayavan-second-part-is-coming-onthe-way) It later found a much larger audience when it was released on streaming during the COVID-19 lockdown period, and that renewed attention was cited as the reason a sequel was undertaken.[17](https://cinereporters.com/maayavan-second-part-is-coming-onthe-way) • [18](https://tamil.samayam.com/tamil-cinema/movie-news/cv-kumar-maayavan-movie-second-part-official-announcement/articleshow/81966793.cms)
## References
1. [Maayavan (2017), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7221634/)
2. [Maayavan, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/maayavan)
3. [I never wanted to become a filmmaker: CV Kumar, Cinema Express (13 December 2017)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2017/Dec/13/i-never-wanted-to-become-a-filmmaker-cv-kumar-3564.html)
4. [Maayavan (Mayavan): Story, Preview, First Day Box Office Collection, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/maayavan/story.html)
5. [Maayavan Tamil Movie, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/19269/tamil/maayavan/)
6. [Maayavan (2017), Moviebuff](https://www.moviebuff.com/maayavan)
7. [Maayavan (2017) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7221634/ratings/)
8. [Maayavan sequel titled Maaya One, Cinema Express (9 December 2023)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/Dec/09/maayavan-sequel-titled-maaya-one-50248.html)
9. [CV Kumar's upcoming film XY now part of Maayavan cinematic universe, Cinema Express (2 October 2025)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Oct/02/cv-kumars-upcoming-film-xy-now-part-of-maayavan-cinematic-universe-full-cast-and-crew-revealed)
10. [Maayavan Movie Review {3.5/5}, The Times of India (15 December 2017)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/maayavan/movie-review/62069467.cms)
11. [Meet the characters of Maayavan, The Times of India (30 August 2017)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/meet-the-characters-of-maayavan/articleshow/60276429.cms)
12. [Maayavan Tamil Movie Critic Review, MovieCrow](https://www.moviecrow.com/movie/3100/maayavan-tamil-movie-review/review)
13. ['Maayavan' review: Fascinating in theory, faulty in execution, The New Indian Express (16 December 2017)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/review/2017/Dec/16/maayavan-review-fascinating-in-theory-faulty-in-execution-1728542.html)
14. [இறுதி கட்ட படப்பிடிப்பில் சி.வி.குமாரின் மாயவன், Maalaimalar (26 June 2016)](https://www.maalaimalar.com/cinema/final-stage-of-cvkumar-mayavan-shooting)
15. [Maayavan movie review, The Indian Express (15 December 2017)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/maayavan-movie-review-sundeep-kishan-jackie-shroff-star-rating-4984149/lite/)
16. [Maayavan Review, IndiaGlitz (14 December 2017)](https://www.indiaglitz.com/maayavan-review-tamil-movie-20899)
17. [மொத்தமா மண்ணை கவ்விய 'மாயவன்'! இரண்டாம் பாகம் எடுப்பதற்கான காரணம் இதுதான், Cinereporters](https://cinereporters.com/maayavan-second-part-is-coming-onthe-way)
18. [சி.வி.குமாரின் அடுத்த திரைப்படம்: உறுதியானது மாயவன் 2!, Samayam Tamil (8 April 2021)](https://tamil.samayam.com/tamil-cinema/movie-news/cv-kumar-maayavan-movie-second-part-official-announcement/articleshow/81966793.cms)
19. [Sundeep Kishan, CV Kumar reunite for sequel to their sci-fi thriller Maayavan, The Times of India (26 September 2023)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/sundeep-kishan-cv-kumar-reunite-for-sequel-to-their-sci-fi-thriller-maayavan/articleshow/103948737.cms)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films of the 2010s › Tamil science fiction and fantasy films of the 2010s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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