# Vallavan
**Vallavan** (வல்லவன்) is a 2006 Indian Tamil-language romance thriller film written, directed, and headlined by [Silambarasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/silambarasan), in what was his debut as a director, with [Nayanthara](https://www.edgepedia.org/nayanthara), Reema Sen, and Sandhya in the lead female roles[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4440/2006-vallavan). The film's score and soundtrack were composed by [Yuvan Shankar Raja](https://www.edgepedia.org/yuvan-shankar-raja), and the dialogues were written by Balakumaran[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4440/2006-vallavan). It was later dubbed into Telugu and released as *Vallabha*[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4440/2006-vallavan).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writer | Silambarasan TR, his directorial debut; story, screenplay, and lead role[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/fullcredits/) |
| Release date | 13 October 2006 per IMDb, The Times of India, and Filmibeat; 21 October 2006 per TamilMDb, ZEE5, and Moviebuff[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/) • [4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vallavan/movieshow/106512525.cms) • [1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4440/2006-vallavan) |
| Runtime | 1h 58m (118 min) per IMDb; other listings give 3 hrs 1 min and 2h 43m for different versions[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/) • [4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vallavan/movieshow/106512525.cms) |
| Music | Yuvan Shankar Raja; 7-song soundtrack of 36:34 released on the Ayngaran label[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4440/2006-vallavan) • [5](https://www.qobuz.com/au-en/album/vallavan-yuvan-shankar-raja/mddu3apack94b) |
| Cast | Silambarasan (Vallavan/Pallan), Nayanthara (Swapna), Reema Sen (Geetha), Sandhya (Suchithra), with Santhanam, Premgi Amaren, and Sathyan in supporting roles[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/fullcredits/) |
| Reception | IMDb rating 5.1/10 from about 2,500 users; Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter 57% from 500+ ratings[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/vallavan) |
| Later life | Re-released in theaters in December 2023 in a remastered version[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/silambarasans-vallavan-gets-an-uncut-version-for-re-release/amp_articleshow/106147233.cms) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and cast
The story follows Vallavan, a happy-go-lucky college student who disguises himself to have a relationship with a teacher at his school[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/vallavan). He falls in love with Swapna (Nayanthara) at first sight, and it later emerges that she is a trainee lecturer at the same college and three years older than he is[11](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/2265/tamil/vallavan/920/review.htm). A synopsis on Moviebuff adds that Swapna initially reciprocates but breaks up with him over the age difference and his past with a classmate[12](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/vallavan). [Reema Sen](https://www.edgepedia.org/reema-sen) plays Geetha, and Sandhya plays Suchithra[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/fullcredits/).
Silambarasan appears in three looks as part of his character's growing-up process, and his schoolboy look in the first part of the film drew particular attention before release[8](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/aug-06-03/15-08-06-vallavan.html). Trisha Krishnan was offered a role in the film but could not commit because of scheduling problems[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/).
## Production and release
The film was Silambarasan's first as a director. He had earlier scripted the hit *Manmadhan*, which many in the industry said he had also ghost-directed, and *Vallavan* was positioned as a director-cum-hero project in the same vein[8](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/aug-06-03/15-08-06-vallavan.html). Shooting began more than a year before release, and the film was delayed by problems of dates, schedules, and budgets[8](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/aug-06-03/15-08-06-vallavan.html). Producer P. L. Thenappan later stated that the budget multiplied several times over during production[9](https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/150048-.html).
Sources disagree on the release date. IMDb, The Times of India, and Filmibeat list 13 October 2006[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/) • [4](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vallavan/movieshow/106512525.cms), while TamilMDb, ZEE5, and Moviebuff list 21 October 2006[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4440/2006-vallavan) • [10](https://www.zee5.com/ta/movies/details/vallavan/0-0-1z5141443). The film was one of the big Diwali 2006 releases in [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema), arriving alongside [Ajith Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/ajith-kumar)'s *Varalaaru*[8](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/aug-06-03/15-08-06-vallavan.html).
## Music
The soundtrack, composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, contains seven songs with a total length of 36:34, released on the Ayngaran label[5](https://www.qobuz.com/au-en/album/vallavan-yuvan-shankar-raja/mddu3apack94b). The track list comprises "Podu Aattam Podu" (Yuvan Shankar Raja and [Vijay Yesudas](https://www.edgepedia.org/vijay-yesudas)), "Yammaadi Aathadi" (Silambarasan TR, T. Rajendar, Suchitra, and Mahathi), "Hooray Hooray" (Karthik and Sunitha Sarathy), "Kaadhal Vanthirichu" (Silambarasan TR), "Loosu Pennae" (Silambarasan TR and Blaze), "Vallava Ennai" ([Sunidhi Chauhan](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunidhi-chauhan) on some releases, Sunitha Sarathy on others), and the two-minute theme "He Knows What to Do" (Tanvi Shah)[5](https://www.qobuz.com/au-en/album/vallavan-yuvan-shankar-raja/mddu3apack94b) • [13](https://open.spotify.com/album/5X6IHVFFRacECygjSnLC25). Lyricists credited on streaming releases include Vaali, Perarasu, and Thamarai, with Silambarasan writing "Loosu Pennae"[13](https://open.spotify.com/album/5X6IHVFFRacECygjSnLC25) • [16](https://www.raaga.com/tamil-ta/movie/vallavan-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-songs-T0005492).
The album was a hit among young listeners before the film reached theaters[8](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/aug-06-03/15-08-06-vallavan.html). Reviewers singled out "Loosu Pennae" in particular; the Rediff review noted that with the music so popular pre-release, audience expectations for the song's visuals were high, and that except for "Loosu Pennae" the other picturizations disappointed[14](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/val/20061023.htm). Critics consistently credited Yuvan Shankar Raja's songs and background score as a major highlight of the finished film[11](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/2265/tamil/vallavan/920/review.htm) • [14](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/val/20061023.htm).
## Reception
Critical response was mixed. The Rediff review called the first half boring, found little substance in the story, and criticized a clichéd climax, while praising Reema Sen's performance and the film's comic touches[14](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/val/20061023.htm). A nowrunning review judged Silambarasan passable as an actor but "a novice in every sense" as a director, while acknowledging the music and Priyan's cinematography as strengths[11](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/2265/tamil/vallavan/920/review.htm). On audience aggregators, the film holds 5.1/10 on IMDb from about 2,500 votes and 57% on the Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter from more than 500 ratings[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/vallavan).
TamilMDb records the film as commercially successful at the box office[1](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4440/2006-vallavan), and the Times of India later described it as the actor's biggest hit at the box office[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/silambarasans-vallavan-gets-an-uncut-version-for-re-release/amp_articleshow/106147233.cms). IMDb lists a worldwide gross of $49,382[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/).
## Re-release
In December 2023 the film was remastered and re-released in theaters. The re-release was widely described by fans as an "uncut" version, but according to the Times of India it was in fact the film's main version: after the original release, the makers had asked theaters to skip a few reels to make the film crisper, so the shortened cut was what most audiences and television viewers had seen[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/silambarasans-vallavan-gets-an-uncut-version-for-re-release/amp_articleshow/106147233.cms). Silambarasan himself said after the original release that he had trimmed about 10 minutes from the ending, where audiences had been restless during the hospital sequence involving Sandhya's character[15](https://www.mayyam.com/talk/archives/Tamil_Films/t8011_Diwali_releases_2006.html).
## References
1. [Vallavan (2006) – TamilMDb](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/4440/2006-vallavan)
2. [Vallavan (2006) – Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/fullcredits/)
3. [Vallavan (2006) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460976/)
4. [Vallavan Movie: Showtimes, Review, Songs, Trailer, Posters, News & Videos – eTimes, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-details/vallavan/movieshow/106512525.cms)
5. [Vallavan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Qobuz](https://www.qobuz.com/au-en/album/vallavan-yuvan-shankar-raja/mddu3apack94b)
6. [Vallavan – Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/vallavan)
7. [Silambarasan's 'Vallavan' gets an uncut version for re-release – The Times of India, 20 December 2023](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/silambarasans-vallavan-gets-an-uncut-version-for-re-release/amp_articleshow/106147233.cms)
8. [Vallavan – coming at last! – Behindwoods, 15 August 2006](https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/aug-06-03/15-08-06-vallavan.html)
9. [Producer Thenappan statement on Vallavan losses – Hindu Tamil Thisai](https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/150048-.html)
10. [Watch Vallavan (2006) – ZEE5](https://www.zee5.com/ta/movies/details/vallavan/0-0-1z5141443)
11. [Vallavan Movie Review by PVS – nowrunning, 27 October 2006](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/2265/tamil/vallavan/920/review.htm)
12. [Vallavan on Moviebuff.com](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/vallavan)
13. [Vallavan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/5X6IHVFFRacECygjSnLC25)
14. [Very little going for Vallavan – Rediff.com movies, 23 October 2006](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/val/20061023.htm)
15. [Diwali releases 2006 – Mayyam forum archive, including Silambarasan interview](https://www.mayyam.com/talk/archives/Tamil_Films/t8011_Diwali_releases_2006.html)
16. [Vallavan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Songs Download, Vallavan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Tamil MP3 Songs, Raaga.com Tamil Songs](https://www.raaga.com/tamil-ta/movie/vallavan-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-songs-T0005492)
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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 2000s › Tamil films of the late 2000s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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