pass fare. For a little more than two hours, it would be an offense to call Ayan just another commercial potboiler.

Director K V Anand’s research is evident in the tightly packed screenplay and do not miss out the potshots he takes at a few directors in the name of plagiarism.

Slipping logic into your wallet would be a good idea before entering the halls, but it’s unlikely that you would regret doing so. And it is highly doubtful that you would have any time to think about it during the course of the movie. Well, pardon the second half for dragging a wee bit though.

The movie starts off with Suriya giving a little tongue-lash for Corporate Houses for treating their employees as mushrooms. A minute later, we realize that he is the trustworthy ally of Prabhu, whose business thrives on illegal diamond trafficking from Africa. With clever strategies and an M Sc degree, Suriya flies across the globe to transport consignments sneaking in and out of the airport scanners in style. That’s pretty much the story - and comes with it the evil motives of Akashdeep Segal, a fellow smuggler who crosses road with the Prabhu & Company. Gang war, a friend’s death, love and some dance sequences – Ayan culminates into a rather predictable climax.

The first half of the movie travels at a supersonic’s pace with rollicking humor (sample this: Renuka, Suriya’s mother, having filled up an SSC (Staff Selection Commission) application form, asks for his sign at the breakfast table. She returns from the kitchen and drops the dosa in horror only to find out that her son has used the application form to collect all the left over chicken bones). Not to mention, Jegan’s natural sense of humor that hugely helps the movie’s progress. Ayan also spells out director Anand’s conscious effort to avoid clichés, scene after scene, with good reason. The first half also defies the rule of gangster movies with Suriya justifying his job to be just ‘time pass’.

And the second half witnesses Suriya doubling up as an assistant to the Narcotic Controls Office. Besides, it was also an atrocious idea to include a Koena Mitra item number out of the blue. With her weird nose-job and chiseled cleavage, she does some aerobics. The climax peaks Anand’s unleashed imagination.

Suriya and Tamanna make a good pair and their love story is devoid of any clichés whatsoever thankfully. And the brilliant writing in their second meet up scene sparks up their chemistry. Prabhu is quite a natural in his role and his Chennai Senthamizh comes handy. The roles of Jegan and Renuka are beautifully developed and performed.

The only eyesore in the movie is Akashdeep Segal, who with his convoluted facial expressions and bad lip sync just doesn’t get anything right.

Harris’s music is scintillating in the Nenje and Iyaayiye songs and the background score flows with the movie. In the Vizhi moodi number Karthik sizzles. Another noteworthy aspect of Ayan is M.S.Prabhu’s cinematography. Congo’s rustic landscape, Puducherry’s by-lanes and Malaysia’s scenic locales come alive in the screen.

Ayan is fun. Just buy a huge bag of popcorn, a can of cola and have a blast! But do remember the first step about the logic.

Verdict: Packs a punch