Aran (2006)

Aran is the Tamil version of Major Ravi's army drama, made alongside the Malayalam Kirtichakra. Here the story is told more from the side of a young jawan from Tamil Nadu, played by Jiiva, who has left his new bride at home to serve in Kashmir under Major Mahadevan, played by Mohanlal. The film follows the unit through patrols, firefights and the strain of life far from home, building to an operation against militants holding civilians in which loyalty and duty clash. Major Ravi, a former army officer, aimed for authentic military detail, and the film was shot partly in Kashmir. For Tamil audiences it was also a chance to see Mohanlal, one of Malayalam cinema's biggest stars, in a Tamil-language role.