Akhilan (Jayam Ravi), who works as a crane operator at the Chennai port, is also a slave to Paranthaman (Harish Peradi), who smuggles banned goods through ships. Akhilan’s desire is to somehow meet Dada Kapoor (Tarun Arora), the international of the smuggling ring. Did Akhilan’s dream of becoming the sole king of the Indian Ocean come true? What is the motive behind that desire? ‘Akilan’ tells the background of the little-known port.
In a land surrounded by water on three sides, the illegal business of maritime transport, its crude and treacherous activities, the ruthless young man who wants to seize power as the ‘King of the Indian Ocean’ and the world-hungry ‘Tamil’ dream within him, is an intense story set against a never-before-told backdrop. Director N. Kalyan Krishnan has taken it in hand. But, he is stuck in the matter of collecting all these.
The story that came to be told in the background of the smuggling mafia’s ambition to satisfy the hunger of the world, does not emphasize it and focuses on other ‘detailing’, so it passes normally without making any impact. But that shortcoming is overcome by some chilling scenes like the smuggling of an international cybercriminal in a container.
The second half of the screenplay is a complete mess without telling anything at all. The story starts from Akhilan’s flashbacks and the predictable scenes of what will happen next prevent the story from immersing itself.
Jayam Ravi has brought the look and body language of his character very well. The ‘protagonist’ character of Priya Bhavani Shankar, whom he falls in love with, does not suit the Assistant Inspector character.
Chirak Jani, an honest police officer who tries to arrest Akhilan, Tarun Arora, the villain who appears only in a few scenes, Harish Peradi, the port hijacking leader, Madhusuthan Rao, Harish Uthman, as the trade union leader Jananathan, Tanyarajendran, who appears only in a few scenes, have played their roles well.
In Vivek Anand’s cinematography, the port procedures and the length and breadth of the blue sea are awe-inspiring. Sam CS stands out in the background music.
There are many logical lapses in the film. The film would have been more engaging if it had been fixed and the starving ‘charity ship’ theme had been emphasized. However, Akhilan can be enjoyed for the grand visual experience.