Snake) is a 2012 Indian Tamil language epic historical film directed by Vasanthabalan, based on Su.

The film is set in the 18th century and is about a group of people who steal from the wealthy to provide food and shelter for their tribe.

One day, the general of their small kingdom visits Komboodhi's village and threatens to kill them all as one of them had single-handedly stolen the Queen's diamond necklace.

The king of their kingdom intervenes and orders Chinna's village to give a young man of the same age as an offering to God as a penalty.

The Queen reveals that she is having the baby of the barbarian Thogaimayan in order to take revenge from him as she was the princess of a neighbouring kingdom and this King had killed everyone from her family.

Aravaan's story would be based on one chapter from the novel, running to about 10 pages, with Vasanthabalan claiming that he expanded it and took one year for penning the scriptment,[7] further telling that he had tried to "mix action and emotion".

[7] Vasanthabalan selected Aadhi to portray the lead character of Varipuli, after he had seen him performing in Mirugam and Eeram, citing that he chose him because of his height and his nose.

Pasupathy, who earlier was cast in Vasanthabalan's Veyil, was chosen to essay another lead role, since he had the "looks and complexion" of the character he plays, apart from his "powerful eyes and his talent to portray a gamut of emotions".

[9] Malayali actress Archana Kavi was hired for her first Tamil film to play the role of Chimitti, a bold and aggressive woman who "loves to take control of everything around her", with Archana reporting that the character was "unlike her real self" and that she had difficulties to "get the body language and the Madurai Tamil right".

[12] In August 2011 reports confirmed that Malayali model-actress Shweta Menon would appear in a cameo role as a dasi.

[13][14] Since the film was set in the past, the crew needed to find locations that had no trace of "modern life" yet and searched for remote unsettled areas devoid of cell phone towers, overhead power lines and tarred roads.

The place further had hundreds of huts made of bamboo straws, palm leaves and stones and a Karuppan Temple.

[17] Siddharth stated these locations were chosen as the film had two different tones; the first of half of the film took place in a hot, dry, barren land and the entire portion was shot in Arithapatti, while the flashback scenes would happen in a humid area with greenery, water and huge trees, which was canned in Courtallam and the Kerala forests.

[18] Producer Siva said that he ordered 5,000 panchas and 3,000 cheeras specially made from Erode and Karur to give it a historical feel.

[19] Aadhi injured himself while performing a risky stunt sequence, in which the protagonist had to jump over a five feet palm tree.

The soundtrack release function was held on 5 October 2011 at the Anna Centenary Library at Kotturpuram in Chennai, with A. R. Rahman and Mani Ratnam launching the album.

Director N. Linguswamy's Thirupathi Brothers had acquired the distribution rights of the film before they were sold again to Vendhar Movies, a couple of days prior to the release.

The reviewer further commented: "Aravaan is a slice of life from 18th-century Tamil Nadu, with its lifestyle, humour, sorrows, loves and losses documented in painstaking fashion.