It stars Kamal Haasan in ten distinct roles, alongside an ensemble cast of Asin (in her penultimate Tamil film appearance), Jaya Prada, Mallika Sherawat, K. R. Vijaya, Rekha Harris, Nagesh, P. Vasu, Raghuram, Napoleon and M. S. Bhaskar.

Several other people also get involved in Govind’s journey and all their stories connect after the striking of 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, thus bringing philosophical views into the picture.

The film incorporates numerous themes and philosophies, including chaos theory, butterfly effect, existence of God, casteism, Islamophobia, Vaishnavism, and determinism.

[4] Relating to chaos theory and the butterfly effect, bio-technology scientist Govindarajan Ramaswamy alias Govind, addresses an event at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai.

But a Vaishnavite priest named Rangarajan Ramanuja Nambi resists Kulothunga's attempts to demolish an idol of Lord Vishnu.

Christian Fletcher, a ruthless ex-CIA agent and mercenary working for a terrorist group murders Suresh and attempts to seize the vial.

Govind boards the aircraft carrying the virus, flies to India and discovers that the package is being delivered to Krishnaveni, an aged woman in Chidambaram.

In Japan, Yuka's brother Shingen, a skilled martial arts teacher, is notified of her death and sets out to avenge her.

Fletcher abducts Govind and an official Bharath; the arrival of a renowned pop singer Avatar Singh at the airport eases their evasion.

Vincent Poovaraghan, a Malayali social activist intervenes in the impending crime with a crowd, intent on exposing the mafia; Govind and Andal slip away with the idol and a truck.

Fletcher spots Andal in the hospital and takes her and Khalifulla's family hostage, intimidating Govind to fetch the vial.

Next day, on 26 December 2004, Govind and Andal reach a construction site and the grappling causes the vial to slip out of the idol.

A tsunami strikes, washing away and killing Fletcher, generating considerable destruction while simultaneously ceasing the impact of the virus.

As the disarray comes to an end ultimately, Krishnaveni mistakes Vincent for his long-lost son (who had died 50 years ago) and mourns.

Andal, meanwhile, insists that God initiated the tsunami to cease the virus from causing destruction while Govind disagrees, stating that it was not fair to kill thousands to protect millions.

In the end, Dr Govind is felicitated for his service at an event attended by USA President Bush, Indian PM Manmohan Singh and Tamil Nadu CM Kalaignar.

Kamal Haasan came up with an original storyline and approached a number of directors, including Gautham Vasudev Menon to direct it, when K. S. Ravikumar accepted the offer.

The background music in the second half consisted of extensive usage of violins and chorus and the entire score for the film was recorded over a period of one month, in Chennai.

[15] The soundtrack was released on 25 April 2008 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, which became the largest audio launch for a south Indian film.

Prominent film personalities across the world attended the event, with Jackie Chan, in his first such appearance, being Hollywood's ambassador for the function.

[citation needed] The soundtrack album was acquired by Sony BMG, purchasing their first Tamil film, for a record of ₹20 million (US$230,000).

[25] The film's theatrical trailer was released publicly on 23 April 2008, a day after it was shown to special guests, which included M. Karunanidhi at a screen.

[citation needed] On the basis of this complaint, the Chennai police queried the actor and later accepted his explanation with the high court sending notices to Kamal Haasan and the producer V. Ravichandran announcing an interim stay on the release of the film.

[citation needed] Following the audio launch on 25 April 2008, Mallika Sherawat received a police complaint against the donning of improper attire at a film function.

[31] The Chennai Corporation had given the producer special permission to hold five shows daily, which helped the film to garner the extraordinary opening.

[40] Dasavathaaram grossed $4,632,719 and was ranked No.7 in the opening week, becoming the first Tamil film to reach the Top 10 at the International box office.

The reviewer also criticised the make-up, lamenting that "Kamal's prosthetic makeup, especially as George Bush, Fletcher and Khan, is a bit of a dampener" but claimed that Brian Jennings's special effects, "mainly of the climax Tsunami scene, are a top-class by Indian standards".

This Kamal does not blossom the way he did in Indian or Nayakan, Appu Raja, Mahanadi, Avvai Shanmughi or in Thevar Magan" and further stated, "One of the best in the business falters with the film's story and screenplay.

Like Dasavatharam, Kamal Haasan's ambitious venture sees him playing ten roles which include a take on George Bush too.

"[50] Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu said, "The film would have worked even better had the narrative been tauter and more purposive post-interval" but concluded, "All in all, Dasavathaaram shows that Kamal Haasan has once again taken great pains to make his cinematic projects convincing.