The film is based on the 1962 Marathi language play To Mee Navhech, written by Pralhad Keshav Atre.

Gemini Ganesan portrays a modern-day Don Juan who woos and marries several women while he takes on as many different identities.

In jail, the police inspector slaps him, believing he would utter something in his mother tongue when taken by surprise and this Indian exclaims in Chinese!

Naan Avanillai was adapted from the 1962 Marathi play To Mee Navhech, written by Pralhad Keshav Atre.

"[14] Naan Avanillai attained cult status in Tamil cinema for its witty dialogues, the screenplay and the "complete change of image" for Ganesan.

[15] Writing for Business Standard in 2011, Suveen K. Sinha called Naan Avanillai "arguably the most memorable film of his career".