 Sify stated that Vishnuvardhan "rewrote the rules of Tamil commercial cinema", and went on to compare him with director Mani Ratnam.In an interview, Vishnu stated that he had interacted with real gangsters and studied their lifestyle.Vishnuvardhan's next film "Billa", a remake of the yesteryear classic, starring Ajith Kumar, Nayanthara and Namitha, was an all-time blockbuster.