Director Arangannal Raj says his debut venture Thottam is a 200-year-old problem touching on the plight of horticulture workers eking out a living in harsh conditions. If the growth of a country hinges on the success of farming, countries like India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka have profited immensely from the effective contribution of the workers, he says. "I have brought to light the problems faced by these workers, drawing from inter-caste marriages, and the imperative need for education of these lesser privileged members of society. It is a sad state of affairs that horticulture workers are taken advantage of by middle men."

"I've narrated my story in a simple way, with a dose of humour, to make it easy for the mass audience to follow," he adds. Jagan and Thana play the main leads in the film, with an important role of a Chinese girl played by Viviashan.