Having chosen to make his debut with a crime thriller, director Nandan Sukumaran says his Friday release, Mayuran is all about bringing to light the darker side of college life. A native of Cuddalore, Sukumaran adds the film is based on his own experiences in an engineering college hostel. "It is a wrong perception that the hostel life is all cool and fun. These days, the ragging menace has been replaced by the prevalence of narcotics. Some students look to earn a fast buck by introducing their peers to these drugs. This aspect is touched on in my film, which is centred on the search for a missing student."

Shot live, mostly at night, Sukumaran says his work was made easy by a cast largely drawn from Koothu-p-patarai artistes. For his leads, however, he chose Amudhavanan and Miss Femina-winner Ashmitha (who already has a Bengali film to her credit). "A fresh face was imperative to bring in the fear and suspense, and the Delhi girl has lived up to her promise and performed well," he says. 

Sukumaran is also glad he was able to rope in the consistent Vela Ramamurthy for a  pivotal character. On the significance of the title, which seems unrelated to the plot, the director clarifies that it refers to an individual rushing to the succour of someone in need. "Narrated in a non-linear style, with just the one love song, my film will surely be a suspenseful treat for the audience," he signs off confidently.