Actors Saran, Lal and JD Chakravarthy are all set to join hands for a crime thriller titled Enemy of the Smuggler. Inspired by real customs investigations, the upcoming film is being directed by senior IRS officer T Samaya Murali. Lokesh Kanagaraj unveiled the first look poster of the film which showcases a large ship at the sea.
While Smeha plays the female lead, the supporting cast features Radikaa Sarathkumar, Bala Saravanan, Kaali Venkat Jaffer Sadiq, and Mime Gopi. According to the makers, the gritty drama is set to "bring the unseen world of smuggling and Customs enforcement to the big screen."
An officer of the 2008 batch of the Indian Revenue Service, Samaya Murali has served extensively in Customs Enforcement and Indirect Taxation. A B.Tech graduate from NIT Tiruchirappalli, he was honoured with the World Customs Organization Certificate of Merit in 2021 for his public service. He is also a writer, researcher, filmmaker, composer and actor.
Talking about the film, the director revealed that Enemy of the Smuggler is inspired by several real Customs cases that he has investigated during my career. "I wanted to present the high-stakes world of smuggling, organised crime and Customs enforcement in a gripping cinematic format while creating greater public awareness about the crucial role played by the Customs Department in protecting the nation's economic security," he added.
The film's story follows Amar and Dheena, two youngsters from the slums of Chennai who work for a Customs agent, dreaming of escaping poverty. Their lives take a dangerous turn when they join notorious smuggling kingpin Lingam for their first major assignment: to clear a huge consignment of drugs through Gujarat Port. The consignment, shipped from Dubai by cartel boss Mathew Bhai, depends entirely on forged Customs documentation. With a relentless Customs officer closing in, they both find themselves caught in a deadly web of bribery, betrayal, and organised crime.
On the technical team, Enemy of the Smuggler has Win Baskar as the DOP, music by Sam Daniel and editing by Sri Watson. The film is backed by S Ramprakash under the SR Dream Studios banner. Details about the production and a tentative release date are yet be announced by the makers.