Veppam () is a 2011 Indian Tamil-language crime action film written and directed by newcomer Anjana Ali Khan, starring Nani, Nithya Menen, Karthik Kumar, and Bindu Madhavi. The film marks Nani's Tamil debut. The story narrates events from the slum areas of Chennai, showcasing characters and their struggles. The film, jointly produced by Gautham Vasudev Menon's Photon Kathaas and R. S. Infotainment, had been in production for over one year. The film released on 29 July 2011, while a dubbed Telugu version, titled Sega, released simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh. Veppam received mixed reviews. Plot The film starts by showing a girl named Revathy (Nithya Menen) forwarding towards the beach and drowning herself in the ocean. The film is then set 18 years back in a slum in Chennai. Balaji's (Muthukumar) mother dies, and his father, Jyothi (Sheimour), a drunkard, leaves him on the streets. Balaji works hard and ensures a decent living for his younger brother Karthik (Nani) with the help of Revathy's father. Karthik, who studies in an engineering college, spends all his time with his friend Vishnu (Karthik Kumar), who is also brought up in the locality. Revathy, who lives in the neighborhood, loves Karthik. Revathy, Karthik, and Vishnu are close friends. Vishnu also owns a mechanic shop but is not generating enough income. Vishnu's guardian pesters Vishnu to sell it and to look for a decent job which generates enough income to ensure financial security for the foreseeable future, but Vishnu refuses as the shop is the only surviving memory of his late father. Jyothi takes to illegal ways and makes money working for a drug peddler Ammaji (Jennifer). Balaji does not want his brother Karthik to join with his father Jyothi as he left them on the streets in his young age. Jyothi supplies call girls to men in that locality. Knowing that Vishnu is in love with Viji (Bindu Madhavi), a call girl in the locality, and also needs money as his shop is not earning enough, Jyothi decides to exploit him for his selfish gain of transaction of a drug. He gives him an assignment — to transport drugs to Pondicherry, promising to give him Viji if he completes the work. Vishnu takes the help of Karthik and leaves for Pondicherry. Viji hears that Jyothi is planning to sell the drug to Ammaji's official enemy. She tries to save Vishnu through Jyothi's assistant. Meanwhile,