▁op us ", ▁cit ing ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁" per fect " ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁for ▁him ▁is ▁a ▁" just ified ▁triumph ". ▁Similarly , ▁critics ▁c ited ▁S uri ya ' s ▁performance ▁as ▁" out standing " ▁and ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁" works ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁performance ", ▁whilst ▁other ▁review ers ▁claimed ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁an ▁" out ▁and ▁out ▁S uri ya ▁show ". ▁His ▁port ray als ▁also ▁fetch ed ▁him ▁several ▁notable ▁awards , ▁including ▁the ▁Film fare ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁A ctor   – ▁T amil , ▁a ▁T amil ▁N adu ▁State ▁Film ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁A ctor ▁by ▁the ▁j ury ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁V ij ay ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁A ctor ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁The ▁film ▁also ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁receive ▁a ▁National ▁Film ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Fe ature ▁Film ▁in ▁T amil ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁S uri ya ' s ▁first ▁release ▁was ▁K . ▁V . ▁An and ' s ▁action - th r iller ▁A yan , ▁which ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁highest ▁gross ing ▁T amil ▁film ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁With ▁S uri ya ▁port ray ing ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁a ▁sm ugg ler , ▁the ▁film ▁also ▁featured ▁P rab hu ▁as ▁his ▁guard ian ▁and ▁Tam anna ah ▁B hat ia ▁as ▁the ▁lead ▁actress . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁shot ▁extens ively ▁across ▁T anz ania