ˈævaɪ ʃænmˈʌɡhi wʌz ɹᵻlˈiːst ˌɔn tˈɛn noʊvˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks ænd bɪkˌeɪm ɐ bˈɑːks ˈɑːfɪs səksˈɛs, wˈɪnɪŋ tˈuː tˈæmɪl nˈɑːduː stˈeɪt fˈɪlm ɐwˈɔːɹdz: bˈɛst mˌeɪkˌʌp ˈɑːɹɾɪst kˈeɪ. ˈɛm. sˈæɹɐθkjˌuːmɚ ænd bˈɛst tʃˈaɪld ˈɑːɹɾɪst ˈæn.
Avvai Shanmughi was released on 10 November 1996 and became a box office success, winning two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards: Best Make-up Artist (K. M. Sarathkumar) and Best Child Artist (Ann).