Lyricist Paa Vijay's attempt to succeed as a hero in Tamil films continues with his second film in the lead role in 'Ilaignan', which has story and dialogues by Kalaignar. The film is said to be based on the novel 'Thaai Kaviyam' and is reportedly being made at a whopping budget of Rs.30 crores by the producer Martin, it is rumoured in Kollywood.

Vijay has been paid Rs.2 crores to star in the film, it is said. The film has as its backdrop a vast shipping backyard. Director Suresh Krissna, who has directed superstar Kollywood in hit movies such as 'Annamalai' and 'Baadshah', did undertake a tour of ports like Vizaag and other ports in Kollywood but couldn't find a suitable location for the shooting of the film.

The story of the film dates back to thirty years. As such, today's enormous backdrops of the shipping backyards in place in ports such as Vizaag and Chennai can't be shown, he felt. Art Director Dharani was, therefore, called by Suresh Krissna who gave him sketches of how he wanted the backyard to look like on screen.

The award-winning Dharani had erected a huge shipping backyard at a cost of Rs.3 crores inside the now-famous Binny Mills complex in Chennai, which has almost become a 'touring spot' for school and college students of the neighbouring localities!