Maya Kannadi

Cheran also plays the lead role with Navya Nair. Ilaiyaraaja scores the music, while R. Sarathkumar, Arya and Malavika make cameo appearances in the film.

Maya Kannadi
Poster
Directed by	Cheran
Written by	Cheran
Produced by	Subbu Panchu
Starring	Cheran Navya Nair
Cinematography	Dwarakanath
Edited by	Ayyappan-Ramarao
Music by	Ilaiyaraaja
Production company	Chellamai Celluloids
Release date	14 April 2007 (2007-04-14)
Running time	180 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Kumar (Cheran) is a young man who comes from Thiruvannamalai to Chennai with dreams and hopes about the future. He gets a job in a men's beauty parlor in Chennai. Every day, he observes and learns more about life in the city. He starts to dream and build castles in the air.

Maheswari (Navya Nair) works in another beauty parlor and also has desires of her own.

The rest of the story is about what happens to these two people. This three hour-long film has similar themes compared to Cheran's previous films. The key message in this movie is that each person's life is in his or her own hands.

Cameo appearances

Jayaprakash who earlier worked as producer made his acting debut with this film.

Soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

Shwetha Bhaskar of Rediff.com wrote "A brave film indeed for not resorting to the usual cliches and daring to go where very few filmmakers dare to go -- the ordinary realm of the despondency of the common man." Sify wrote "We wish Cheran had whipped up a more winsome screenplay with Mayakannadi, which is based on middle class dreams turning sour due to lack of commitment. It's nowhere in the league of the talented director's previous works like Autograph or Thavamai Thavamirunthu." Behindwoods wrote "Mayakannadi is by no means a mediocre movie. But it certainly falls short of the high standards that Cheran has set for himself. It makes you think but fails to touch. That is the difference between just another movie and a great movie." Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu wrote "Cheran's much awaited film does not live up to its expectations. One does not know what Cheran wants to convey through Chellammai Celluloids "Maayakkannaadi," in which positive aspect is thoroughly missing".