The film was first reported in September 2010, when Silambarasan announced that he would be working in a project to be directed by his childhood friend Nelson Dilipkumar. The pair had worked together in Manmadhan and Vallavan, while Nelson also directed a series of the dance show Jodi Number One, in which Silambarasan had worked as a guest judge.
It was announced that the film was titled Vettai Mannan, after the team had been unsuccessful in securing the title Vettaiyan and it was to be an action film to be shot in the USA and Mexico, featuring three heroines including one from Hollywood with music by Yuvan Shankar Raja. The film, produced by S. S. Chakravarthy of NIC Arts began in November 2010 and Silambarasan worked for it simultaneously alongside his other projects, Vaanam and Podaa Podi. There were also initial plans to make the film a trilingual, though it did not materialise. Jai was roped in to play Silambarasan's friend in the film, while Deeksha Seth also featured in the first schedule of the film, which finished in April 2011.
The second schedule for the film began in Binny Mills, Chennai with Silambarasan, Jai and four hundred junior artistes, with scenes shot in May 2011. It was reported that the two other lead female roles were to be handed to Piaa Bajpai and Amrita Rao, but this proved to be untrue. Hansika Motwani was signed on to play a role in October 2011, portraying a role of a gangster's moll. Furthermore, a teaser of the film featuring Silambarasan was released in July 2011 to positive reviews.
In March 2012, Silambarasan noted that the first half of the film was complete and they were looking to film the second half of the film abroad, potentially in Brazil. Nelson gave an interview suggesting that the film was 50 per cent complete and noting that it was a gangster story told in lighter vein, referring to it as a "fantasy film".
Silambarasan in May 2013, announced that he dropped out both Vettai Mannan and Vaalu, another project produced by Chakravarthy, citing delays. He subsequently went back on his words days later. In August 2013, it was revealed that work on the film would re-start with director Nelson and art director Ilaiyaraaja heading to Japan to scout for locations to be used in the second half of the film.
.jpg "Silambarasan"){kind=small}
_300.jpg "Jai"){kind=small}
