Eli is the second film of Vadivelu with Yuvaraj Dhayalan after Tenaliraman (2014). In March 2015, Sadha was confirmed to play the female lead in the film.
Principal photography commenced with the filming of a song sequence on the outskirts of the city, from the same day as the first look poster was released. The shooting is reported to continue for 60 days at a stretch. A stunt sequence was shot at a specially erected set in early April 2015 over a period of eight days. According to Dhayalan, this sequence features Vadivelu evading the villain\'s henchmen instead of fighting them.
On 5 February 2015, the film\'s first look poster was revealed. The poster featured Vadivelu sporting a red coat and yellow scarf over a black shirt and checked black trousers. The film\'s audio release is tentaively scheduled for April 2015 while the film is said to be released in May 2015.