'Maryan', the Dhanush-starrer made headlines recently, a decade after it hit theatres in 2013. The reason? A section of netizens claimed the film was the source of inspiration for the Prithviraj-starrer 'Aadujeevitham', that is now running successfully in theatres.
In 'Aadujeevitham', Najeeb leaves for the Gulf in hopes of providing a better life for his family. Maryan too explores migration and the protagonist leaves his homeland and secures a job in Sudan to fulfill his responsibilities to his loved one.
Najeeb lived in a coastal village and would mine sand from the river banks at Arattupuzha in Haripad. Though he would catch a cold often, he was in love with the water. Maryan was a fisherman from Neerody in Kanyakumari.
The comparisons began after the makers of 'Aadujeevitham' released the film's trailer. Majority of the portions in 'Aadujeevitham' revolved around Najeeb's escape from his Arab owner. In 'Maryan', Dhanush and his friend too escapes from the Sudanese terrorists and is forced to navigate the vastness of the desert to survive.