The film eventually went on to receive Best Film and Best Actor for Prakash Raj at the 55th National Film Awards.
The story is set in the silk weavers' town of Kanchipuram, in post-independence India, though the film was shot mainly in Mysore.
Priyadarshan Nair won the zenith Asia award for best director for this film.
It was also shown at the Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival in Pittsburgh.
The film opened at the 33rd Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September 2008.