After directing two films – 16 Vayathinile (1977) and Kizhakke Pogum Rail (1978) – which were set in villages, Bharathirajaa chose to set his third film, the thriller Sigappu Rojakkal in the city to circumvent criticism that he could only make village-based films.
Bharathirajaa, after directing two films set in rural areas (16 Vayathinile and Kizhakke Pogum Rail), chose to film his third movie, Sigappu Rojakkal, in a city setting to avoid the criticism that he only made films about villages.