Lokesh Kanagaraj, the director of the 2022 version, has often cited his admiration for Kamal Haasan's earlier works. The 2022 movie acts as a spiritual successor, building on the legacy of the spy who could "carry the movie on his shoulders".

In 1986, the concept of a nuclear missile threat was alien to domestic cinema. Haasan successfully blended a standard commercial masala film with hard science fiction. He dared to introduce local audiences to computers, top-secret government installations, and complex geopolitical conflicts when the prevailing trend was family dramas and rural action. The Raw Performance of a Young Kamal Haasan

The narrative was heavily influenced by the James Bond franchise, yet it was deeply rooted in an Indian context. Unlike the typical "masala" films of the era which relied on emotional family drama, Vikram focused on espionage, gadgetry, and twists. The film’s pacing and structure showed that Tamil cinema could successfully adapt Western spy thriller tropes while maintaining a unique cultural identity.