Roja is one of Indian cinema's first pan-Indian blockbuster, despite the film being headlined by a relatively new cast and crew that includes then debutants like Arvind Swami and music directed AR Rahman, who went on to be the pride of Indian cinema. The film was one of the most influential films of the century and was a revelation to Indian audiences, particularly Arvind Swami's performance as a newly wedded cryptologist who gets kidnapped by militants.