What is aiyaary?

I saw that movie, Aiyaary. It is an Indian film. From Bollywood. It came out a few years back. The story is about two army officers. They have a big fight. One is a mentor. The other is his student. It is like a spy thriller. Lots of action and secrets. The word "Aiyaary" itself means like, clever tricks or deception. In a military way. I found the story a bit confusing but the action was good. It is not a new film but people still talk about it sometimes.

Aiyaary is the art of espionage and trickery from classic Indian literature. Think of it as a clever blend of spying, disguise, and illusion. Its practitioners, called 'aiyyars', were masters of deception and combat. The concept is most famous from the old fantasy novel, 'Chandrakanta'. Brilliant stuff, really.