Director TJ Gnanavel planning a prequel to Vettaiyan

on Oct 17, 2024

Director TJ Gnanavel is happy with the response to his Superstar Rajinikanth starrer Vettaiyan. The big budget movie released on 10th October and received crticial acclaim but mixed response from audiences. Many expected it to be even more impactful but it appeared to be a middling output with good intentions.

Talking to press about the film, director stated that he wanted to approach the film keeping Rajinikanth's image in mind more than just the content. He said, "I had a project lined up with Suriya after 'Jai Bhim', but the opportunity to work with Rajinikanth came up. I knew that while 'Jai Bhim' resonated with a specific audience, I needed to cater to the broader expectations of a Rajinikanth film. We aimed for a balanced approach, incorporating 50% entertainment and 50% social commentary. I couldn't compromise on either aspect."

He talked about how he could not avoid a corporate villain in his film and stated that he took inspiration from various news stories he read. He stated that he moulded his script based on Supreme Court judgements and real-life encounters.

Later, he stated he is interested in doing a prequel to Vettaiyan. Reasoning about the same, he said, "I'm more interested in exploring a prequel. 'Vettaiyan: The Hunter' could delve into Athiyan's journey, revealing how he became an encounter specialist, Fahadh Faasil's transformation into a thief and police informant, and other aspects of the story's backstory."

The movie has a dream ensemble cast with Amitabh Bachchan leading the pack followed by Fahadh Faasil, Dushara Vijayan, Ritika Singh, Manju Warrier, Rana Daggubati, Abhirami. Lyca Productions produced the film and Anirudh Ravichander composed music for the film.