Rajinikanth Reveals He Had This Condition Before Signing TJ Gnanavel's Vettaiyan

Megastar Rajinikanth is currently awaiting the release of his highly anticipated action-thriller Vettaiyan which is set to hit the theatres on October 10. Helmed by TJ Gnanavel, known for Jai Bhim, the film reunites the Robot actor with his Andha Kanoon and Hum co-star Amitabh Bachchan after a long wait of 33 years. Apart from them, Vettaiyan also features South stars like Fahadh Faasil, Rana Daggubati, Ritika Singh, Manju Warrier and Dushara Vijayan in pivotal roles.

The film has been creating significant buzz on social media ever since its announcement and now, the Jailer actor has opened up about his first encounter with Gnanavel and how he encouraged the filmmaker to transform his story into a commercial film.

Recently, during Vettaiyan’s audio launch in Chennai, Rajinikanth shared that it was his daughter Soundarya who suggested him to hear Gnanavel’s story, which she enjoyed very much. He further stated that while he liked Jai Bhim (featuring Suriya in the lead role), he had never met Gnanavel before.

“He narrated the story to me and I liked it. However, since the film would cost a lot of money to make, I asked if he could change it to make it more commercial. I told him that if he came back with the story with commercial elements, I’d think about it.,” the Sivaji: The Boss actor recalled.

Rajinikanth added, “Gnanavel asked for 10 days, but only called me in two. He stated, ‘Sir, I will do this commercially…’ But don’t expect it to be a film like those directed by Nelson Dilipkumar and Lokesh Kanagaraj. I’ll present you the same way they do, impressing the fans, but in my own way and style. I said, ‘Sir, that’s what I want; else, I would have gone to Nelson or Lokesh. He returned in 10 days and told me the new narrative and I was impressed.”

Talking about the film, Vettaiyan has received a U/A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which means it is unrestricted to the public but requires parental guidance for children under 12 years. Backed by Lyca Productions, the film will be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages worldwide.