I wrote 18 drafts of 'Thalaivan Thalaivi' before arriving at the final version, says director Pandiraj

Chennai, July 17 (IANS) National award winning director Pandiraj, whose upcoming family entertainer 'Thalaivan Thalaivi', featuring actors Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen in the lead, has now disclosed that he refined the script of the film 18 times before arriving at the final version.

Talking to IANS on the sidelines of an event that was organised by the makers of the film, Pandiraj said that the film's story was inspired by two people he met when he had gone for a family function. "The plot has been inspired by two characters I met when I went along with my family to the temple of my ancestors on the occasion of my son's birthday. You can't make a film just like how things transpire. So, this film is partly based on the idea of how things would be if instead of what happened, something else had occurred. I started writing it with the intention of keeping it simple. But the more I wrote, it changed into something else."

Pandiraj says that he kept constantly refining the script. "There were 18 drafts before I arrived at the final script," Pandiraj said and added that it almost took him a year to complete the process.

The upcoming film has triggered huge expectations among fans and film buffs after the makers released a title teaser some days ago.

The teaser opened with only voices being heard in the background, even as a pan in a restaurant is heated and cooking starts. It's evident that the first voice belongs to the mother of the hero. She tells the heroine, "You don't have to cook daughter-in-law. We will treat you like royalty." You then hear the hero's sister telling the heroine, who is addressed as Arasi (Queen),"You don't have to worry at all Arasi. You can lose any number of people for the sake of my brother."

Finally, you hear Vijay Sethupathi saying, "You have left your parents behind and have come with me, because you like me. Just watch! I am going to look after you like a queen. It will make your parents wonder why they didn't look after you this well."

The next visual has both Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menon mincing the Kothu parotta (a popular dish in Tamil Nadu) on the pan. Nithya Menon asks Vijay Sethupathi, "Is this how you look after a queen?" He replies, "If you don't like, please leave to your father's palace." She then says to her, her home is a palace and the war of words intensifies...

The film, which is scheduled to hit screens on July 25, has cinematography by M Sukumar and has art direction by Veerasamar and editing by Pradeep E Ragav. Stunts for the film, which also features Yogi Babu in a pivotal role, are by Kalai Kingson.

--IANS

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