The Chennai International Film Festival 2024 started with a bang at PVR Sathyam Cinemas, Chennai on December 12. Vettaiyan director TJ Gnanavel recently participated in the film festival and spoke candidly on several topics, the top most being his latest and multi-starrer release Vettaiyan. The filmmaker not only shied away from speaking about giving priority to his scripts rather than any actor’s fan following. He also opened up about the politics that may have been involved in Suriya starrer Jai Bhim not getting any awards despite being one of the best films of 2021.
What did Vettaiyan director TJ Gnanavel say about his last release?
Speaking about the casting of Vettaiyan, which included Rajinikanth Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, Ritika Singh, Dushara Vijayan, Rana Daggubati, and Manju Warrier, Gnanavel said that the casting choices weren’t made to serve the pan-Indian market. “The script demanded it, and we secured exactly what we envisioned,” the director said. He even spoke candidly about the reviews of his movie. “As soon as the film is released, many people are checking on social media to see how it is doing. On the first day, they started saying that Vettaiyan is a bad movie. It created a mood for those who saw it. There will be no power here to change their views. Even if critics don’t like someone, they start attacking them with purpose,” Vettaiyan director TJ Gnanavel said.
For those who don’t know, Vettaiyan made on a budget of Rs 160 crore and earned Rs 253.6 crore worldwide. The film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences.
What did director Gnanavel say about Jai Bhim?
“Awards are always a probability,” in response to a question concerning honours and recognition. “The fact that Jai Bhim was not given any National Awards highlights the internal politics at play. If I can only use my stories to educate the audience, I will be content,” the director said.
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