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When a director didn't want to work with Vijay Sethupathi
Pandiraj, the director of the Vijay Sethupathi, Nithya Menen movie 'Thalaivan Thalaivii', made the candid confession during a pre-launch event of the upcoming romantic comedy
- PUBLISHED: Thu 17 Jul 2025, 1:40 PM UPDATED: Thu 17 Jul 2025, 2:11 PM
This was a collaboration that was waiting not to happen. Yet, two people decided to set aside their ego battles and work together.
Pandiraj, the director of the upcoming Tamil film Thalaivan Thalaivii, starring the versatile stars Nithya Menen and Vijay Sethupathi, felt that he shouldn't work with the latter. A sentiment that the actor seemed to concur, at a pre-launch event of the movie billed as a "rugged love story".
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The duo didn't elaborate on their disagreement that, according to Sethupathi, "lasted for nearly 15 years". The two have been in the film industry for nearly two decades. Pandiraj's debut, Pasanga, a slice-of-life drama that deals with the lives of five little kids, released in 2009. Sethupathi, on the other hand, had his first full-fledged role as the antagonist in the 2012 rural drama Sundarapandian, before striking gold in the mystery horror flick Pizza.
"We would choose to avoid each other even at film industry functions," Pandiraj said on stage alongside Sethupathi. "Now, however, the animosity between us has blossomed into affection."
At another event, Pandiraj, who has also delivered the hits Marina, Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga and Kadaikutty Singam, said that the misunderstanding between them was based on a difference of opinion that ballooned with time.
The tension between them, he said, was defused at a birthday party of the filmmaker Mysskin, known for his gritty productions.
“I had gone to the party and I saw him (Sethupathi) making an entry. I was not sure if I should greet him," Pandiraj was quoted as saying by the news agency Indo-Asian News Service. "At one point, Mysskin sir invited all of us to gather around for the cake cutting," he said, adding Sethupathi came up to him later, and asked if they could make a movie together.
That moment, Pandiraj said, the acrimony between them melted away. This script (for Thalaivan Thalavii) was written keeping Sethupathi in mind, he said.
Thalaivan Thalaivii pairs Sethupathi and Menen on screen for the second time, after the Malayalam drama 19(1)(a).
Sethupathi, who plays a restaurateur in the film, reportedly trained with parotta "masters", as they're known in restaurants in Tamil Nadu, to get into character. Pandiraaj, known for his movies in rural settings, last directed the Suriya starrer Etharkkum Thunindavan.
Santhosh Narayanan, who had composed the music for many of Sethupathi's initial hits, including Pizza, Soodhu Kavvum and Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum, returns as the music director for Thalaivan Thalaivii, while its cinematography is handled by M Sukumar.
Produced by Sathya Jyothi Films, Thalaivan Thalaivii features a galaxy of leading actors, including the veteran Malayalam star Chemban Vinod Jose, Yogi Babu, Kaali Venkat, RK Suresh, 'Myna' Nandhini and Aruldoss.