Vettaiyan - first impressions

At a gala event held at the Nehru Indoor stadium in Chennai on 20th Sep. ’24, the makers of Superstar Rajinikanth’s Vettaiyan celebrated the audio launch as well as released the film’s trailer. 

On the same day morning, the second single titled Hunter Vantaar was released by the makers across various music platforms.

The film has just two songs including Manasilayo which was released 2 weeks back and has over 2.50 crore views on the official handle on YouTube.

 

This would be the septuagenarian’s 170th film, even as the brisk actor is shooting for his next titled Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. 

Vettaiyan, directed by TJ Gnanavel and produced by Lyca Productions has music composed yet again by Rockstar Anirudh Ravichander, his fourth with the Superstar after Petta, Darbar and Jailer.

With a stellar starcast that includes Bollywood’s Shehanshah Amitabh Bachhan, Fahad Fazil and Manju Warrier from Mollywood, Rana Daggubati from Tollywood and Abirami, Ritika Singh and Rakshan from our own Kollywood. 

TJ Gnanavel, known for his previous hit Jai Bhim with Actor Surya was not the usual suspect for directing commercial potboilers with a commercial star such as Rajinikanth.

 

During his speech, the Superstar said that the first story the Director narrated was not to his taste and that he confided with him that movies with messages doesn’t work for him and his audience, rather a pucca commercial potboiler is what does best.

 

Superstar should know, after all, why his films with messages don’t work. After the high decibel marketing promos for one of his previous movie Kabali, the film fell flat after the initial opening. 

The actor chose to work once again with the same Director P Ranjith for Kaala, which was a thorough disappointment for his ardent fans.

The reason for that was simple – the film was too politically aligned and antagonised / patronised a section of people. 

And the dialogues, scenes and sequences were entrenched with political inunendos, most of which the actor doesn’t subscribe to publicly.

 

Lesson learned. And thereafter, the actor came back with a thumping victory that was Petta with Director Karthik Subburaj which was followed by an average outing which were Darbar with Director AR Murugadoss and Annaathhe with Director Siva.

The 2023 release Jailer went on to become a super hit, especially because of the Superstar’s mellowed and measured undertone performance, thanks to Director Nelson, who’s trademark are creating such roles.

Vettaiyan is expected to be an out and out commercial film, especially with the Director Gnanavel choosing not to have any songs for the heck of it. 

And there is no heroine to play love mate to the lead actor as well, which is a clear indication that the movie would ride heavy on screenplay.

With just three weeks to go for the movie’s release at the end of Dushera on the auspicious Ayudha Puja day – 10th Oct. ’24, the makers of the film have set the bar high for the ardent fans as well as the adamant critics of the Superstar.