Arun Vijay shared that he had called up Suriya when he was approached by Bala for Vanangaan post the Kanguva actor’s exit from the project.
After their acclaimed film Pithamagan (2003), filmmaker Bala and Tamil star Suriya were all set to team up for the second time for an action drama titled Vanangaan. The announcement had created excitement among fans who were eagerly waiting for this reunion.
Unfortunately, Suriya soon dropped out of this project. Later in an interview, Bala shared that he and the Kaakha Kaakha actor had mutually parted ways owing to logistic challenges. He also added that there were no personal differences despite creative differences. Post Suriya’s exit, Bala roped in Arun Vijay in his place to play the leading role.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the Thadam actor opened up on his initial thoughts when he was approached by Bala for this role.
Arun shared, “First of all, it was a great opportunity. Working with Bala sir has been a long-time dream of mine. When he approached me, I was excited, but also wanted to make sure everything was clear. Suriya sir is a close family friend too, so I called him immediately to share the news. He was very happy for me and encouraged me to go ahead.”
He continued, “Bala sir is known for completely transforming his actors, and I was ready for that challenge. He changes everything—the look, the body language, the performance. My look for this film was so unrecognizable that it actually worked in our favour. We shot in crowded locations, and people didn’t realize it was me… until they noticed the camera. This helped us manage the logistics seamlessly.”
Speaking about Tamil cinema, Vanangaan marks Bala’s comeback as a director after a hiatus of five years. His last Tamil directorial was Jyothika starrer Naachiyaar.
Arjun Vijay admitted that he feels an added responsibility to the film’s success.
“We all want the film to succeed, but more importantly, I want the audience to celebrate Bala sir as the brilliant creator he is. This generation of movie-goers hasn’t fully experienced his genius yet, and Vanangaan will showcase his emotional and raw storytelling. It’s an honour to be part of this journey, and I’m eagerly waiting for audiences to witness it,” he told the publication.
Vanangaan features Roshni Prakash as the female lead. The film will also stars Samuthirakani P.S, Mysskin and Mamitha Baiju.
