If you have missed the versatile Vikram on screen for a long time, here he is with director Vijay’s Deiva Thirumagal. Said to be an adaptation of the Hollywood drama I am Sam, Deiva Thirumagal is about subnormal man’s quest to claim ownership to his daughter. Deiva Thirumagal has Vikram playing the lead role – that of a person with mental disability. Vikram has touched upon such a subject (or a similar one) in his hugely successful Sethu, although only partly. However, Deiva Thirumagal features him in a full-length role of a person with mental disabilities.

Vikram is supported by the able Anushka Shetty, whose role was earlier offered to Vidya Balan. Anushka plays the lawyer who fights for the rights of Vikram and his custodianship of his daughter (and possibly falling in love with him in the due course). Amala Paul plays his estranged, embittered wife. Her role was earlier offered to Meera Jasmine, who walked out of the film. Deiva Thirumagal also stars Nassar, Santhanam, M S Bhaskar, Y Gee Mahendra and Karthik Kumar in pivotal roles.

Directed by A L Vijay, Deiva Thirumagal is produced and distributed by UTV Motion Pictures. Vijay has employed his regulars in the film including G V Prakash for music, Nirav Shah for cinematography and Anthony for editing.

Deiva Thirumagal was shot in and around Tamil Nadu. Ooty was one of the prime shooting location and the movie’s highlights are its court scenes that consume lot of indoor shots. The movie’s shoots started in late 2010 and was completed a couple of months ago. What with speculations rife that no distributor was ready to buy out the movie, the producers themselves are releasing it in theatres. They also claim that the movie is going to be taken to film festivals across the globe.

Deiva Thirumagal, likely to catch the fancy of serious movie fans, releases this Friday all over.