BEHINDWOODS COLUMN

A captivating lawyer in Thamizhan, a sincere tea kadai owner in Bhagavathi, a smart cop in Pokkiri, a romantic college student in Sachein and many other memorable roles played by Ilayathalapathy Vijay remain close to our heart even today. His upcoming film Kaththi has two more - reportedly, as a protagonist and an antagonist. This is his third attempt at dual roles, after Villu and Azhagiya Tamil Magan.

Lets take a look at what has happened with Kaththi so far:
 

Kaththi – Initial days
 

The ideation of Kaththi started way back after the blockbuster hit of Thuppakki. In 2012, A.R.Murugadoss known for back to back commercial hits, had tweeted that he was happy to be working with Vijay for another project. By September 2013, Kaththi happened, and Samantha was decided as the heroine. Lyca Productions joined hands with Ayngaran International as the producers of the film. By March 2014, the film’s crew was confirmed and Kaththi was officially announced to release on Diwali. ARM took a call on deciding Anirudh as the music director, Lalgudi N. Ilayaraja as the art director and George C. Williams as the cinematographer. It was also reported that actor Neil Nitin Mukesh will make his debut in the Tamil industry in an important role in the movie. By the look and feel of the crew, it was at the right place to deliver a perfect youthful Tamil commercial flick. 

Lights, Camera, Action
 

After getting set with the crew, it was time to create that magic onscreen by the 'mass king' Vijay and the sizzling Samantha. In a traditional South Indian manner, the 'poojai' of the film happened in Kolkata on 3rd February 2014. The film’s first schedule took place in Hyderabad and Kolkata. By July 2014, it was reported that 60 percent of the movie was over. Along came the promotions on the digital platform letting the audience interpret the film's communication tone. The crew started working on the climax by August 2014. The patch works, fight sequences and song visuals were all done by 30th September 2014. It was the ideal time for an official trailer after this, but the director has chosen to keep it a secret till now. 
 

Voice of the movie
 

Any movie grabs maximum attention prior to the release through its audio launch. Similarly, Kaththi seized the interest with Anirudh’s entertaining music that was launched on 18th September 2014. The songs were vibrant and well-suited for the current generation. Music scores like ‘Aathi Ena Nee’ and ‘Selfie Pulla’ hit the young crowd directly. Though it is not the first song sung by Vijay, 'Selfie Pulla' did impact me by taking me back to the 'Althota Boopathy' days. Also, the official teaser of the movie was unveiled during the audio launch, which became a massive hit on the digital platform.

Out in the light – Kaththi promotions
 

It is not just enough to make a grand movie like Kaththi. It is also equally important to communicate all the right things about it. The first still from the movie was released on 22nd June 2014 on Vijay’s birthday followed by many more in the subsequent weeks. The ‘Selfie Pulla’ song sung by Vijay crossed more than a million views in YouTube. Further, the 'Selfie Pulla’ contest was a huge success in Twitter, where people were asked to pose in front of a Kaththi poster and click a selfie. Given the pull that selfies have among the youth, it was a timely strategy to tap into this crowd and enable a chance for them to take a selfie with Vijay. Also, the team had a mobile game released to enthral fans. 
 

The movie has created a huge hype amidst the crowd and is expected to be a complete entertainer. Kaththi is surely at the rim of my bucket in the must watch list of Diwali releases.    

Anita Raghuraman
Follow @AnitaRaghuraman