Daijiworld Media Network – Chennai
Chennai, Oct 25: Actor Vishnu Vishal is all set to return to the big screen with his upcoming crime thriller Aaryan, promising audiences a fresh experience distinct from his 2018 hit Ratsasan. Making a bold statement at the film’s promotional event, Vishnu sported a T-shirt that read “Not Ratsasan”, underlining that while Aaryan is a thriller, it will chart its own course.
“Over the last decade, Ratsasan has become a sort of textbook on how to make a thriller. I can probably never beat that, but Aaryan will be a new experience,” Vishnu said. His confidence stems from a unique one-liner pitched by director Praveen K years ago. Unlike typical serial killer thrillers, Aaryan reveals the antagonist early, likely played by Selvaraghavan, while still promising surprises and twists.
In the film, Vishnu portrays a cop tackling a complex case, a scenario his father, former DGP Ramesh Kudawla, found particularly intriguing. “When I told him the one-liner about the situation this cop faces, he was zapped. That gave me even more confidence to back this project,” Vishnu said.
Vishnu revealed that the years following 2018 were challenging both professionally and personally. Following his separation and divorce, nine of his projects were shelved, which he attributed to the underperformance of Sillukuvarpatti Singam at the box office. Undeterred, he went on to bankroll films like the 2022 action thriller FIR.
Commenting on the pan-India cinema landscape, Vishnu said that while films like Lokah, Pushpa, and Kantara have succeeded, Tamil cinema has yet to produce a major blockbuster after Enthiran (2010). “Films work across India when they are rooted in their milieu. Tamil cinema misses this, thinking pan-India is about star combinations. Also — and this may be controversial — stars are overpaid, leaving less budget for filmmaking itself,” he noted.
Vishnu also shared his friendship with Aamir Khan, whom he assisted during the actor’s stay in Chennai. “Aamir nearly played the antagonist in the Hindi version of Aaryan. He spent over 40 hours with the director and me, suggesting tweaks and giving inputs. Watching his work ethic closely has taught me a lot about cinema and life,” Vishnu said.
Looking ahead, Vishnu has several projects lined up, including a love story Irandu Vaanam, a comedy Gatta Gusthi 2, a sports-based film with Arunraja Kamaraj, and another romance with Bachelor director Sathish Selvakumar. However, Aaryan holds special significance as it is named after his eight-year-old son. “I didn’t see him grow much due to my separation and the COVID-19 phase. I am extremely emotionally attached, which also adds pressure — it must live up to his name,” he said.
Aaryan is scheduled for a theatrical release on October 31.