Corona Kumar is the title of actor Silambarasan TR’s 48th film, the makers of the film announced on Saturday on social media.
The announcement was followed by the release of a promo song on Sunday, sung by the actor himself and meant as a tribute to the Chennai Super Kings team, which is taking part in the ongoing IPL cricket tournament.
The upcoming film, backed by producer Ishari K Ganesh of Vels Film International, is a spin-off of the 2013 hit comedy Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara, which won actor Vijay Sethupathi laurels for his role as Sumaar Moonji Kumar. Filmmaker Gokul, who helmed the 2013 film, will write and direct Corona Kumar as well.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, the creative producer of the film, Cinemawala K Sathish, said, “Spin-offs are new to Indian cinema. In Hollywood, they’re more common with Marvel, for instance, taking Avengers’ characters and doing multiple spin-offs. In this film, we have taken the main characters from Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara and added Simbu as the protagonist. It will be a hyperlinked story set in Chennai. Just like the 2013 film, there will be some four situations, and how all of them connect is what the plot is about. It will be a hilarious, out-and-out comedy entertainer.”
Sathish added that Silambarasan will be playing the titular Corona Kumar. When asked if the title has anything to do with the Covid-19 pandemic, he said that there is no connection to it. “This is purely a film to spread positivity and happiness. During times like this, we wanted to present a happy film and once Simbu sir became associated with the project, the film became bigger,” he added.
Sathish noted, however, that it was the lockdown which inspired him and Gokul to make a fun film. “We were talking about the rough times of the lockdown and that’s when we happened to think about Gokul’s hilarious older film. We wanted to recreate that laughter, and that eventually paved the way for Corona Kumar.”
Recommended
On the characters from the original film that will be returning for this spin-off, Satish said, “The character Kumudha will be present, but will not be played by Nandita. The casting for that role is not yet decided. Other characters from the original, such as Baby (Madhumitha), Painter Rajendran (Rajendran), and Patti Babu (Vinodh Munna), will be returning with the respective actors reprising their roles. We have added other new and unique characters as well.”
Corona Kumar’s script is ready and filming will commence once Silambarasan wraps up his other film with the production banner, Vendhu Thanindhadhu Kaadu, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon. “Once the third schedule of that film is completed, we will start rolling immediately. We expect to go on floors in November and finish shooting in about two schedules,” Sathish added.