Filmmaker R Kannan is set to remake the hit 1972 Tamil caper comedy film Kasethan Kadavulada with an ensemble star cast, including Urvashi, Mirchi Shiva, Yogi Babu and Karunakaran, nearly half a century after the release of the original.
The director confirmed this to Silversceen India on Thursday and added that the title of the original film will be retained for the remake.
Revealing that the project has been in the works since December 2020, Kannan said he observed that most of the content released during the lockdown period was in the crime and thriller genres. “I wanted to break away from that during these grim times that are already full of fears. I thought we needed some jolly content to entertain people. Also, it has been some time since comedy films have come out. So I wanted to make a film that will be jovial and fun to watch.”
Released on May 19, 1972, Kasethan Kadavulada was written and directed by Chitralaya Gopu as his directorial debut. It starred late actors Muthuraman, Manorama, and Thengai Srinivasan, along with Lakshmi, Srikanth, and others. Adapted from Gopu’s play of the same name, the AVM Productions film follows a young man (Muthuraman) who joins hands with his cousin (Srikanth) and friend (Srinivasan) and concocts a plan to extract money from his stepmother (Manorama) by getting the friend to pose as a godman.
When asked how the remake would compare to the original, Kannan said, “It will be an updated version adapted to the modern day. The style will suit the current times but I will be retaining the flavour of the story.”
While Manorama’s character will be played by Urvashi, Mirchi Shiva will be stepping into the shoes of Muthuraman. Yogi Babu and Karunakaran will be essaying the characters of Thengai Srinivasan and Srikanth, respectively.
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The film is produced by Kannan under his home banner Masala Pix in association with MKRP Productions. It is set to go on floors on July 15 and will be shot in a single 30-day schedule in Chennai.
Kannan added that the team is looking at a Christmas release in theatres.
Meanwhile, the filmmaker is also working with actor Aishwarya Rajesh on the Tamil remake of the hit Malayalam film The Great Indian Kitchen.
Kannan revealed that the shooting for the The Great Indian Kitchen remake has been completed. “The post-production work is on and we are looking to release it in August. However, we are concentrating on readying the film’s first copy and are yet to decide on the mode of release. If theatres are open by the time the film is ready, it will release in theatres,” he said.