Director and producer SA Chandrasekar (SAC) has been cast in Seenu Ramasamy’s next film, starring Malayalam actor Mammootty. SAC, who is Vijay’s father in real life, recently played a father to Dhanush’s character in Durai Senthilkumar’s Kodi. The 71-year-old director has directed over 70 films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, and began acting in films two years. Although he has made special appearances and minor roles in his films, his first leading role as an actor was in his film Touring Talkies (2015).
Seenu Ramasamy’s new film was announced in July, with Ramasamy saying that Mammootty would play the lead. In a recent interview, SAC said that he had been approached by Ramasamy to act in the film.
SA Chandrasekar made his directorial debut with Sattam Oru Iruttarai in 1981. Sattam Oru Iruttarai starred Vijaykanth, an actor SAC cast in a number of his films. SAC also directed his son Vijay as a child artist in many films. In fact, Vijay’s first five films as a lead actor were all directed by SA Chandrasekar.
SAC is known for making socially relevant films. Some of his biggest films include Vetri and Naan Sigappu Manidhan. His final film as director was Touring Talkies. Despite high hopes for ending on a high note with the film, as well as praise from director Murugadoss (who said that the “second half was so good, he forgot the first”), Touring Talkies was a failure at the box-office. Critics said that even Ilaiyaraaja’s best efforts couldn’t salvage it, or stop the theatre from emptying during the screening.
Earlier in August this year, SA Chandrasekar had to undergo surgery for head and spinal injuries, after a fall.