Vaazhl, the upcoming Tamil film produced by actor Sivakarthikeyan under his Sivakarthikeyan Productions banner and directed by filmmaker Arun Prabu Purushothaman, is set to directly premiere on the streaming platform SonyLIV on Friday (July 16).
The trailer of film, which is co-produced by Kalai Arasu, was released by the makers on Friday.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, Arun, who made his debut with the critically-acclaimed film Aruvi (2017), calls Vaazhl an “unconventional script” and explains, “We have experimented with the script; the film breaks convention in terms of the plot devices used. It is a mixed-genre film.” However, the filmmaker clarifies that it is a light-hearted film. “It is not a political film like Aruvi. It will cater to all age groups.”
Arun reveals that the film is based on the travels of his childhood friend, Prakash. “It is a travel film, and the story shifts from place to place. The title means ‘to live’ in Tamil.” The film has about 170 locations in all, he adds.
Filming took place in 2018 and 2019 in various pockets of Tamil Nadu and a few south-east Asian countries, including Indonesia. Vaazhl is shot by Shelley Calist and edited by Raymond Derrick Crasta, both collegemates of Arun. The same duo also worked on Aruvi.
Vaazhl is the third production venture of Sivakarthikeyan after Kanaa and Nenjamundu Nermaiyundu Odu Raja (2019). “I was looking for a strong producer who would believe in the story and trust us. In 2011, SK (Sivakarthikeyan) anna heard the story, and he and Kalai Arasu gave us free rein to create this project,” says Arun, adding that he wrote the script in 2010-11, even before he wrote Aruvi.
“We began pre-production work at that time too. But before making a film on this scale, I thought I had to prove myself first, and hence chose to make Aruvi.”
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Asked if the script required any updates or revisions since it took nearly a decade to go on floors, Arun replies, “Not really. It is a timeless idea. So the crux of the story remains the same.”
The film features actors Pradeep, Bhanu, Diva, and Yathra, who were all cast through auditions. “The main lead, Pradeep, has played a role in Aruvi too. The rest of them are newcomers and they have all done realistic work in the film,” says Arun.
The team wanted to release the film in theatres in February 2020, which could not happen due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. “But we are very happy about the OTT release. It will take the film to a large audience and reach a wide range of viewers,” says the filmmaker, adding that he hopes the visual storytelling of Vaazhl will leave a “lasting impact” among the audience.