Debutant director Vetriselvan is gearing up for the release of his first film, Johnny, which marks the comeback of actor Prashanth. The suspense thriller hits the screens on Friday.

Vetriselvan, who has assisted SJ Suryah and later Jeeva Shankar, is confident about the reception of his script, which he says is tailor-made for Prashanth. "The audience are going to be surprised by his character. While he gave me the odd suggestion here and there, he allowed me the space to bring my vision to the screen."

On the title, which shares the name of Mahendran's classic Rajinikanth-starrer from the 80s, Vetriselvan says the audience will see the connect in the first 10 minutes when the story unfolds. "Other than that, there is no comparison. While that film was known for its songs, my film, being a thriller, has no room for any. Debutant music composer Ranjan has given us an excellent background score, however." The director also acknowledges the efforts of his editor, Siva Saravanan, in ensuring that the film is taut. 

Johnny also stars Prabhu, Anandaraj, Ashutosh Rana and Sayaji Shinde. "The script needed their expertise. Sanchita Shetty too plays an integral role, along with Devardarshini."