You hardly expect a debutant director to take on an unusual subject for his first project, but that's exactly what R Jayaprakash has done. His upcoming film, Vinveli Payana Kuripugal, is about a rural man who dreams of going to space. "The backdrop of my film is a village near Kumbakonam and much of the action unfolds there. The protagonist is not a mere dreamer but someone who goes to any length to achieve his ambition. The suspense lies in how he achieves his goal, despite the many hurdles in his way," says the filmmaker.

Jayaprakash, who found a willing producer after a fair bit of running around, says he had a relatively easier job with picking his cast. He settled mainly for freshers and actors who have been part of late director Balu Mahendra's Koothu Pattarai.

The director says his script was inspired by the work of Space Tourism developer Elon Musk, who invented a rocket that is capable of landing and being reused. He adds that he developed his script after much research. "I read scores of books which convinced me that nothing is beyond the capability of humans."

Asked if he is worried that not every section of the audience will be able to connect with the plot, Jayaprakash says he foresees no such issues. "The present generation is in tune with happenings around the globe, so nothing will be beyond their understanding. The real challenge is in the presentation. But I am confident of a positive verdict; not just from the multiplex audience, but all over," he says.