Actor Gautham Karthik will be teaming up with debutant director Arun Chandran for a film titled Chellapillai. The pre-production work is almost complete, and the film will go on floors this September. 

"Chellapillai is a mass entertainer and it will remind the audience of something they should be proud about. Gautham Karthik will be seen in a completely different light in this film. When Karthik sir was doing films like Varusham Padhinaaru, he changed the course of his career and gave us films like Paandi Nattu Thangam and Kizhakku Vaasal. Similarly, we believe this film will be a benchmark project for Gautham. He hugged me after listening to the story," says director Arun.

"Since he is a third-generation actor, fans of Karthik sir and Muthuraman sir also wish the best for Gautham and this film will satisfy all of them, across generations. Hence the title, Chellapillai. It is not only apt for the story but fits Gautham too. Those who see the film will consider him to be a 'chellapillai'," the filmmaker adds.

Produced by Firoz Hussain of SST Productions, Chellapillai will be shot in and around Madurai. The makers are in talks with various actors to finalise the rest of the cast and will confirm the names by next month.