Director Mari Selvaraj, who last helmed Bison Kaalamaadan, has now opened up on how actor-politician Vijay influenced his journey into cinema.

In a recent interaction with reporters, the Pariyerum Perumal filmmaker spoke about how Vijay inspired him in his formative years, making him drawn to the world of films and the industry. "From when I was young, I liked Vijay. He is one of the reasons why I took a step towards cinema. As a fan, I like Vijay," he said, with a caveat.

"However, I have my own stance in politics which is evident from the first film I had made. I put that forward and use it for my art. Although I like Vijay as a lover of cinema, my art and the way I use it, is always intertwined with my political stance. Only when his political stand is fully revealed will we be able to understand it clearly," he added.

Mari Selvaraj further said that anyone can come into politics and do good for the people. "We should welcome whoever comes. I convey my best wishes to him for his career," he said.

Mari Selvaraj's Bison Kaalamaadan released last year for the festive occasion of Diwali. Starring Dhruv Vikram, Anupama Parameswaran and Rajisha Vijayan in leading roles, the film was based on the life of kabaddi player Manathi Ganesan and received positive reviews upon release.

Up next, he is working on Dhanush's 56th film D56 in which he is reuniting with the actor after Karnan (2021). Recently, Mari Selvaraj noted that it would be a "fantasy, historical, and political film" and would be the "biggest project" of his career. The film will have music by AR Rahman.