Arulnithi, who has back-to-back releases lined up for him, is currently promoting the release of Arulvaan, directed by Ganesh Vinayakan. While he has been a part of many promising and gripping films, the actor recently revealed his regret of not working on Eetti (2015), a sports drama from director Ravi Arasu. The film eventually went to actor Atharvaa.
In a recent interview, Arulnithi shared, "I was supposed to do Eetti. Towards the end of the film, you can see Atharvaa training hard and sporting his six-pack abs. I don't think I could've pulled that off. We have to undergo stringent diet and exercise for it, but I am not able to control my mouth for even four days," he laughed.
He further added that he was happy that the film eventually went to him and appreciated his hard work and dedication for the role. "At that time, we both had the same gym trainers. I'm not sure if he knows this. I am the only actor who has not sported six-pack abs yet. I should have done the film, but in a way, it is good that the film found Atharvaa for the role," he said.
Eetti marked Ravi Arasu's directorial debut. The film revolved around Atharvaa's character Pugazhenthi, an aspiring champion hurdler who has a rare bleeding disorder called Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, which prevents his blood from clotting following any injury. During a sports meet in Chennai, he unknowingly crosses paths with a dangerous counterfeit currency syndicate, forcing him to fight for his and his loved ones' survival. The film met with positive and mixed reviews.
Meanwhile, Arulvaan, which is slated to hit theatres on July 17, also stars Ramya Pandian, Aarav, Baby Krithika, Kaali Venkat, VTV Ganesh, and John Vijay. It revolves around the actor who is playing a district collector who strives to bring education to a tribal village after he makes a promise to a young girl. Besides Arulvaan, Arulnithi also has Demonte Colony 3, directed by Ajay Gnanamuthu, which will release on September 11. Interestingly, both Arulvaan and Atharvaa's latest film Idhayam Murali will be running at the same time in the box office.
Ravi Arasu has meanwhile been credited for the story of Vishal's upcoming film Magudam. Vishal took over the directorial duties from Ravi Arasu after the duo parted ways due to creative differences.