J Vignesh, who made his acting debut as a child artist with M Manikandan’s Kaaka Muttai, is all set to be seen in Anl Arasu’s Phoenix next. In an exclusive conversation with CE, Vignesh, while speaking about his upcoming film, also opened up about the pros and cons of being identified with Kaaka Muttai.
He said, “Sometimes, being known as the kid from Kaaka Muttai feels like a double-edged sword. While I'm grateful for the film's success and the identity it gave me, it also typecasts me as a young boy, overshadowing my growth as a 25-year-old actor.”
The actor further explained how he didn’t get many opportunities despite acting in a hit film, because of this. “I've faced challenges in getting diverse roles, and it's frustrating when people don't see me beyond that one film. After Kaaka Muttai, I had dry spells in my career, and even with subsequent successes, opportunities were scarce. As an actor, you expect breakthroughs after a hit film, but it's not always the case. I hope to break free from this mould and showcase my range as an actor.”
After Kaaka Muttai, Vignesh went on to star in films like Appa, Aramm, Rudra Thandavam, and the web series Tamil Rockerz, among others. He also headlined a film titled Kuzhali with Esther Anil, but as it was announced in 2017 and released after a delay in 2022, it didn’t fair well.
Phoenix is all set to introduce Surya Vijay Sethupathi, son of Vijay Sethupathi, in a lead role. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Devadarshini, Varsha, Abi Nakshatra, Sampath Raj, Muthukumar and Dileepan also star in the upcoming film.
Backed AK Braveman Picturess, Phoenix will feature cinematography by R Velraj, editing by Praveen KL and music by Sam CS. The film is all set to hit theatres on July 4, alongside Paranthu Po, 3BHK and Akkenam.
