The combination of AR Murugadoss and Vijay has given Tamil cinema three milestones — Thuppakki, Kaththi, and Sarkar. Each film struck a chord in its own way, with Thuppakki becoming Vijay’s first 100-crore grosser and Kaththi remembered for its hard-hitting political and social themes. Given that track record, fans have always looked forward to what the duo might explore next.
In a recent YouTube chat with Gobinath, Murugadoss revealed that Sarkar wasn’t his original plan for their third outing. “I had developed a travel story for Vijay. He was supposed to wear just a lungi and shirt throughout, and the film wouldn’t have had any commercial frills or fight sequences,” the filmmaker shared.
The project was envisioned as an emotional journey that unfolded across multiple countries, including India, Thailand, and Canada. The core of the story revolved around a Sri Lankan refugee, with the travel element carrying the narrative rather than the typical “mass hero” formula. “It was designed as an action-travel film that stayed rooted in emotions,” Murugadoss added.
However, at that point, Vijay was keen on doing a political story, which eventually led to the making of Sarkar. While fans welcomed the political drama, the news of the shelved travel film has sparked curiosity online. Many expressed that they would have loved to see Vijay in such an offbeat avatar, especially given how Murugadoss had previously redefined the actor’s screen presence in Thuppakki and Kaththi.
The filmmaker and the star were later expected to team up again after Sarkar, but that project never took off. Instead, the chance went to Nelson Dilipkumar, who went on to direct Beast with Vijay.
AR Murugadoss awaits the release of Madharaasi, starring Sivakarthikeyan in the lead role. The film is all set to open in theatres on September 5.
