Sai Dheena, who was seen as 'Jawa' Pazhani in Vetri Maaran’s Vada Chennai, is set to return to the director’s world with Arasan. While the actor is keeping details about his role under wraps, he has opened up about the experience of working with Vetri Maaran again, describing the filmmaker’s approach as something that brings out a different side of an actor.
Arasan, starring Silambarasan TR in the lead, is set in the world of Vada Chennai, though Vetri Maaran has clarified that it is not Vada Chennai 2. The film also features Vijay Sethupathi, Yogi Babu, Andrea Jeremiah and others and recently resumed production after completing a major schedule.
When asked about his character and whether he plays a rowdy in Arasan, Sai Dheena jokingly played down the suggestion, saying, “No, brother. I’m a good guy.” While he remained tight-lipped about the specifics of his role, Dheena had plenty to say about working with Vetri Maaran. According to him, the director has a unique ability to transform actors once they step onto his set. “Vetri is on another level. He transforms us into completely different people,” Dheena said to SS Music, adding that he sees every opportunity to work with the filmmaker as a chance to learn.
The actor explained that Vetri Maaran does not merely instruct actors from behind the camera. He often demonstrates what he wants, asks the actors to perform it and then makes small corrections. “He would simply tell us, ‘Reduce this, remove that, keep this,’ and explain everything so beautifully,” Dheena said. For Dheena, the appeal of returning to Vetri Maaran’s set is therefore not merely about revisiting the Vada Chennai universe. “When I go there, I look at what I can learn from Vetri,” he said.
Arasan was announced in 2025 and went on floors in December that year. The film, also starring Yogalakshmi and Samuthirakani, is backed by Kalaipuli S Thanu, under his V Creations banner. Vetri Maaran is collaborating with Anirudh Ravichander for the first time for the upcoming film. While a Diwali release was previously reported, fresh speculations suggest the film maybe pushed to summer 2027.
