Director Dayal Padmanabhan opened up about the making of Lakshmikanthan Kolai Vazhakku and the support he received from his cast and crew at the film's press meet held on Monday.
Dayal described Lakshmikanthan Kolai Vazhakku as his 22nd directorial venture and third Tamil film. While speaking about the project, he revealed that the makers have deliberately kept several aspects of the story under wraps. “As a team, we have intentionally concealed certain details about the movie, which will be revealed during the post-release press meet,” he said.
The director further shared that the film is inspired by true events and is set in 1972. According to him, the narrative unfolds over a single night in the life of a prisoner awaiting execution while revisiting key moments from his past. “This film is based on real-life incidents and is set against the backdrop of 1972, revolving around a night in the life of a prisoner on death row, revisiting his past,” he explained.
Dayal also credited actor and writer Kavitha Bharathy for strengthening the screenplay and dialogues. He admitted that spending considerable time in the Kannada film industry had affected his fluency in Tamil and thanked Kavitha Bharathy for helping shape the script.
The filmmaker was all praise for his cast and technicians. He noted that actress Brigida Saga plays a significant character in the film and added that both Vetri and Rangaraj Pandey enjoy equal importance in the narrative. He also highlighted actor Saravanan’s commitment to the project.
“I especially want to mention Saravanan sir, who reduced his remuneration and even gave us an additional shooting day for the climax simply because he felt deeply connected to the project,” Dayal said.
The director also shared an anecdote about Rangaraj Pandey that drew attention at the event. “On the day of wrap, Rangaraj Pandey returned Rs 2 lakh from his remuneration, stating that we had completed the shoot two days ahead of schedule,” he revealed, adding that the entire team stood by him throughout the making of the film.
Lakshmikanthan Kolai Vazhakku stars Vetri as prisoner Arivumathi and Rangaraj Pandey as jailer Sivanandham. Brigida Saga plays Mallika, while Saravanan essays the role of Sargunam. The cast also includes Lollu Sabha Maaran, Lizzie Antony, Subramaniam Siva, Logan Kannan, Narmadha, Aruvi Madhan, Kanya Bharathy, Suba Veerapandian, and Kavitha Bharathy.
Produced by KV Shabarreesh under the 2M Cinemas banner and co-produced by Dayal Padmanabhan under D Pictures, the film features cinematography by MV Panneerselvam, music by Darbuka Siva, and production design by Anbu. The film is slated to hit theaters on June 25.
