Dhruva Natchathiram: Gautham Vasudev Menon reveals why Suriya turned down the Chiyaan Vikram starrer

Gautham Menon recently revealed that Suriya, not Chiyaan Vikram, was the first choice for the lead role in Dhruva Natchathiram.

Dhruva Natchathiram will hit screens on November 24, 2023

Dhruva Natchathiram, the spy action movie helmed by renowned filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon, is finally set to hit the big screens soon. The project, which stars Chiyaan Vikram in the lead role, is gearing up for a release after multiple delays. Recently, director Gautham opened up about his long journey with Dhruva Natchathiram and revealed why Suriya, who was the first choice for the lead role, turned down the project.

Gautham Menon reveals why Suriya opted out of Dhruva Natchathiram

In a recent conversation with Cinema Express, Gautham spoke extensively about the making of Dhruva Natchathiram and revealed that the project was written for Suriya. According to the filmmaker, he was keen on roping in Suriya to play the protagonist, but the actor couldn’t connect with the idea.

The National Award-winning actor pointed out that Dhruva Natchathiram doesn’t have a reference point. He also felt that conventional spy thrillers had never really been made in Tamil cinema and was doubtful if the project would work. So, Suriya bowed out of Dhruva Natchathiram and asked Gautham to work on another subject for him.

Also Read: Dhruva Natchathiram on OTT: Where to stream Vikram's spy-thriller post-theatrical run

Here's how Chiyaan Vikram came on board for Dhruva Natchathiram

In the same interview, the director revealed that Chiyaan Vikram loved the story of Dhruva Natchathiram when he narrated it to him during a casual conversation. The Ponniyin Selvan actor immediately said yes to the project and even suggested a producer to bankroll it. Interestingly, Vikram also promised the director that he would return to play the character if a sequel was ever made.

Also Read: Leo cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa gets candid on his work in Vikram's Dhruva Natchathiram

Suriya and Gautham Menon’s reunion

After Suriya walked out of Dhruva Natchathiram, the actor released an official statement confirming the same. However, the creative differences eventually resulted in a cold war between him and Gautham, and the actor-director duo did not work together for 13 long years.

But in 2021, they buried the hatchet and joined hands for a segment in Navarasa, the Netflix Tamil anthology produced by veteran filmmaker Mani Ratnam. Suriya and Gautham's segment in the project, titled Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru, earned immense love from film fanatics and Tamil music lovers.

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