Exclusive! Ponram: The thought of casting Vijay Sethupathi came to my mind after I finished writing for the film

Director Ponram, who made heads turn with Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam and Rajini Murugan, has his fingers crossed as his latest outing DSP is set to hit the screens this Friday. Vijay Sethupathi is playing the titular role in the film which has the actor donning a khakhi after a short hiatus.

The movie marks the actor-director duo's first collaboration, and unlike the filmmaker's previous outing, this is an action-packed story, albeit it is filled with ample dose of comedy. In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, Ponram says that Vijay was brought on board after he completed writing the film's script.

He opens up, "The thought of casting him came to my mind after I finished writing for the movie. I had to make a few changes then to suit the story to his body language and acting style. This is the first time I have attempted an action-comedy. The highlight of DSP will be the cat-and-mouse game between protagonist and antagonist."

Prabhakar of Baahubali fame plays the antagonist in the movie. According to Ponram, the script required someone who looks menacing in terms of physique and expressions. He felt that 'Kalakeya' Prabhakar would be apt for the role. He reveals that it was a last minute decision to cast the Tollywood actor.

Ponram admits that presenting Vijay Sethupathi in a different avatar from his previous cop dramas was a challenge for him. He says, "Vijay has played a cop in Sethupathi and Chekka Chivantha Vaanam. I ensured that his role in DSP stands out by incorporating a few elements in the character arc. I'm hopeful that the changes will pay off."

On roping in Udit Narayan for the peppy track Nalla Irumaa, the director says that it was a casual conversation with music director Imman which led them to rope in the Bollywood singer to lend his voice for the song. "We felt the song would leave an impact among music lovers if it is crooned by someone like Udit. He was happy to associate with us; the song is also a comeback for him to Tamil after a short hiatus," says Ponram.

Prod him on zeroing in on the title DSP for the film, and he informs that Vasco da Gama, the protagonist's character name, was the title initially considered by the team. "However, since Vijay plays a Deputy Superintendent of Police in the film, and many characters address him by DSP, we thought of fixing it as the title. We also felt that it is a crispy and catchy title," he says.

Another challenge the team faced, according to Ponram, was the multiple postponements of shooting owing to the lockdown which was imposed due to COVID-19. "We had completed the first schedule before the initial lockdown. Later, the other schedules had to be wrapped up in the middle of lockdowns that came into being later. I am now looking forward to the response from moviegoers," he signs off.

Anukreethy Vas, Ilavarasu, Singam Puli and Shivani Narayanan among others will be seen in DSP which is Ponram's theatrical release after four years.