Actor and filmmaker Gautam Vasudev Menon, who has directed popular films like Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001), Kaakha Kaakha (2003) and Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010), among others, is all set for the release of his next directorial outing. Titled Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu – Part 1: The Kindling, it traces the story of a low caste youngster who struggles for his and his community’s identity in the society. Starring Silambarasan aka STR, it is slated for a national release on September 15.
What’s also interesting about the film is that actor Manoj Bajpayee narrates the gripping tale of STR in its new trailer. Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu marks Bajpayee’s return to Tamil cinema eight years after Anjaan (2014), an actioner starring Suriya, which featured Bajpayee in a key role. In 2013, he had appeared in another Tamil film titled Samar.
Talking about being a part of Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu, Bajpayee says, “Gautam Menon came up with this idea that I should do the voice over for the film trailer. He requested me to do it and I agreed as I respect him as an actor and director and love all his work. And I am very happy to be a small part of this film.”
In a recent statement, Menon shared his thoughts on having Bajpayee on-board and added, “We are super glad to have Manoj Bajpayee lend his craft, his voice-over for our trailer which works as an introduction of sorts to the world that Muthu (STR’s character) comes from and the world he gets to inhabit and later rule. Manoj Bajpayee talking for an action-packed gangster film is like our hat-tip to his Bhiku Mhatre (from Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya) character.”
Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu is distributed in the Hindi belt by producer and distributor Anil Thadani of AA Films. Though the first part of the film will see a pan-Indian release in Tamil, the subsequent instalments will have a multi-lingual release as the protagonist progresses from Tamil Nadu and settles in Mumbai.
