Kichcha Sudeep denies rumours of playing villain in Simbu’s ‘Arasan’

Speculations began circulating on social media claiming that Sudeep and actor Upendra were frontrunners to play the antagonist. Responding humorously to a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sudeep quashed the rumour and advised the source to “change its sources,” putting an end to the speculation.

Meanwhile, fresh reports from industry insiders suggest that the film’s team is in talks with top South actresses Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Keerthy Suresh for the female lead role. Reliable sources indicate that discussions are currently more active with Samantha, though an official announcement is yet to be made.

Arasan, which marks the first collaboration between Vetrimaaran and Simbu, was officially announced recently, silencing rumours that the project had been shelved due to financial constraints. Producer Kalaipuli S. Thanu of V Creations confirmed the film’s title with a powerful motion poster featuring a rugged man holding a machete beside a bicycle. Sharing the poster on X, Thanu wrote in Tamil:

“Aalapirandha Arasan, Vetriyudan Silambarasan” – translating to “A king born to rule, victorious Silambarasan.”

Earlier speculation suggested the project might have been dropped due to financial pressure, but sources close to the production clarified that filming is moving ahead, with Simbu reportedly opting for a profit-sharing model instead of a traditional remuneration.

The film also stars Andrea Jeremiah, Samuthirakani, and Kishore in key roles. Vetrimaaran has already clarified that Arasan is not a sequel to Vada Chennai, though it will retain the gritty world and tone of that universe. He confirmed: “This is not Vada Chennai 2. That film will happen with Dhanush. But Arasan is set in the same world, sharing a similar timeline.”

With filming expected to begin soon, Arasan has already built massive buzz among Tamil cinema fans, promising another intense and raw storytelling experience from Vetrimaaran.