Actor Sivakarthikeyan’s upcoming action thriller Madharaasi is directed by AR Murugadoss. Interestingly, the 50-year-old filmmaker recently revealed that the project wasn’t always conceived with Sivakarthikeyan in mind.
In fact, the director originally pitched the central character to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
AR Murugadoss reveals SRK was the first choice
In an interview with Galatta Plus, Murugadoss recalled how the idea first came to life. “I didn’t plan the whole film with Shah Rukh Khan, but I did pitch the character to him long back. This was about seven or eight years ago, and even he liked it,” the Ghajini director shared.
At that time, Murugadoss only had a rough character sketch rather than a full-fledged story. “It was just an idea, not the complete script. After watching Madharaasi, audiences will understand what I meant by ‘character’. Back then, cinematographer Ravi K Chandran arranged a meeting with SRK. He was so warm and encouraging, even saying ‘we’ll do the film.’ But over time, the project got delayed, and it never moved forward,” he explained.
The filmmaker added that his experience with Ghajini, his first and only Hindi film didn’t necessarily push him toward taking on another Bollywood venture. With no follow-up after the initial discussion, the Madharaasi project with Shah Rukh Khan eventually faded away.
About Madharaasi
Years later, the character resurfaced in Murugadoss’ imagination this time with Sivakarthikeyan in mind. The director felt that Sivakarthikeyan’s versatility and adaptability made him the perfect choice for the role.
Although the makers have kept the plot under wraps, reports suggest that the story is set in northern India and follows a man whose life changes drastically after an unexpected turn of events. The film features Sivakarthikeyan, Rukmini Vasanth, Vidyut Jammwal, and Biju Menon in pivotal roles.