Veteran filmmaker Mani Ratnam has officially begun work on his next directorial, bringing together an exciting combination of Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi for the first time. After reports the film would commence in June, production was delayed for undisclosed reasons. The wait is finally over, with the crew now starting the filming. Videos of Vijay Sethupathi travelling to Kolkata have created excitement among fans, while new details from the sets have revealed that the cast recently completed workshops before filming began. Here’s everything we know so far about Mani Ratnam’s much-awaited Production No. 23.
Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi Begin Shooting – plot, OTT platform and more
Production on yet-to-be-titled film officially commenced on Friday. travelled to Kolkata to begin filming after attending a series of workshops in Chennai alongside the cast. Videos of the actor at the airport, sporting a clean-shaven look, surfaced online on Thursday, creating speculation about the start of the shoot.
Mani Ratnam shoots film with Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi
The film is being jointly produced by Madras Talkies, Lyca Productions and India Talkies. While the makers have kept details about the plot, genre and supporting cast under wraps, the project is currently being referred to as Production No. 23. The film marks Sai Pallavi’s first collaboration with both Mani Ratnam and Vijay Sethupathi, making it one of the most anticipated Tamil films currently in production. The plot and cast details have not been revealed yet.
As per Cinema Express, the project had already secured a major digital deal. Netflix has reportedly acquired the streaming rights for nearly Rs 20 crore, making it one of the biggest pre-production OTT acquisitions for a Tamil film. Although the figure is lower than the digital deals struck for Mani Ratnam’s recent big-budget ventures, Ponniyin Selvan and Thug Life, those films were mounted on a much larger scale with an ensemble cast.
AR Rahman Returns for Another Mani Ratnam Film
Putting an end to speculation surrounding the film’s music, AR Rahman has been confirmed as the composer, dismissing rumours that rising musician Sai Abhyankar would score the project. The announcement reunites one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated director-composer duos, whose collaborations include classics such as Roja, Bombay, Alaipayuthey and, most recently, Thug Life.
AR Rahman worked with Mani Ratnam in Kamal Haasan starrer Thug Life
The project also marks Vijay Sethupathi’s reunion with Mani Ratnam after Chekka Chivantha Vaanam. Meanwhile, Vijay Sethupathi was last seen in Gandhi Talks and has several films, including Pocket Novel, Train, Arasan, Jailer 2 and Slum Dog: 33 Temple Road, in various stages of production. Sai Pallavi, who was last seen in Ek Din, is currently filming Dhanush’s D55 and will also star as Sita in Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part Ramayana opposite Ranbir Kapoor.