Director Lingusamy has shared interesting memories about how two of his biggest hits, ‘Run’ and ‘Sandakozhi,’ were once considered for Thalapathy Vijay. Speaking ahead of the re-release of ‘Run,’ the filmmaker recalled the discussions he had with Vijay and explained why the actor eventually chose not to take up either project. His candid recollections have given fans a fresh glimpse into the decisions that shaped both their careers during the early 2000s.
Lingusamy reveals why Vijay stepped away from the projects
Speaking with Cinema Vikatan, Lingusamy said Vijay was initially approached for ‘Run,’ but the project did not move forward after discussions with the actor’s father, S.A. Chandrasekhar. “SAC sir heard the story and felt it was a love story mixed with action. After Thamizhan, he believed Vijay’s image would grow bigger and felt that chasing a heroine throughout the film would not suit him. So the project did not happen, although we later worked together on the ‘Ghilli’ remake,” Lingusamy recalled. He added that Vijay also listened to ‘Sandakozhi’ with great interest before deciding against it.
Vijay praised ‘Sandakozhi’ after watching its success
Sharing another memorable incident, Lingusamy revealed that Vijay was highly impressed by the first half of ‘Sandakozhi,’ especially the interval sequence, but changed his mind after hearing the father’s character and the rest of the story. “After the first-half narration, Vijay was very excited. But once I introduced the father’s character, he told me, ‘Anna, venam na.’ He felt the film was not right for him,” the director said. However, after the film became a blockbuster, Vijay personally met Lingusamy during the success celebrations. “‘Anna, pichitinga na… padam super-ah irundhuchu,’ (Brother, have you gone crazy? The film was superb! ) he told me. I replied, ‘You never listened to the complete second half.’ Vijay then smiled and said, ‘Someone like Vishal had to enter the industry. This film was perfect for him,” Lingusamy recalled.
Director praises Vijay’s clarity in choosing commercial entertainers
Lingusamy also appreciated Vijay’s conviction in selecting scripts that suited his career path. According to the filmmaker, Vijay always had a clear understanding of the kind of films he wanted to make. He revealed that the actor had also heard ‘Vettai’ but decided against it after listening to the latter portion of the story. Looking back, Lingusamy said Vijay remained committed to commercial entertainers throughout his career, a strategy that eventually helped him become one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars. The director’s reflections have now sparked fresh discussions among fans about the blockbuster collaborations that almost happened but never made it to the screen.