Director Lingusamy shared interesting memories of how two of his hit films, Run and Sandakozhi, were considered for filming. Tarapati Vijay. Ahead of Run’s re-release, the filmmaker recalls working with Vijay and explained why the actor ultimately chose not to take on either project. His candid recollections gave fans new insight into the decisions that shaped their careers in the early 2000s.
Lingusamy reveals why Vijay quit the project
In an interview with Cinema Vikatan, Lingusamy said that Vijay was initially approached to star in Run, but after discussions with the actor’s father SA Chandrasekhar, the project did not progress. “SAC Sir heard the story and felt that it was a love story mixed with action. After Thamizhan, he believed that Vijay’s image would become bigger and bigger and felt that chasing the heroine throughout the film was not suitable for him. So the project didn’t happen, although we later worked together on the remake of ‘Gili’,” recalls Lingusamy. He added that Vijay also listened to “Sandakozhi” with interest before deciding against it.
Vijay praises ‘Sandakozhi’ after seeing its success
Sharing another memorable incident, Lingusamy revealed that Vijay was impressed with the first half of Sandakozhi, especially the interval sequences, but changed his mind after hearing about the father’s role and the rest of the story. “Vijay was very excited after listening to the first half of the narration. But after I introduced my father’s character, he told me, ‘Anna, venem na.'” He felt the film was not for him,” says the director. However, when the film created a buzz, Vijay met Lingusamy in person at a success celebration. “‘Anna, pichitinga na…padam super-ah irundhuchu’ (Brother, are you crazy? This movie is amazing!) he told me. I replied, “You have never heard the complete second half.” Vijay then smiled and said, “Someone like Vishal has to be in this industry. This film was a perfect fit for him,” recalls Lingusamy.
Director praises Vijay for his clarity in choosing commercial artistes
Lingusamy also appreciated Vijay’s firm belief in choosing scripts that suit his career path. According to the filmmaker, Vijay always had a clear idea of the kind of film he wanted to make. He revealed that the actor had also heard of “Vettai” but decided not to listen after hearing the second half of the story. Looking back, Lingusamy said Vijay remained committed to commercial acting throughout his career, a strategy that eventually helped him become one of the biggest stars in Tamil cinema. The director’s reflections have now sparked new discussion among fans about the blockbuster collaborations that almost happened but never made it to the screen.