Gautham Vasudev Menon is regarded as one of the most accomplished directors in Indian cinema, having delivered notable films such as Vaaranam Aayiram, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya and Yennai Arindhaal. With decades of experience in the film industry as a director and now gradually establishing himself as a seasoned actor, Gautham Menon remains a name to reckon with in the South Indian film industry, boasting a legion of fans.

What has recently caught the attention of cinephiles is a candid revelation made by the film personality in a conversation with Cineulagam. The director-turned-actor recalled his shooting days on Yennai Arindhaal, the 2015 blockbuster cop drama directed by Gautham himself, starring Ajith Kumar and Trisha in the lead roles. The film also featured an ensemble cast including Arun Vijay, Anushka Shetty and Anikha Surendran.

Revealing an interesting facet of Ajith Kumar, Gautham said, “Ajith sir never wanted overly commercial elements to be added to the film. He was wary that such moments were born out of his star status. He did not want those elements in my film with him, as my films usually don’t carry them.”

Elaborating further, the director added, “I had woven a few moments into the film keeping Ajith sir in mind, as there was genuine scope since he was playing a cop. In fact, there were a few dialogues written for Vivek that hyped Ajith’s character, Sathyadev. However, Ajith sir immediately removed them while we were reading the scene.”

Yennai Arindhaal is regarded as part of Gautham Menon’s police trilogy. The filmmaker, who continues to balance acting and direction, has several projects in the pipeline, with fans eagerly awaiting his next major move. (With inputs from Agencies)