Gautham Vasudev Menon's unrealized projects: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:16, 9 March 2025

Revision as of 09:08, 29 May 2025

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===''Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikaalam'' with Suriya===

In late 2003, Menon began work on a romantic drama film titled ''Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikaalam'' with [[Suriya]] in the lead role for film producer Srinivasa Raju. He had written the script of the film while on a recce to Kochi during monsoon season.<ref name="comksify">{{cite web|year=2004|title=Gautham Menon's romantic tale|website=[[Sify]]|access-date=2011-04-28|url=http://tfmpage.com/forum/archives/3905.17808.23.53.06.html|archive-date=19 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719090411/http://tfmpage.com/forum/archives/3905.17808.23.53.06.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Abhirami (actress)|Abhirami]] was signed on to play the lead female role and then later dropped due to her tall height, in comparison to Suriya. Menon then considered either [[Trisha (actress)|Trisha]] or [[Asin]] for the role, before eventually selecting the latter, who had worked with him on ''[[Gharshana]]'' (2004).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://newstodaynet.com/talkies/1103tt1.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011155851/http://newstodaynet.com/talkies/1103tt1.htm | archive-date=October 11, 2007 | title=Talkies Today }}</ref> [[Daniel Balaji]] was also a part of the film's original cast.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/photos/slideshows/2019/nov/15/13years-of-suriyas-vaaranam-aayiram-a-nostalgic-look-back-at-gautham-menons-heartfelt-ode-to-lov-773.html|title=13 Years of Suriya's Vaaranam Aayiram: A nostalgic look-back at Gautham Menon's heartfelt ode to love and relationships|website=[[Cinema Express]]|access-date=November 26, 2023|archive-date=November 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126195947/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/photos/slideshows/2019/nov/15/13years-of-suriyas-vaaranam-aayiram-a-nostalgic-look-back-at-gautham-menons-heartfelt-ode-to-lov-773.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Menon revealed that the film would initially be about a young college student who falls in love with a classmate, and in the second half, something large happens on a national level, prompting the protagonist to take it upon himself to solve that, with just his band of friends.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2006/12/17/interview-gautham-menon/|title=Interview: Gautham Menon|date=December 17, 2006|access-date=November 26, 2023|archive-date=July 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723103129/https://baradwajrangan.wordpress.com/2006/12/17/interview-gautham-menon/|url-status=live}}</ref> The first schedule of the film began in January 2004 in [[Visakhapatanam]], but the project was eventually dropped owing to Menon's personal issues.<ref name="comksify"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.behindwoods.com/features/Slideshows/slideshows2/dropped-movies/chennaiyil-oru-mazhaikkalam.html|title=tamil movie dropped films gautham menon surya chennaiyil oru mazhaikkalam vettayaadu vilayaadu news picture gallery|website=www.behindwoods.com|access-date=November 26, 2023|archive-date=November 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231126195944/https://www.behindwoods.com/features/Slideshows/slideshows2/dropped-movies/chennaiyil-oru-mazhaikkalam.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Menon later reworked the script of the film to make ''[[Vaaranam Aayiram]]'' (2008) with a different cast and crew.<ref name="auto4"/>