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Every Vetrimaaran Film Ranked

Tamil filmmaker Vetrimaaran belongs to one of those breeds of director whose tight scripts, apt casting, and realistic treatment of storyline has made fundamental changes to the very nature of mainstream filmmaking. His films are made for a multi-cultural audience and backed by the strength of their storytelling and sculpted dialogue, which has reinvigorated the art of popular cinema with a breath of fresh air.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films: Every Lijo Jose Pellissery Film Ranked

Each of the films is imbued with a powerful, coherent aesthetic that guides viewers through a dark matrix. At its best, it augments a captivating narrative and sinks viewers into a world of social realism of rural Tamil Nadu. Even urban reality is being depicted showcasing more fallible and life-like characters. The cinema of the carnivalesque with its larger-than-life characters, melodramatic orientation and highly romanticized canvas is something that does not whet his appetite for creativity.

With a filmography of five features and one short film as a director, he has earned his reputation as the most one of the most accessible filmmakers of the last decade. His style involves artistically thriving with a soothing pace lending itself to an atmospheric work filled with oneiric undertones. Some viewers may find his films brutal and gut wrenching as it gets; yet, despite its ruthless depiction, it’s also surprisingly heartwarming.

5. Polladhavan (2007)

Vetrimaaran’s debut feature film opens up with a gruesome and brutal fighting sequence and then using the device of flashback, the filmmaker takes us into the dynamic world of contemporary Chennai, where an educated young man, Prabhu ( Dhanush ) fight injustice and in the process is forced to unleash the animal within him.

Also, Read: Every Sriram Raghavan Film Ranked

The protagonist of the film is an uneducated youth who due to turn of events confronts his father (Murali) and an argument regarding the responsibilities of parents towards their offspring ensues. As a result of this conflict, Prabhu gets a hefty amount from his father and he uses the money to purchase a Bajaj Pulsar bike. This appears to be a wise investment because owning the vehicle enables him to get a job and earn respect in society. But the situation takes a drastic turn when a gang of anti-socials steals his bike. Thereafter the film presents the viewers with the transformation of resilience into power and its hold over the life of an individual’s struggle to maintain his position in the harsh reality of everyday life.

The plot of the film has similarities with Wang Xiaoshuai’s Bejing Bicycle (2001). But the well worked out mise-en-scenes of Polladhavan makes it an entertaining tale of a casual urban carefree person’s conversion into a person of genuine worth and true dignity. Polladhavan was remade in Kannada as Punda, in Telugu as Kurradu starring Varun Sandesh, in Sinhala as Pravegeya, in Bengali as Borbaad (2014) and in Hindi as Guns of Banaras (2020). But none of them could achieve the excellence earned by the original version.

4. Visaranai (2016)

Based on the Tamil novel Lock Up by M. Chandrakumar, Vetrimaaran’s third outing in its first half has such brutal scenes of police torture that one could genuinely feel the bestial act of police torture. The viewers are compelled to cringe as well as empathize with the plight of four helpless souls. The narrative of the film can be divided into two sections-before and after the intermission. Four migrant workers are falsely accused in a burglary case that has taken place at a rich and affluent man’s bungalow. The police beat these four characters in black and blue and want them to confess. Not able to withstand the pain they agree to accept the charges. Once they are produced in the court the narrative of the film takes a twist and the viewers are presented with one shocking surprise after the other.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films: Salt Of The Earth (1954) : A Landmark American Independent Cinema On The Working Class  

The filmmaker displays superb craftsmanship and commitment to an engaging dramatic tale that ends in a tragedy. The film subtly depicts that the characters in the film become a victim because of the system that protected the criminal over the accuser. It is a deeply troubling film that is devoid of cathartic and healing moments. Vetrimaaran does not feel hesitant in constructing the brutal scene with ease and he is neither afraid to carve out its own unique style.

The film had its world premiere at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Amnesty International Italia Award. Back home it had won three National Film Awards- Best Feature Film in Tamil, Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing.

Watch Visaranai (2016) on Netflix

3. asuran (2019).

What becomes the last resort for a farmer who goes on the run with his family as he is compelled to protect his son, who has murdered a wealthy upper-caste landlord in a fit of vengeance? The reply should be to fight with the oppressing forces and reclaim his identity. That is exactly what Sivasaami (Dhanush) does to break away from the uncomfortable social status he has inherited. Based on the novel Vekkai by Poomani, Vetrimaaran’s screen adaptation is so watertight that every occurrence in the screenplay feels alluring.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films : Asuran (2019) Review: Rise, Asuran, Rise!

With Asuran Vetrimaaran continues his excellent cinematic flair as a director enhancing his commendable grasp on the tropes of mainstream cinema. The film also benefits from technical polish – the cinematography, background score and editing are all top-notch. Asuran too has gut-wrenching violence and prepares the viewer for the edge-of-seat tension. The narrative follows a rhythm where the plot is revealed without wasting much of the screen time. The film belongs to the genre of revenge saga told from the perspective of a lower caste protagonist.

It’s one of those mainstream films that fulfill a social purpose, for it’s hard to imagine anyone viewing Asuran and not abhorring the evil practice of casteism in our country and how it voluntarily degrade human values and status. At the Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards, 2020, Vetrimaaran won the award for best director. The film had won two National Film Awards- Best Feature Film in Tamil and Best Actor.

Read the Complete Review of Asuran (2019) Here

Watch asuran (2019) on prime video , 2. vada chennai (2018).

A tale of criminal activities narrated in a non-linear pattern over the span of more than a decade is the perfect recipe for a crime sage. Vetrimaaran’s narrative takes the viewers on a journey that lasts for nearly a hundred and sixty-four hours and introduces them to the world of guilt, regret and vital decisions leading to loyalty turned into betrayal. The protagonist of the film Anbu (Dhanush) is an expert carrom player but his life gets entwined into the world of crime. He gets pulled into the vortex so deeply that penitence alludes to him after a point in time.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films : Top Tamil Movies of 2018 and Where To Watch Them

With a multiple cast the story of the film is set in the underbellies of North Chennai as the title of the film implies and the theme of the film is more nuanced than the conventional black-and-white morality tales where evil is punished by good at the end. The film blatantly showcases the graphic world of crime and violence, investigates the nature of friendship, the ethics of vigilantism, and the nature of unhappiness. Vetrimaaran delves deeply into the minds of his tortured characters and explores how the men and women he depicts grapple with moral codes and their emotions.

He further engages with many of the most basic questions about our humanity and how we relate to one another in a complex world. The stylistic elements in the film earn comparisons, bearing marked connections to several of Vetrimaaran’s other films. The film won the Best Film (People’s Choice Award) at the Pingyao International Film Festival, 2018. At the Filmfare Awards South, Dhanush won the trophy for the Best Actor.

Read the Complete Review of Vada Chennai (2018) Here

Watch vada chennai (2018) on disney hotstar, 1. aadukalam (2011).

As the roosters combat in the arena with each other, it becomes a fight of the egos of the individuals who own the fowl. So, when Karuppu’s rooster emerges victorious he not only earns a lot of money but also the enmity of his boss Periyasamy (V. I. S. Jayapalan) and Rathnasamy (Naren). And from then onwards the life of our protagonist will be filled with one hurdle after the other as the tale of loyalty, self-esteem, deception, and honor unfolds.

Related Read to Vetrimaaran Films : 10 Great Tamil Movies You Can Stream On Netflix Right Now

In his sophomore, Vetrimaaran presents a varied cultural pattern of rural Tamil Nadu and uses realism, tradition, and contemporaneity, soaked in local flavor within the narrative structure of his tightly structured screenplay. The conflicts introduced within the plot points create tension by employing smart conventions that are able to sustain the viewer’s anticipation. The editing pattern of the film creates a commendable pace and multi-layered visual design that heightens the impact of the film. Though the filmmaker has openly admitted that he was inspired by the dogfighting scene of Amores Perros (2000), Vetrimaaran has infused his own style and poise within the film, which is anything by blatant copy.

Despite having strong content and potential for box-office success, filmmakers from another region could not dare to remake the film until now. The reason being the milieu of the film is so rooted in the soil of Tamil Nadu and that makes it the best film in the oeuvre of Vetrimaaran’s impressive career. At the 58th National Film Awards, the film won five awards-Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Choreography and Special Jury Award for Acting.

Special Mention: Oor Iravu (2020)

Oor Iravu is a part of the Tamil anthology drama Paava Kadhaigal (2020). Owing to its shorter running time, I have included it in the category of special mention. On the surface level of its narrative, the film depicts the tale of a daughter Sumathi (Sai Pallavi) who had eloped from her village and now she has reunited with her father Janakiraman (Prakash Raj). But as the story of the film moves forward we discover the sensitivity and intricacies of the complex human psyche of individual characters within the film.

Also, Read: Paava Kadhaigal (2020) Netflix: Sinful Filmmaking under the Garb of Hard Hitting Social Drama

Vetrimaaran treated the film with a style that is bold and innovative with the choice of a subject in which the form and content merge into one. The pacing is not fast like his other films rather it is a slow study of how Sumathi’s drastic decision had impacted the lives of various members of his family. Vetrimaaran did not deviate from his usual style of narrative exploration but he has brought an understated rhythm to the unfolding of the events.

There is a kind of freshness in his approach and courage displayed in choosing to build a film around the brutal concept of associating the honor of the family with the sanctity of a woman. The film ends on a depressing note as we realize that such evil things are a reality and will continue to happen unless and until the evils of casteism are not obliterated from our society.

Watch Oor Iravu (2020) on Netflix

Vetrimaaran links : imdb , wikipedia, trending right now.

Dipankar Sarkar is a freelance writer on various topics related to cinema. His articles have appeared in Scroll, The Hindu, Livemint, The Quint, The Tribune, Chandigarh, Upperstall, and vaguevisages.com amongst others.

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Why Vetrimaaran is the most interesting director in Tamil films today

Vetrimaaran is arguably among the most interesting filmmaker working in the tamil film industry. here’s documenting his rise and what it takes to be a talent like him..

His production house’s name, Grass Root Film Company, is a clear pointer to Vetrimaaran’s worldview. This Deepavali’s biggest release in Tamil Nadu is, arguably, Kodi (Flag), a political thriller he has produced that stars Dhanush in his first double role, as twin brothers. The twins may be identical but their natures are mutually exclusive. Refreshingly, Kodi casts Trisha as a feisty woman politico, giving Dhanush’s eponymous hero a run for his money.

“For a hero movie, it’s pretty decently written,” pronounces Baradwaj Rangan, film critic and associate editor at The Hindu. “There’s a conflict, there are surprises and even within a commercial film, it’s properly written and directed. It’s not some random moments strung together to get people whistling.”

The film’s premise is how politics and political interests shape communities and the quality of their life. In this case, it involves skullduggery surrounding a factory emitting toxic effluents. It could be happening not too far away from our backyards.

At the Oscars

Vetrimaaran himself, however, was conspicuous by his absence during Kodi’s promos. He has a bigger task on hand. Visaaranai (Interrogation), the part-docudrama, part-crime thriller he directed, is India’s official entry to the 89th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. So he is in the US persuading jurors take note of his film, which has some truly hairy torture scenes. The last Tamil film that made it to the Oscars was 16 years back: Hey Ram starring Kamal Haasan.

Usually, the choice of any film to represent the country at the Oscars polarises critics, but Visaaranai remains largely unchallenged. Rangan agrees. “Visaaranai was a fantastic film.”

It tells the story of innocent migrant labourers picked up and tortured by the police to extract a false confession for a fatal robbery at an influential man’s house. How the film, shot in 42 days on a Rs 2-crore budget and eventually wining three National Film Awards, got made is interesting. After his Aadukalam in 2011, Vetrimaaran had busied himself with his production ventures, Udhayam NH4, Poriyaalan and Kaaka Muttai. When he was prepared to shoot his next, the script he picked was Soodhadi, a story on gambling, proposing Dhanush in the lead role. However, the actor had to take time off to work in Balki’s Shamitabh, being shot in Mumbai.

Vetrimaaran was mooting a book adaptation when director Balu Mahendra’s assistant serendipitously presented him with Lock Up, a riveting, partly autobiographical book written by M Chandrakumar, a former autorickshaw driver. The book, which took five years to write and another four to publish, narrates his harrowing experience while in jail in (then) Andhra Pradesh.

“When I pitched the story to Dhanush, who later produced the film, I said I can only guarantee you a three-day weekend run at the box office. But it’s a low-budget venture; you’ll get your investment back,” Vetrimaaran laughs. “Dhanush was amused, but agreed to fund the project. [I thought] it’s the kind of film that would not bring in repeat audiences. I was proved wrong and it got a good three-week run.”

The author, Chandrakumar, was incarcerated for a fortnight way back in 1983. “Yet his experiences are relevant even today,” points out Vetrimaaran. “Visaaranai reflects a stark reality from which you cannot shut yourself out: that is its success. It was challenging to find the right kind of actors and locations. We employed real stuntmen who could exercise restraint while beating up the actors.”

“What was unique was that there were a lot of first-time actors in the film; that added rawness to it,” says K Hariharan, filmmaker and critic. “Actors like Samuthirakkani and Kishore were entirely on the sidelines. That made it an interesting watch.”

Astutely, the team decided to send it to international film fests right away, confident it would work with foreign audiences. Visaaranai premiered at the Orrizonti section of the 72nd Venice Film Festival, a first for a Tamil film, and won the Amnesty International Italia Award. Crucially, the European audience was exposed to a hitherto unexplored form of Tamil cinema that dealt with grim reality in a non-dramatic but powerful way.

“Europeans have a different policing system. They found my narrative a bit harsh, though they were moved,” explains Vetrimaaran.

A rooted voice

It is Vetrimaaran’s preoccupation with sometimes gritty, sometimes heartwarming reality that makes this 41-year-old one of the best filmmakers of our times.

“The best thing about the regional filmmakers is that they bring in a very ‘native’ feel,” says Rangan. “Like if I watch Nagraj Manjule’s Sairat for instance, I find [elements] that remind me of Vetrimaaran. But that’s more because these filmmakers do these ‘rooted’ things very well. They give you the sense of the atmosphere, the rhythms of life in that particular environment, they take care to bring them alive.”

His critically acclaimed debut venture, Polladhavan (Ruthless Man) in 2007, followed a lower middle-class young man’s search for his stolen bike, an exercise that takes him through the seamy underworld. Four years later came Aadukalam (Arena), a Pongal release that raked in six National Film Awards. The cockfight arena was where love, ego, honour, friendship and betrayal were played out in the rustic backdrop of Madurai.

Says Manimaran, long-time friend and assistant, “Vetri used to like watching cockfights in the neighbourhood in our hometown. So he thought we could develop a story around them.”

There was no doubt about who would play the lead. “I wrote Aadukalam keeping Dhanush in mind,” says Vetrimaaran. “As an actor, he delivers exactly what I need and sometimes more. As a producer, he offers me complete freedom and does not interfere at all. He trusts me completely.”

Rangan explains the Vetrimaaran touch, “There is a world of difference in the way he uses the song and dance elements in Polladhavan and Aadukalam. They have become more organic and rooted; they’re not fantasy elements.”

“I personally prefer Aadukalam to Visaaranai, but it’s like comparing apples and oranges,” says Hariharan. “Aadukalam had a certain kind of warmth and spontaneity. Visaaranai, to me, looked rather staged.”

He explains, “Visaaranai’s [appeal across the world] is that for the first time in Tamil cinema, you see this kind of brute reality without the director taking recourse to a love story or family drama. It’s also interesting that a country like India allowed such a strongly critical film on the system. There’s no doubt that Vetrimaaran is a bold filmmaker.”

Vetrimaaran’s productive chemistry with Dhanush has paid rich dividends. The two went on to produce Kaaka Muttai (Crow’s Egg) in 2015, a subversive film poking fun at what is regarded as cool - pizzas, in this case. This little gem, premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, tracks two brothers from a Chennai slum dying to taste a pizza. Directed by M Manikandan with wit, not once is the children’s dignity compromised. Their family struggles in a heartless and corrupt city and soon we find ourselves cheering for our little heroes. Kaaka Muttai pocketed two National Film Awards.

“There is a stamp of quality that people have begun to associate with Vetrimaaran, because even the films he produces are pretty decent,” says Rangan, adding that he looks for, and gets, that certain quality.

Vetrimaaran’s genius lies in shining a light on people we would not even glance at in our rat race. His films show us that ordinary people often lead extraordinary lives if only we stop to talk to them.

Smitten by cinema

Born in Cuddalore near Puducherry and raised in Ranipet, a suburban town in Vellore district, two and a half hours from Chennai, Vetrimaaran was smitten by cinema even as a child. His mother, a writer, ran a school in the area, while his father was a veterinarian. Friends remember him as a film buff who watched every movie that came to town.

“He would bunk classes and watch them, each three or four times. Then he would come to the school ground where we used to hang out until 7:30 in the evening and would retell the whole story to us. My friends and I have actually walked out of the theatre at times because the film was nowhere as good as his narration. He still has that quality,” says Manimaran, his assistant.

Vetrimaaran was in his second year of Masters in English Literature in 1999 when the now-deceased filmmaker Balu Mahendra was invited to judge a short film contest at the Loyola College, Chennai. Shortly afterwards, he attended a seminar conducted by the director and was inspired enough to assist him in Julie Ganapathy, Athu Oru Kanaa Kaalam and the television series Kadhai Neram.

Athu Oru Kanaa Kaalam cemented his friendship with the lead actor, Dhanush, whom he describes as his best friend. While still assisting Balu Mahendra, Vetrimaaran pitched the story of Desiya Nedunchalai, and the actor readily agreed to play the lead.

Recalls Manimaran, “Producers were not hard to come by because we had Dhanush. But a few had misgivings about how Vetri would handle the project as a newcomer. So we tossed aside that script, which I later made into Udhayam NH4.”

The initial years proved to be rough. “I was pitching different scripts to different people for three years and it was the sixth producer who okayed Polladhavan,” says Vetrimaaran on his directorial debut.

Adds Manimaran, who assisted him in the project, “After the film was edited, we were really scared to show it to the producer. We kept stalling the screening telling him it may not have come out as he expected. Finally, when he saw it, he was satisfied. We were relieved and gradually grew confident.”

Pushing for excellence

When Manimaran himself forayed into direction with Udhayam NH4 in 2013, Vetrimaaran returned the favour by stepping in as producer under his banner, Grass Root Film Company. As he puts it, “I want my production house to be a platform for good, interesting ideas. I can find a producer for my films, but others, who may be first-time filmmakers, might have innovative scripts that mainstream producers might not understand. Like Kaaka Muttai for instance.

“I produce films in partnership as I may not be able to afford the entire budget. Dhanush ends up co-producing some of them as our tastes are similar. None of my producers ever ask me for the budget. I always make sure it is within their means and I can give the desired returns.”

For someone who has been successful both commercially as critically, Vetrimaaran has directed only three films in nine years. “For me, every film is a learning process. After each, I take time to unlearn. Then I find new content, learn it completely and then execute it.”

Manimaran describes his working process thus, “Many directors make changes to the script on the spot. But Vetrimaaran is different because he pays attention to detail. He puts in a lot of effort, so there may be last-minute adjustments with lighting and locations. Unlike working with other directors, you need to be available 24 hours.”

Outside of work, the father of two, who met his wife Aarthi while at college, likes to race pigeons, pretty much like the characters he portrays. His rootedness has also led him to voice the germ of an idea: setting up an organic farm eventually.

Rangan describes grit as the definitive quality of Vetrimaaran’s films, and praises his skill in animating the atmosphere in terms of the integrity of the characters, the plot, and the texture. “The way he shapes the characters and writes them, you feel that these are not [just] individual people; you get a sense of where they come from, where they belong. [They’re] not just some random characters floating around.”

His fans are already talking about his fourth film, Vada Chennai (North Chennai), an ambitious gangster trilogy he has been planning since 2003. After undergoing several changes of scripts and stars, Dhanush, Vijay Sethupathi, Amala Paul and Samuthirakkani are among those confirmed on the project that is currently under way. Slated for release next year, Vada Chennai is also bound to have the by-now classic Vetrimaaran stamp.

(Published in arrangement with GRIST Media.)

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On Vetri Maaran’s 46th birthday, his five tips for becoming a filmmaker

So how does Vetri Maaran strike a fine balance between art and commerce? Hear it from the man himself.

National Award-winning filmmaker Vetri Maaran, who is celebrating his 46th birthday on Saturday, is one of the new formidable voices in Tamil cinema. A disciple of iconic director Balu Mahendra, Vetri Maaran has succeeded where his mentor didn’t. While Balu Mahendra was a revered filmmaker who made some high-quality movies, he doesn’t have many box office hits to his credits. However, Vetri Maaran is one of the most commercially successful filmmakers today.

Vetri Maaran’s last film Asuran, starring his regular star Dhanush , had grossed a whopping Rs 100 crore at the box office. It is no mean feat for a filmmaker who usually makes emotionally heavy movies, which don’t follow the established grammar of commercial cinema.

Write, write, write

“Filmmaking is writing. Keep writing scripts over and over again. I have the liberty to make a movie without writing. But, I am not sure how long I can keep doing that. It is like Sehwag hitting sixes without footwork. If you lose the form, you can’t gain it back. So, we should play like Dravid. If you have your basics right, even when you are out of form, you can still deliver what you aspire for. Everybody should write. People tell me that they get stuck in the middle and can’t complete their scripts. Somehow, you should finish the script you start. The most gratifying feeling for a scriptwriter is when that person writes ‘The End’ on the script. Right or wrong, finish the script. And you should rewrite the story at least 10 times and share it with your friends for their opinion. Write, re-write, and forget. Do something else, go back to the script and write again. Writing is the alpha and omega (of filmmaking).”

Finding great stories

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Vetri Maaran has shown a great interest in adapting Tamil literature for the big screen. His landmark films such as Visaranai and Asuran were based on Tamil novels. His upcoming films Viduthalai and Vaadivaasal are also based on existing literary materials. “Writing and cinema are two different mediums. Not all great novels have become great movies. But, some average novels have been turned into great movies. We should see whether a novel has a cinematic quality. For me, the main goal is to understand the world a novelist has created and convey the intentions of the novel in the same way as intended by the author.”

Job-satisfaction is important

“Balu Mahendra sir used to tell me that the only thing in our control is to make a movie to the best of our ability. But, the commercial success of the film is an accident. I give my 100 percent in everything I do and I also make my team do the same while making a movie. If the audience connects to the film, we are happy with it. But, we should always have full satisfaction in the job we have done.”

Location, location, location

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In Vetri Maaran’s films, the location is a character in itself. And having a clear idea about the geography of the film and establishing it at the very beginning is key to a strong narration. “I can’t tell a story without establishing the geography of the story first. For example, I would have established the geography of the village in Aadukalam when Dhanush and his friends try to escape from the police raid at the beginning of the film.”

When you become a filmmaker

Vetri Maaran believes that a person stops experiencing his life as it is the moment he becomes a filmmaker. After he or she writes her first draft, everything and everyone becomes just an idea for the script. “Learn, experience, and debate. Watch a film, argue over it and repeat. The moment you start writing a script, you are closing yourself from life’s experiences. The End you put in the first script is also the end to your life’s experiences. From then on everything becomes a source to your script. My wife used to tell me, that ‘I won’t cry, because you will turn it into a scene in your film.’ Even before she points it out, I would have kept it as a scene in the film.”

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Film Industry Remains Divided Over Director Vetrimaaran's Comment On Rajaraja Chola's Religious Identity

Earlier, director vetrimaaran created a controversy by saying that rajaraja chola is misrepresented as a hindu king..

Chennai: Film industry remains divided over the statement made by national award-winning director Vetrimaaran about king Raja Raja Chola’s religious identity and its misrepresentation. Within days after the release of Ponniyin Selvan 1 , director Vetrimaaran created a controversy by saying that Rajaraja Chola is misrepresented as a Hindu king.

Director Vetrimaran while speaking at the birthday celebration of VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan said, art is for people and that art should reflect people. Hence, we should handle the art form properly. 

As per Indian Express, he said, "Our identities are already being erased. Be it cladding Thiruvalluvar in saffron, or presenting Rajaraja Cholan as a Hindu king, such things keep happening (in our society). This will also happen in cinema and many identities are (already) removed from the cinema. We should protect our identities."

After the speech, the film industry remains divided over the comment.

Also Read | Telangana CM KCR Likely To Announce Details Of His National Agenda On Dussehra At TRS General Body Meet

To the question about Vetrimaaran’s statement, BJP leader Khusbhu Sundar said, “ Ponniyin Selvan 1 is a visual treat and only Maniratnam can do it. Their (Vetrimaaran and others) view is like that. I don't like to speak about Vetrimaran. However, people should change such views.”

When asked about the speech to actor-turned-politician Sarath Kumar, who performed as Pazhuvettaraiyar, the actor refused to comment on it and said that he did his part as an actor.

Director Perarasu said, what’s wrong with showing Rajaraja Chola as a Hindu. Otherwise, is he a Muslim?, he asked. 

Also Read | Tamil Nadu: One Dead, Several Injured As Helium Tank Explodes In Tiruchy Market - Watch

However, director-turned-politician Seeman supported Vetrimaaran’s statement. He said that showing Rajaraja Chola who’s our ancestor as a Hindu is like painting Thiruvalluvar in saffron. In those days, there was no religion.

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Director Vetri Maaran

Mr. Vetri Maaran is a National award winning Director who primarily works in the Tamil film industry. A graduate in Literature from Loyola College, Chennai, his grounding in Tamil Culture and Literature, his keen eye for detail and his sensitivity to the Political, socio-cultural context within which he stages his stories drives his unique film journey. He wears multiple hats – Producer, Director, Writer and as an educator with the founding of International Institute of Film and Culture (IIFC). IIFC is his way of giving back to society by providing opportunities to dreamers and creators from marginalised communities.

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Vetrimaaran (Director)

Vetrimaaran is an Indian filmmaker, screenplay writer, and producer, who works predominantly in the Kollywood Industry. He is one of the cults and creative directors in the Kollywood Industry.

He is well known for his films such as Visaranai and Asuran starring Dhanush in the lead role. Currently, he is working on directing two films such as Vidudhalai starring Soori in the lead role, and Vaadivasal starring Suriya in the lead role.

Vetrimaaran Biography, Age, Family, Wiki, Height, Caste

Earlier Life & Family

Vetrimaaran was born on 4th September 1975 in Cuddalore, Tamilnadu. His current age is 46. His father’s name is Dr. V. Chitravel and his mother’s name is Megala Chitravel.

He got married and his wife’s name is Aarthi. This couple is blessed with two children, One daughter, and one son. His daughter’s name is Poonthendral.

He pursued his higher education at Loyola College located in Chennai .

Physical Appearance: Vetrimaaran Height – 1.72 m and Weight 68 Kg . He has Black color hair and Black color eye. He belongs to the Hindu religion and caste/community details are not known.

Related: Karthi Biography

Vetrimaaran debuted his Kollywood career as an Assistant Director to the ace director Balu Mahendra. He worked as an AD for tamil serial Kathai Neram and for the films such as En Iniya Pon Nilave, Julie Ganapathy and Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam directed by Balu Mahendra.

He then introduced himself as an actor in the film Kadhal Virus directed by Richard Rishi and released in the year 2002.

Vetrimaaran debuted his directing career with the film Polladhavan Starring Dhanush in the lead role and released in the year 2007. This film acquired positive reviews from both critics and Tamil Audiences. This film is one of the highest-grossing films of the year.

The entire crew of the Polladhavan movie again worked together and Vetrimaaran directed his second film named Aadukalam. This film was a tremendous success and acquired lots and lots of positive responses from the audience. The film has won 6 national Awards including the Best Actor and the Best film.

Then he started his production unit named Grass Root Film Company in the year 2012. His first film as a producer was Udhayam Nh4 starring Sidharth in the lead role. Then he directed his next film in the year 2015 named Visaranai.

This film is one of the benchmarks in the Director’s career. This film was produced by Dhanush and also this film becomes the official entry of an Indian Movie for the Academy Awards.

After the tremendous response from critics for the film Visaranai, he directed his next film in the year 2017 named Vadachennai starring Dhanush, Samuthrakani in the lead role.

This film was a Blockbuster and does magic at the Box Office. This film has also won three National Awards including the Best feature film of the year.

Vetrimaaran’s last release was Asuran starring Dhanush in the lead role. This film’s plot is based on the Novel Vekkai written by Poomani. This film was also a Blockbuster and surprised both audience and the critics with the Raw direction.

This film has earned more than 100+ crores and becomes Actor Dhanush’s first 100-crore club film in the Kollywood Industry. This film has acquired many National awards including the Best Actor award and Best Feature film of the year.

He is currently Directing two films such as Vidudhalai starring Soori and Vaadivaasal starring Suriya in the lead role.

Related: GV Prakash Kumar Biography

Facts & Trivia

• Vetrimaaran had won around 6 National Awards for his films.
• He also directed a short film for the Tamil anthology film Paava Kadhaigal released on Netflix.
• He also appeared in a guest role in the film Jigarthanda directed by Karthik Subbaraj.
• Vetri Maaran has produced more than 10+ films with his production unit named Grass Root Film Company.
• Vetrimaaran’s net worth is around 25+ crores.

Related: Sivakarthikeyan Biography

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Vetrimaaran

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About Vetrimaaran

An Indian film director, screenwriter, & producer, Vetrimaaran is famous for his works in the Tamil films such as "Udhayam NH4", "Aadukalam", "Polladhavan", "Kaaka Muttai", "Visaranai", "Asuran", "Vada Chennai".

Source: @instagram.com/team_vetrimaaran

In 2012, Vetrimaaran opened his own production house named "Grass Root Film Company" and launched his maiden project "Udhayam- NH47" with Siddharth in the lead role and his associate Manimaran as a director. He started his career as an assistant director to Balu Mahendra for the "Kadai Neram" serial for Sun TV. He made his directorial debut with the "Polladhavan" which film won Vijay Award for Best Director in 2007, & his second feature film "Aadukalam" won six National Film Awards. On 27 September 2020, he was honored by a Special Award for his role in "Thirai Asuran". He also made a short film for the anthology entitled "Paava Kadhaigal" (2020) and it's one of the episodes is titled "Oor Iravu". His each of the film touched upon the issue of honor killing. He has also featured in guest appearances "Jigarthanda" in 2014.

Family and Early Life

Vetrimaaran was born to a Hindu family on 4 September 1975. His birthplace is Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India. He holds the nationality of Indian belonging to Indian-Asian ethnicity whereas his race is Asian. His religious belief is Hindu. As per his birthdate, his star or zodiac sign is Virgo. Vetrimaaran's present age is 45 as he cut his 45th birthday cake as of 2020. 

About Vetrimaaran's parents, he is the son of Dr. V. Chitravel (Father) and Megala Chitravel (Mother). His father was a veterinary scientist whereas his mother is a noted novelist. He has a sister who is an oenologist.

Vetrimaaran graduated in English Literature in 1994 from Loyola College, Chennai. Before, he completed his schooling in Tamil Nadu. Then, he joined YMCA, Chennai for his higher secondary education.

Vetrimaaran Wife and Children

Vetrimaaran is happily married to his beautiful wife named Aarthi, who is working as a General Manager in a Multinational Company. The couple is blessed with two children: a daughter named Poonthendral. He is straight by sexuality.

Source: @theopinionatedindian

Vetrimaaran Net Worth and Salary

The awards winning Vetrimaaran has an estimated net worth of over $5 million as of 2021. His primary source of income comes from film director, screenwriter, film producer as well as he earns almost 20-40 Lakh salary income. He has a huge car collection BMW and also actives charities work where he donated to NGOs and trust.

Vetrimaaran Body Measurements - Height and Weight

With a slim body build, Vetrimaaran has a height of 5 ft 7 in or 170 cm and his balanced weight is around 68 Kg or 150 lbs. His hair color is black and his eye color is dark brown. His body measurement is chest size: 40 inches, biceps size: 13 inches, & waist size: 32 inches.

Filmography

• 2007- "Polladhavan"
• 2011- "Aadukalam"
• 2013- "Udhayam NH4", "Naan Rajavaga Pogiren"
• 2014- "Poriyaalan"
• 2015- "Kaaka Muttai"
• 2016- "Visaranai", "Kodi"
• 2017- "Lens"
• 2018- "Annanukku Jai", "Vada Chennai"
• 2019- "Asuran", "Migaa Migaa Avasaram"

Source: @oracleglobe

• 2020- "Paava Kadhaigal"
• 2021- "Sangathalaivan", "Viduthalai", "VaadiVaasal"

As an Actor

• 2002- "Kadhai Virus"
• 2014- "Jigarthanda"

Awards and Nominations

• 2007- Vijay Award for "Polladhavan"
• 2011- Two National Film Award (Director, Screenplay), Filmfare Award, & SIIMA Award Vijay Award for "Aadhukalam"
• 2015- National Film Award, Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award, Norway Tamil Film Festival Award, Audience's Choice Award, Tamil Nadu State Film Award, Filmfare Award, and Edison Award for "Kaaka Muttai"
• 2016- National Film Award, & Three Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award (Film, Director, Screenplay) for "Visaranai"
• 2018- Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for "Veda Chennai"
• 2019- National Film Award, Zee Cine Award, Behindwoods Gold Medal, & Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for "Asuran"

Source: @twitter

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Ranking All Vetrimaran Movies

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1. Vada Chennai (2018)

Not Rated | 164 min | Action, Crime, Drama

A young carrom player in north Chennai becomes a reluctant participant in a war between two warring gangsters.

Director: Vetrimaaran | Stars: Dhanush , Ameer Sultan , Radha Ravi , Daniel Balaji

Votes: 19,564

2. Visaaranai (2015)

Not Rated | 117 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

Four labourers are tortured by the police to confess to a theft they have not committed.

Director: Vetrimaaran | Stars: Dinesh , Samuthirakani , Anandhi , Murugadass

Votes: 12,027

3. Aadukalam (2011)

Not Rated | 160 min | Action, Drama, Romance

Falling in love with Irene as well as refusing to obey his boss Pettaikaran in a rooster fight complicates Karuppu's life.

Director: Vetrimaaran | Stars: Dhanush , Taapsee Pannu , Jayabalan , Kishore Kumar G.

Votes: 7,123

4. Asuran (2019)

Not Rated | 141 min | Action, Drama

The teenage son of a farmer from an underprivileged caste kills a rich, upper caste landlord. How the pacifist farmer saves his hot-blooded son is the rest of the story.

Director: Vetrimaaran | Stars: Dhanush , Manju Warrier , Prakash Raj , Pasupathy

Votes: 33,334

5. Viduthalai: Part 1 (2023)

Not Rated | 150 min | Action, Crime, Drama

A police officer is recruited to capture the leader of a separatist group.

Director: Vetrimaaran | Stars: Soori , Vijay Sethupathi , Bhavani Sre , S. Chandan

Votes: 8,500

6. Polladhavan (2007)

A contemporary action drama revolving around a young man's love for his bike, including the trials and travails he is forced to undergo when it goes missing.

Director: Vetrimaaran | Stars: Dhanush , Ramya , Kishore Kumar G. , Karunas

Votes: 2,507

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Vetrimaaran

Age, biography and wiki.

Vetrimaaran (Vetri Maaran) was born on 4 September, 1975 in Cuddalore, India, is a Film director, producer, writer. Discover Vetrimaaran's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 48 years old?

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 4 September. He is a member of famous Film director with the age 48 years old group.

Vetrimaaran Height, Weight & Measurements

At 48 years old, Vetrimaaran height is 1.7 m .

Who Is Vetrimaaran's Wife?

His wife is Aarthi

Vetrimaaran Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. So, how much is Vetrimaaran worth at the age of 48 years old? Vetrimaaran’s income source is mostly from being a successful Film director. He is from India. We have estimated Vetrimaaran's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets.

Vetrimaaran Social Network

Vetrimaaran is currently undertaking pre-production and scripting work for his next directorial venture, Vada Chennai, a tale on the mafia wars of North Chennai. When announced in 2009, Karthi was initially touted to play the lead role, although an official announcement from the producers in 2012 revealed that Silambarasan , Rana Daggubati , Divya Spandana and Andrea Jeremiah would essay pivotal roles in the film. The director also revealed that his fourth venture would see him recombine with Dhanush yet again. Vada Chennai released on 18 October 2018. The film opened to largely positive reviews. In 2012, Vetrimaaran also launched his own production house called the Grass Root Film Company and launched his maiden project, Udhayam - NH47 with Siddharth in the lead role and his associate Manimaran as director.

In Dec 2018, Vetrimaaran-Dhanush announced that they will take a break to shoot Asuran before commencing Vadachennai part 2. The movie was based on a Tamil novel titled 'Vekkai'.

Vetrimaaran is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who works in the Tamil film industry. As of 2016, he has won four National Film Awards and one Filmfare Award.

In 2016, he announced a movie based on the novel 'Shoes Of The Dead' written by New Delhi based author Kota Neelima but he is yet to start its shooting.

Vetri Maaran made his directorial debut with the critically acclaimed Polladhavan (2007). His second feature film Aadukalam (2011) won six National Film Awards. He produces films under his production company, Grass Root Film Company. His movie Visaaranai (2016) was selected as India's official entry to Academy Awards.

Vetrimaaran has since described that he had "ample time" for he production works of Polladhavan as "Dhanush had confidence in him". Production designer Durai helped him rope in G. V. Prakash Kumar to score the film's music, while Dhanush also recommended cinematographer Velraj to Vetrimaaran after the pair had worked together in Parattai Engira Azhagu Sundaram. Vetrimaaran chose Kannada language actor Kishore to make his Tamil film debut after his assistant gave him rave reviews of the actor's performance in the unfinished Prashanth-starrer Petrol. The team held test shoots with both Kajal Aggarwal and Poonam Bajwa for the film and released the stills to the media, but Vetrimaaran was still unsatisfied and finished two schedules before finalising on Divya Spandana . The director revealed that there was initially an issue with the actress after she got offended by his words and did not come for the shoot for three days, before Durai intervened. The film's story was inspired partly by the lost bike of his friend Andrew and the variety of experiences he had tracking down his vehicle. Vetrimaaran revealed that when he wrote the script, he made many changes to suit the visual medium and for Dhanush on his physical attributes while playing an action hero. The film opened in November 2007 to rave reviews, with the critic from Sify.com stating that "Vetri has made his mentor proud, and his style of narration and takings are very similar to the ace director [Balu Mahendra]", labelling that the film had shades of Vittorio De Sica's 1948 Italian film, Bicycle Thieves. The reviewer from The Hindu stated that "at no point does Polladhavan sag and that writer-director Vetrimaaran has slogged through his screenplay and the result shows." The film also emerged successful commercially usurping collections of the Vijay-starrer Azhagiya Tamil Magan and the Suriya-starrer Vel and subsequently went on to win four Vijay Awards including Best Director for Vetrimaaran.

In 1999, Vetrimaaran worked as an assistant director for Kadhai Neram for Sun TV by Balu Mahendra , featuring 52 short stories for 52 episodes. In a team of 4-5 assistant directors, Vetrimaaran read around 50-60 short stories in a week and shortlist a few and present the synopsis to Balu Mahendra , who would select the required storyline. After Kadai Neram, he went on to work with Kadhir in Kadhal Virus for 2 years, whilst also working with Balu Mahendra for Julie Ganapathy and then Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam. At the time, he prepared a script for Dhanush, who has the lead hero of the films he worked in, and Dhanush immediately accepted the offer after hearing the story. The film titled Desiya Nedunchalai 47 was initially launched with Yuvan Shankar Raja as the music director and Ekambaram as the cinematographer. After he found trouble finding producers with A. M. Rathnam and Salem Chandrasekhar leaving the project after initial interest, Dhanush's sister Dr. Vimala Geetha agreed to produce the film, but she also dropped the film. Dhanush's father Kasthuri Raja finally agreed to produce the film and Kirat Bhattal was signed as heroine, while Harris Jayaraj was selected as music director. However, after two days of shoot the film was shelved and Dhanush opted to pursue other films after the surprise success of his Thiruvilayadal Arambam. The film's collapse saw Vetrimaaran approach producer Kadiresan and narrated to him the stories he had prepared but the producer did not like Desiya Nedunchaalai 47, but agreed to work on another project titled Polladhavan.

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