Actor Simbu says Arasan will have Dhurandhar-like impact, film skips Pongal release

Actor Silambarasan TR has set the expectations high for Arasan, saying he hopes the upcoming Vetri Maaran directorial will make Tamil cinema proud in the same way Dhurandhar did for Hindi cinema. The actor, who is teaming up with Vetri Maaran for the first time, also revealed that Arasan will not release during the Pongal 2027 window as the team does not want to rush the ambitious project.

Speaking at an event in Satyabhama college in Chennai, Silambarasan described Arasan as a realistic film that has been shot across several real locations. The actor then drew a direct comparison with Dhurandhar, the Ranveer Singh-starrer directed by Aditya Dhar, which became a major success for Hindi cinema.

"Just like how Dhurandhar recently represented Bollywood and made them proud across India, we are working on something similar from Tamil cinema," he said.

Arasan won't release for Pongal 2027

Despite the growing anticipation around the film, Silambarasan confirmed that Arasan will not make it to theatres for Pongal 2027. He said the team could speed up production to meet the festival deadline, but doing so would compromise the quality of the film.

Calling that approach a "major mistake", the actor said the team had decided to take its time and shoot the film properly. He also revealed that his character will be seen in multiple get-ups, with the story following him from a young age to old age. "You all know about Vetri sir; he is a director who seeks perfection," Silambarasan said, explaining why the team is taking its time with the film.

He further added, "This is not a small film. The story has a huge journey, from my younger years to old age. The film has 6 getups, with many characters. We have completed 3 characters so far, but there are still some portions pending to be completed." He also assured fans that the wait would be worth it and that the final product would make them proud.

As a treat, the makers will release a special video titled The World of Arasan on Diwali. According to Silambarasan, the video will feature footage from portions of the film that have already been shot and will give audiences an exclusive glimpse into the world created by Vetri Maaran.

Arasan's Vada Chennai connection

Arasan has been one of the most anticipated Tamil films because of its connection to Vetri Maaran's Vada Chennai universe. Vijay Sethupathi is a new addition to the Vada Chennai universe, while Andrea Jeremiah, Samuthirakani, Kishore and Ameer are set to reprise their respective roles.

The film brings together a major technical team, with Anirudh Ravichander composing the music, R Velraj handling cinematography and R Ramar editing. Jacki is the production designer, while Peter Hein is choreographing the action sequences.

Kalaippuli S Thanu is producing Arasan under the V Creations banner.

For now, there is no Pongal release for Arasan. But with Silambarasan promising a film that could have the kind of impact that Dhurandhar had on Hindi cinema, the expectations surrounding the Vetri Maaran-Simbu collaboration have only grown.