Among Suriya’s notable films is Unnai Ninaithu (2002), a romantic drama that went on to earn both critical and commercial appreciation. The film starred Suriya alongside Laila and Sneha, but it was originally announced with Thalapathy Vijay in the lead role. Vijay had even completed shooting for a few portions before exiting the project, reportedly due to creative differences.
One of the scenes Vijay had filmed included the song Ennai Thaalattum, picturised on Laila. Director Vikraman has now shared an unreleased version of the song featuring Vijay, offering audiences a glimpse into what might have been.
Sharing the video on social media, Vikraman wrote that the song recently resurfaced after Sinhala students in Sri Lanka sang it, causing it to go viral. The moment brought back memories from the film’s early days, prompting him to search through old archives. He came across a damaged video cassette containing the original visuals and decided to share it despite its poor condition.
The director also urged viewers not to compare the two versions of the song, noting that both Vijay and Suriya are exceptional performers.
During the film’s production, differences in creative perspective between Vijay and Vikraman reportedly led to the actor stepping away from the project. The role was later taken up by Suriya, with the film eventually becoming one of his well-known works.
Actress Laila, who played a key role in the film, had earlier shared that she was initially cast opposite Vijay. She once mentioned that she jokingly tells Vijay he “escaped” acting with her in Unnai Ninaithu whenever they meet, to which the actor responds with a smile.
Photos from Vijay and Laila’s earlier photoshoot for the film had also surfaced online years later. The project was expected to mark another collaboration between Vijay and Vikraman after the success of Poove Unakkaga (1996), which had emerged as a major blockbuster. However, the reunion did not materialise.
Source : vikramandirector , en.wikipedia.org
