Gautham Vasudev Menon, known for directing several acclaimed films in South Indian cinema, struck gold with Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), an emotional action drama starring Suriya and Sameera Reddy. While the film was a major commercial and critical success, not many know that Sameera Reddy was not the first choice for the role of Meghana.

In a recent interview, Menon shared some fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about the film’s casting journey. He revealed that he had initially approached Deepika Padukone to play the female lead. However, due to scheduling conflicts with her debut Bollywood film Om Shanti Om, Deepika had to decline the offer. As a result, the role eventually went to Sameera Reddy.

Interestingly, Menon also spoke about the casting process for the role of Krishna, Suriya’s father in the film. The director initially envisioned veteran actors like Mohanlal or Nana Patekar for the part, as he was not in favour of actors playing dual roles. However, when both declined, it was Suriya who convinced Menon to let him portray both the father and son, an artistic decision that became one of the film’s highlights.

Despite the initial casting hurdles, Vaaranam Aayiram went on to become the biggest hit of Suriya’s career at the time. The film received widespread acclaim and won several awards, including the prestigious National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.

Source / Image Credit : Republic World, Photos