vetrimaran car

Latest News

• Latest Reviews
• Car Reviews
• Bike Reviews
• Upcoming Cars
• Asuran Director Vetrimaaran Brings Home The BMW R nineT Scrambler Worth Rs. 16.75 Lakh

By car&bike Team

1 mins read

Published on February 17, 2022

Follow us on

• Director Vetrimaaran was spotted taking delivery of his R nineT Scrambler
• The BMW R nineT Scrambler gets a more rugged look and setup
• The BMW R nineT Scrambler is worth Rs. 16.75 lakh (ex-showroom, India)

One of the more prolific directors of the Tamil film industry Vetrimaaran is known for some incredible cinema. But little did we know that the filmmaker likes his machines to be fast and powerful as well. The director, popular for films like Adukalam, Vada Chennai, Asuran, Polladhavan, among others, recently purchased the BMW R nineT Scrambler, images of which are now going viral on social media. The BMW R nineT Scrambler is the retro-styled offering from the Bavarian manufacturer and is priced at Rs. 16.75 lakh (ex-showroom, India).

Also Read:  Actor Avneet Kaur Brings Home The Range Rover Velar Worth Rs. 86.75 Lakh

BMW R nineT Scrambler differentiates itself with a 19-inch front and a 17-inch rear wheel, high-mounted exhaust and a different colour scheme

The BMW R nineT Scrambler is the more ruggedly-packaged version based on the R nineT. The bike gets the atypical Scrambler look with the relaxed seating posture, brown-finished leather seat, and a high-mounted twin exhaust. Vertirmaaran's machine is finished in the Granite Grey Metallic shade, while you also have the option of Black storm metallic/Racing red, Cosmic blue metallic/Light white uni, and Kalamata metallic matt. The styling remains true to the standard R nineT with the boxer engine sticking out, making it an instantly recognisable motorcycle.

Director Vetrimaaran's BMW R nineT Scrambler is finished in the Granite Grey Metallic shade

In terms of power, the BMW R nineT Scrambler uses the 1170 cc twin-cylinder, air/oiled-cooled boxer engine that develops 108 bhp at 7,250 rpm and 116 Nm of peak torque at 6,000 rpm. The motor is paired with a 6-speed gearbox with a hydraulically actuated clutch and a shaft final drive. The top speed is rated at 200 kmph on the motorcycle while you get two rider modes - Rain and Road, cornering ABS, and traction control, as part of the electronics suite.

Also Read:  Actor Athiya Shetty Brings Home The New Audi Q7 Worth Rs. 88.33 Lakh

The BMW R nineT Scrambler uses 43 mm telescopic forks upfront and a monoshock at the rear, while braking performance comes from 320 mm twin disc brakes at the front and a 265 mm single disc at the rear.  Compared to the standard R nineT, the Scrambler makes do with a 19-inch wheel at the front and a 17-inch wheel at the rear. The Scrambler promises to slush it out better where there's no tarmac and we do hope Vetrimaaran makes full use of his newest possession.

Director Vetrimaaran checks out his BMW R nineT Scrambler before delivery

On the work front, the five-time National Award-winning director has quite a bit lined up. He is currently busy with Viduthalai with actors Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, and Gautham Vasudev Menon in prominent roles. He will then helm Vaadivasal which is based on the ancient sport of Jallikattu. Vetrimaaran also has several web series in his kitty while he is also producing Adhigaaram with actor Raghava Lawrence in the lead role.

Images Source: KUN BMW Motorrad

Last Updated on February 17, 2022

Related Articles

Research More on BMW R nine T

BMW R nine T

Starts at ₹ 19 - 24 Lakh

Popular BMW Models

• ₹ 10 Lakh,1" data-value="Loan ₹ 10 Lakh">Loan ₹ 10 Lakh
• Games & Puzzles

• Entertainment
• Latest News
• Kolkata Rape Case Live Updates
• Web Stories
• Mumbai News
• Bengaluru News
• Daily Digest

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.)

• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Weather Today
• HT Newsletters
• Subscription
• Print Ad Rates
• Code of Ethics

• India vs Sri Lanka
• Live Cricket Score
• Cricket Teams
• Cricket Players
• ICC Rankings
• Cricket Schedule
• Shreyas Iyer
• Harshit Rana
• Kusal Mendis
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Rinku Singh
• Riyan Parag
• Washington Sundar
• Avishka Fernando
• Charith Asalanka
• Dasun Shanaka
• Khaleel Ahmed
• Pathum Nissanka
• Other Cities
• Income Tax Calculator
• Petrol Prices
• Diesel Prices
• Silver Rate
• Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Taylor Swift: A Primer
• Telugu Cinema
• Tamil Cinema
• Board Exams
• Exam Results
• Admission News
• Employment News
• Competitive Exams
• BBA Colleges
• Engineering Colleges
• Medical Colleges
• BCA Colleges
• Medical Exams
• Engineering Exams
• Love Horoscope
• Annual Horoscope
• Festival Calendar
• Compatibility Calculator
• Career Horoscope
• Manifestation
• The Economist Articles
• Lok Sabha States
• Lok Sabha Parties
• Lok Sabha Candidates
• Explainer Video
• On The Record
• Vikram Chandra Daily Wrap
• Entertainment Photos
• Lifestyle Photos
• News Photos
• Olympics 2024
• Olympics Medal Tally
• Other Sports
• EPL 2023-24
• ISL 2023-24
• Asian Games 2023
• Public Health
• Economic Policy
• International Affairs
• Climate Change
• Gender Equality
• future tech
• HT Friday Finance
• Explore Hindustan Times
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Subscription - Terms of Use

Vetrimaaran

IMDbPro Starmeter See rank

• Contact info
• 20 wins & 12 nominations

• Writer (as Vetri Maaran)

• In Production
• Pre-production

• producer (as Vetri Maaran)

• screenplay (as Vetri Maaran)

• original story (as Vetri Maaran)

• Director (as Vetri Maaran)
• In-development projects at IMDbPro

Personal details

• Vetri Maaran
• September 4 , 1975
• Cuddalore, Tamilnadu, India
• Poonthendral
• Parents V Chitravel

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

August 29, 2024

Vetrimaaran Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Children, Family, Caste, Wiki & More

Updated On : October 7, 2019

Vetrimaaran

Film director.

Vetrimaaran Photos

Vetrimaaran popularity on social media, short biography.

National Award Winner, Ace Tamil Film Director, Vetrimaaran was born on 4th September 1975 in a small town called Cuddalore in Tamilnadu, India. The Grim Movie maker has made India proud with his Film Visaranai becoming the official entry at Oscars in Foreign Film Category.

Vetrimaaran Complete Bio & Career

Vetrimaaran popular videos.

Vetrimaaran Family, Relatives and Other Relations

He was born to Dr. V. Chitravel and Megala Chitravel . Vetrimaaran is married to Aarthi who is working as a General Manager in a Multinational company. The couple is blessed with 2 children including a daughter named Poonthendral .

Life's Important Dates Of Vetrimaaran

• LIFE EVENTS
• FAMILY EVENTS

Body Measurements

Personal Info

Shocking / Interesting Facts & Secrets About Vetrimaaran

• After Asuran, he will be shooting for a movie based on Kota Neelima's much acclaimed novel 'Shoes Of The Dead' . He announced this film in 2016 but is yet to start shooting.
• Vetrimaaran also launched his own production house called the Grass Root Film Company in the year 2012.
• He is someone who believes in quality rather than quantity as he has directed just 5 films thus far in his 12 years long career.

Vetrimaaran Age, Birthday Facts and Birthday Countdown

48 years, 11months, 25 days old age Vetrimaaran will turn 49 on 04 September, 2024. Only 5 days, 5 hours,32 minutes has left for his next birthday.

Birthday Calendar

Recommended for you.

Sangeeta Sornalingam (Vijay's Wife) Biography, Age, Family, Husband, Children, Facts, Wiki & More

Parmish Verma Wiki, Age, Height, Girlfriend, Family, Biography & More

Krishna Priya (Atlee's Wife) Biography, Age, Children, Family, Facts, Height, Weight, Wiki & More

Rashmika Mandanna Biography, Age, Height, Weight, Partner, Family, WIki & More

Deepika Chikhalia Biography, Age, Husband, Children, Family, Caste, Wiki & More

• International
• Today’s Paper
• Join WhatsApp Channel
• Movie Reviews
• Tamil Cinema
• Telugu Cinema

Vetrimaaran: ‘More than Oscar, making others accept our local mainstream films is real development’

Vetrimaaran explains why south indian film industries are creating pan-indian content while other industries are failing to catch up..

Vetrimaaran was part of the second edition of the CII Daksin Summit, the largest media and entertainment summit in South India. The National Award-winning director spoke about the reason why South Indian films are transcending borders. “They say art doesn’t need language and border, but art has its own language and culture,” he began.

The Polladavan director cited the pandemic and the lockdown as the reason for the shift in the way people started consuming films. “We have been talking about the so-called Pan-Indian film; the films that are made for a wider audience. But what I really respect about the films that became nationwide success is that they were not made to appease or manipulate the larger audiences who are beyond the place of origin of the films. Be it KGF or RRR or Kantara… if it is a Kannada film, it was not made with a Kannada hero, Tamil comedian, and a father or mother from the North.”

He added, “Earlier, there was a generic approach in films like if there’s a wedding, it was very generic so it can be relatable to all kinds of audience. However, now, these filmmakers are making films for their audience, about their culture, and in their style. That’s why it becomes a hit universally. We should tell our stories, but emotions become universal. Earlier, we tried to tell larger stories and universal themes, which we failed in a way. In these recent years, that’s the change that has come out.”

“More than getting an Oscar, I think taking our mainstream films that are made for our people… taking those films and making it a success across the world is the real development and evolution. South Indian films have created an impact in terms of revenue generation because we are telling our stories, for our people, with our people. Other industries are not able to do that because they are trying to cater to everybody,” he said.

• Vetrimaaran

Trump threatens to imprison Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for life if the company interferes in the upcoming presidential election. He accuses Zuckerberg of favoring Biden without proof in his book Save America. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg regrets censoring COVID-19 content on Facebook and Instagram under pressure from the White House.

More Entertainment

Best of Express

Aug 29: Latest News

• 01 Maha-Metro prepares draft MoU for Shivajinagar bus station
• 02 Major 911 outage hits US, several cities in California, Texas, Alabama, Ohio affected
• 03 FBI says gunman spent months seeking a target, then settled on Trump
• 04 Woman’s torso found: Cops deploy drones, divers for murder investigation
• 05 India at Paris 2024 Paralympics: Who are India’s top medal contenders? An analysis of 7 podium prospects
• Elections 2024
• Political Pulse
• Entertainment
• Movie Review
• Newsletters
• Web Stories
• 🇮🇳 I-Day SALE
• Express Shorts
• Mini Crossword
• Health & Wellness

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.

Celebs Wiki

Vetrimaaran fans also viewed:, jeremy culver, paul winters, lin cheng-sheng, shin su-won, justin eugene evans, lars kraume, prakash kovelamudi, robert rippberger, phillip borsos.

• entertainment

Director Vetrimaaran clears the air about his film with Vijay

Visual Stories

When we entered the ATR-72 twin engine turboprop aircraft for our evening flight from Sochi to Astrakhan, my friend Olga and I were a bit surprised to see the ethnic mix of passengers on board. Nordic, Southern European, Caucasian, Central Asian, West Asian and “typical Russian” features were all visible on the two-hour flight to the city by the Volga. As we were to find out over the next three days, Astrakhan, which has a population of 526,000, is home to members of 104 of Russia’s 120 ethnicities. 

Ajay and his friend Olga on a cold morning

The small airport is just a 15-minute drive away from the city center and we were lucky to find an apartment in a well maintained Stalin-era building literally across the street from the Astrakhan kremlin.  

Walk around the city at night  

Our first task was to try out the much-hyped Caspian cuisine of the city.  Although it was only 9:30 pm on a Friday, the beautifully landscaped area that is near Lenin Square and borders the Kremlin was almost empty. Tastefully lit, the area had a distinct Mediterranean feel. With a bearable cold breeze and crystal clear air, I found the surroundings to be romantic, but my travel partner said she had an eerie feeling, since we hadn’t seen any others in the street. 

As we walked towards the riverside, we found our first Caspian-themed restaurant. Olga managed to calm down over a bottle of white wine and some local delicacies, such as sturgeon from the Volga Delta and ukha , which many restaurants label as the Tsar’s fish soup in their English menus.  

Astrakhan at night

The main activity at night in Astrakhan revolves around the streets leading to the Volga riverfront. This is where the youth of the city go clubbing or bar hopping. There were signs of nightlife in this stretch of the city, but we had seen far bigger crowds in much smaller Russian cities. Locals later told us that they took the pandemic more seriously than their counterparts in other parts of the country and, hence, there were so few people on the streets. 

Feel the diversity on display at the Kremlin 

On my first morning in the city, I set off on an exploratory run and was absolutely impressed with the city center. The square that was empty the previous night was a hub of exercise and sporting activity. Under clear blue skies and warm sun, I saw well-looked after flower beds and trees that had leaves of every fall color. The season of colors had come and gone from the northern parts of Russia in a hurry in 2021, but Astrakhan was still in mid-fall mode in November.  

Church in the Astrakhan kremlin

Later that morning, we decided to explore the impressive white Kremlin that towers over the city center. Standing on the Zayachy Hill, this massive fortress was originally built in the late 16th century and has been modified a few times since. Entry to the Kremlin, which opens at 7 am, is free and there are stalls where you can buy local handicrafts. I couldn’t resist buying a handcrafted wooden fridge magnet with an engraved image of this ancient fortress.  

The Kremlin is a great place to just roam around or sit on a bench and enjoy the great historical ambience, like many locals do, but we wanted to know more about this fascinating and well-preserved monument. So, we took a guided tour of the complex - in a golf cart! The modern-day Astrakhan Region was contested between various groups and empires until the middle of the 16th century, when it became a part of the southward-expanding Russian Empire. A knowledgeable guide shared many historical facts about the Kremlin and the city with us. 

After our tour, we were in for an unexpected audio visual treat. As the sun fought the grey fall clouds and warmed up the temperature to 18°C and the bells tolled from the Assumption Cathedral, a group of teenagers in various ethnic costumes came to the area near the church. Over the next 20 minutes, the colorful group performed a series of dances that reflected the cultures of various ethnic groups who call Astrakhan home.  

Astrakhan's Assumption Cathedral

We first saw a Russian folk dance, followed by a Tatar dance and then a performance of the indigenous peoples who inhabit Astrakhan Region. We were lucky to be in the Kremlin on the day the city was marking Russian National Unity Day . 

This ethnic diversity can be seen everywhere in Astrakhan, but nowhere it is more visible than in restaurants and bars, where you see groups of people from different backgrounds socialising and making merry.  

Ajay at the Astrakhan kremlin

Astrakhan is also known for its religious diversity. We went to two recently-renovated mosques that are just outside the historic city center. Non-Muslims are allowed to visit at non-prayer times. There seemed to be a strong Persian influence in the interior of these mosques, which is not surprising, given the fact that Iran is just across the Caspian Sea. The city also has an Iranian consulate and a Russian-Iranian banking joint venture. Some of the stores in the city sell imported Iranian candy. 

During our three-day stay in the city, we had a chance to get acquainted with people from Dagestan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. For those from other Caspian states, Astrakhan is seen as a logical entry point to Russia. In fact, several students from former Soviet countries study in the city.  

Enjoy the unique architecture  

The most interesting feature of Astrakhan is that no two streets in the historic center seem to resemble each other. A street full of early 1900s brownish-red brick structures is cut in half by a thoroughfare that has buildings that are a mix of Art Nouveau, Renaissance and Classicist architecture! Similarly, a walk by the outer walls of the 16th century Kremlin offers views of 19th century buildings that seem to have been transplanted from St. Petersburg.  

Tastefully restored building in Astrakhan

Long-term residents say many of the heritage structures in the city were in a state of disrepair, until a decade ago, when Russian President Vladimir Putin took a personal interest in reviving the city, given its strategic location close to the Caspian Sea.  

The victory of the Soviet Union in the Battle of Stalingrad and the resulting halt of German troops advances into southern Russia helped save the older buildings of Astrakhan during World War II. The radius around the Kremlin and riverfront are European in character, but once you cross the canal, a totally different side of the city opens up. These areas have ethnic Persian and Tatar localities, locally known as ‘sloboda’. One gets a feeling of crossing over into an altogether different century when strolling past these areas with their wooden cottages and cosy courtyards.  

While there is a strong sense of community here, the area is lower middle class and, unfortunately, did not seem to have any ethnic Tatar or Persian-style cafes. We were told that the best place to sample this kind of food was the Tatar Bazar, which we could not visit. Locals in these ethnic enclaves apparently preferred to either cook at home or eat at food courts in shopping malls.  

A wooden house outside the center (L); One of Astrakhan's older churches

The classical Russian neighbourhoods in Astrakhan have a wide array of dining options, including an elegant restaurant named ‘Onegin’ (named after Alexander Pushkin’s famous novel in verse ‘Eugene Onegin’), which has 19th century style interiors, chandeliers, paintings of the greats of Russian literature and plays the music of Russian composers Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky. Plenty of other restaurants are themed around the Caspian Sea.  

Spend an evening by the Volga 

It goes without saying that the best place to spend an evening in the city is the riverside promenade. Runners, bicyclists, families, university students and pensioners all converge on this stretch in the early evening, as another day heads off into the night.  

The small islands that are visible from the promenade are home to a variety of birds that rush to find shelter in the trees before nightfall. As the river runs south towards the Caspian, nature is absolutely breathtaking. Visitors to Astrakhan in the warmer months often head to the Volga Delta, which is a biodiversity hotspot and home to various species of flora and fauna.   

We made it a point to catch the sunset by the Volga twice during our brief visit. Few experiences in Russia compare with seeing the red sun set behind the country’s most iconic river. The ensuing twilight paints the skies of Astrakhan with a unique shade of crimson.  

Astrakhan with Olga

Standing by the riverfront on my last evening in the city, my gaze went to the left, where some 100 kilometers south the great Volga empties into the Caspian Sea. This area has always been a major transit point connecting north and south, east and west. For several hundred years, it was the intersection of the east-west trade route north of the Caspian Sea and the north-south trade route down the Volga to Persia. I couldn’t help but think how the city had the potential to become a major business, logistics and tourism hub, if Russia, India, Iran and the Caspian littoral countries put a fresh impetus on developing the International North-South Corridor.   

Astrakhan, as it is, is still a special place where several cultures meet and blend. As a melting pot of religions and ethnicities, no city in Russia (outside of Moscow) represents the sheer diversity of this colossally large country as well as Astrakhan. The city’s communal harmony and amity set an example for many other parts of the world that are struggling to deal with the close interaction of various ethnic groups. 

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

• A one-day trip to Kashin, the town of ANCIENT churches and unexpected SPIRITS (PHOTOS)
• I spent a week in Sochi, the BEST place to go in Russia in the off-season (PHOTOS)
• What I did in the mountains of Krasnaya Polyana in the off-season

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.