The latest heist in town

Veera’s film "Rajathanthiram" is set to hit screens tomorrow

March 11, 2015 07:28 pm | Updated 07:29 pm IST

Veera.

Veera.

When Veera, fresh out of engineering college, approached Gautham Menon with dreams of becoming an actor, the filmmaker's response was measured. “You need to learn, you need to grow,” the director told him.

That was when he was filming Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu with Kamal Haasan. Veera immediately joined him as an assistant director (AD) and worked for six years—on films such as Pachaikili Muthucharam and Vaaranam Aayiram .

The big break came when Gautham decided to make a psychological thriller ( Nadunisi Naaygal ) and wanted to cast a newcomer. He didn’t have to look far—Veera was right there, hanging around on the sets.“Gautham sir will always be my mentor,” says Veera, “I gave that film all I could at that point of time.”

Veera is back in action this Friday and hopes to pull off a ‘heist’ at the box office.

His Rajathanthiram hits screens, and the actor hopes that this 2-hour-12-minute film will draw audiences.

“It’s about three friends who share a room,” he says, “They plan to execute a heist. I’m essentially a con guy who tries to ‘mind trap’ people.”

Con as a genre is picking up in Kollywood these days. Last year’s Sathuranga Vettai was one such flick. “Yes, it’s in a genre of its own, but there’s also the story that draws the viewer.” His film has just one song—G. V. Prakash has composed it, while Sandeep Chowta has worked the background score. “While Darbuka Siva and Ajay Prasad have played vital roles as my friends, Regina Cassandra plays the female lead,” states Veera about this A.G.Amid-directed venture.

Growing up in Egmore and studying in DAV Gopalapuram, Veera was drawn to cinema at an early age. “I remember crying for the first time after watching Kamal’s Aboorva Sagodharargal ,” he says, “I think I was star-struck. Having said that, it has been a beautiful journey.”

He’s referring to his days as an AD, in which he learnt all aspects of filmmaking. “I was that happy kid, having fun,” he says dreamily.

For all the stars, including Suriya and Sarath Kumar, Veera was this ‘actor boy’, waiting to cross from behind the camera to the front. “I felt inspired watching them at close quarters. Suriya, for instance, is such a hardworking actor. You’re almost taken aback by the amount of work he puts in for a role.”

But what took him so long between Nadunisi … and his upcoming release? “Many things. I took up a film but the pre-production phase was taking a long while. And then, Rajathanthiram came along,” he states.

Veera doesn’t have a bucket list featuring the famous stars that you would normally expect young actors to come up with. But prod him about it, and he says, “I’d love to work with Bharathiraja sir. And, I’d love to be in the same frame as Radhika ma'am.”

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