‘Madagajaraja’ to be released on Jan-12 as a Pongal festival celebration
“We want Gemini’s flag to fly again through the success of Madagajaraja”; Sundar.C’s wish
“We made Vishal sing as if it were a test for music”; Madagajaraja composer Vijay Antony Kalatta
Lata Mangeshkar will get me the award for best singer after Madagajaraja”; Vishal Irumbu
“The hardships faced by Vishal should not go unnoticed”; Sundar.C’s resilience regarding the release of Madagajaraja
“Madagajaraja’s release has been set up like a Kurinji flower blooming”; Vishal is happy
After the successful films Kalakalappu and Theeya Velai Seyyennum Kumaru, director Sundar C has teamed up with Vishal for the first time in ‘Madagajaraja’.
Gemini Film Circuit has produced this film. Although the film was started in 2012 and was ready for release in 2013, due to some unforeseen circumstances, it has been almost 12 years since it was released. In this situation, due to the joint efforts of many good people, Madagajaraja is releasing on January 12th on the occasion of Pongal festival.
Anjali and Varalakshmi are playing the female leads in this film. Santhanam, who was a leading comedian at that time, has acted in a full-length comedy role alongside Vishal in this film. Late stars like Manivannan and Manobala have also acted in this film. Music composer Vijay Antony has composed the music for this film. This is his first film with director Sundarsi.
Following the release of the film for Pongal, the Madagajaraja film crew met the press and shared their happiness about the release of this film and their experiences with this film.
Director Sundar.C speaking,
“I never thought that I would meet you again for the film Madhagajaraja. I am so happy as a director. This is a happy event that started unexpectedly. A few days ago, one night at 12 o’clock, Tiruppur Subramaniam called me. If you think he is calling at this time, the producer invited me to watch the film Madhagajaraja. Since it has been many years, if you go and watch it as you thought, how will the film be? He said that the film is great and spoke about the film for half an hour. In these thirty years, he would only talk to me about the collection status of the films and would not say anything about the film’s reviews. I was very happy when such a person spoke praisingly about this film. Not only that, he talked to the people involved in the film and said that Madhagajaraja is going to be released on January 12 as a Pongal release. This film is very special to me. I got Vishal as a person in my family when this film started. At that time, we wanted to make a popular film like Lmurattukkalai and Pokkiri Raja, a film that everyone can watch and enjoy with their families.
When it was decided to release this film as a Pongal release after overcoming some problems, there was a little hesitation. The reason is that this film is coming after many years. How will the reception be for the film? Some people thought that it was very necessary to release this film now. But as soon as the release poster of this film was released, it got such a positive reception on social media. I am happy as the director of the film when I think that there is an expectation for this film despite all these years of delay. At first, we started with a Pongal release. Even though we missed it then, here it is being released for this Pongal. This will be a celebratory film for Pongal.
Also, sentimentally, this is the last film in which my Gurunathar Manivannan acted. I think he will definitely bless me from above. Similarly, the late actor Manobala would have said that when this film releases, my range will be different if it releases. In particular, there is a 15-minute scene in this film where Vishal, Santhanam and Manobala are all present. I would say that this is my favorite comedy scene in my films.
Before the start of this film, the story we had for the title Madagajaraja was different. But since it was a bit of a difficult script, we decided on the story that has been shot now a little before the start of the film. At that time, Santhanam had worked with me in the films Kalakalappu and Theeya Velai Seyyennum Kumaru. He had acted in all those films for just five or six days. But in this film, his character has been designed in such a way that he appears throughout the film. Another surprising thing is that Motta Rajendran made his debut as a comedy actor in this film. Not only that, actor Arya also made a special appearance in it.
This is the first time Vijay Antony and I came together. His looks have nothing to do with him. He is like a child. We get more bouncy music from him only when he composes for films like this. As a composer, he has once again created such bouncy music.
I want to come back with Sai.
If there is a soul who has suffered more than me in this film, it is Vishal. I had unknowingly told him to come with an ‘eight-pack’ physique in the climax. He was also ready. But unexpectedly, the scenes that had to be shot with such an ‘eight-pack’ physique were postponed and it took a year to shoot it again. It is difficult to maintain that structure until then. But Vishal stuck to it. In 99 percent of the scenes, he did not wear a dupe at all.
In a scene where he fights with Motta Rajendran, there was a slight timing miss and Vishal almost broke his neck. We immediately took him to the nearby Apollo Hospital.. He kept his body fit and nothing happened to him, and only when the doctors said that nothing happened to him, we came back to life. Sonu Sood and Vishal clashing in the climax will be like two mountains colliding. If a crowd of women had come to watch them while shooting this fight scene, watch out. After shooting this scene, Vishal finished his eight-pack. That evening, he asked me to bring biryani from some shop and veg and gave it to everyone and ended his eight-pack fast. The only reason I wanted this Madagajaraja to come out somehow was so that people could see the hardships Vishal had to endure for this film. It should not go unnoticed.
Initially, Vishal and I were not that familiar. He was only a friend of Khushbu. At that time, we had gone to his office to meet him with another script for him. The person who had asked us to come left the moment we left. I was very angry with him at that time. I thought I should never show my face again. Two months later, when I attended a public function, he had also come. I went aside so as not to see him. But he kept looking for me and spoke as if he were himself. That day, I had to go urgently due to a medical work. He said, “I couldn’t contact you, I’ll come and listen to your story whenever you ask.” The friendship that started then continues till now. I could understand that he is a good soul through socializing. If I call Karthik Muthuraman sir my brother, I would call him my younger brother Vishal.
We have made Vishal sing a song in this film. For that, he has pulled out a raga and done a lot of work than Janaki Amma. Another thing about this is that after singing this song, Vishal still considers himself a serious singer. Sir, if this film is released, I will definitely get an award for the best singer.
All the directors in the Gemini company that produced this film dream of directing the film. They gave me everything I asked for for this film. Due to some reasons, there has been such a delay in the film’s release. But I want the reception and success of this Madagajaraja film to fly the flag of Gemini again.”
Music composer Vijay Antony speaks,
“The way Sundar C sir gave me the opportunity to compose music for this film and without any pressure or pressure, he took every song from Sundar C himself was so beautiful. While composing a song in this film, Sundar C would take all the first lines of the song. Then he and I decided to create a song for this film that was different, that it should be fun with all the random words, that all the great music geniuses should get tense after watching this song and talk about what a test it was for the music.
For that, we decided to have Vishal sing it. They call it a single-take artist, and Vishal is a single-take singer. Don’t ask if he sang it right in one take. We decided to make this song perfect. So we took it as okay for Vishal to sing it in the first take. What if he sings it well in the second take? Vishal has sung that song.
Even though the film was announced two days ago, Sundar.C has already done all the visuals for a controversial film. I have learned a lot from you by seeing how humble you are despite giving so much success after all these years. When I see you, I feel like I should deviate from serious films and give some lively films. I will definitely try. Similarly, this is the second film I have composed for my friend Vishal after Vedi. Like Vedi, the songs of this film are also a hit. For those who want to go and enjoy it with their families this Pongal festival, this Madhagajaraja will be a celebratory film. Vishal will definitely be a match for him.
I will make a film in the future.”
While speaking, actor Vishal said,
“Now, companies like Gemini that give freedom to creators and produce films are not here. So companies like Gemini should once again fully engage in film production. Whether I get the Best Actor award or not this year, I will get the Best Singer award. Thanks to Vijay Antony for that. When Vijay Antony and Sundar C were talking about singing a song in this film, they said that this song should not be sung by a regular singer. A newcomer should sing it. But after singing this song, I was talking about never singing in my life, when I walked in. They immediately decided that he was the singer.
In this film, a 15-hour scene in which I, Santhanam, Motta Rajendran and Manobala participated will be the biggest highlight of the film. Everyone who watches it will come out laughing 100%. Thanks to Sundar C sir for that. They say that the Kurinji flower blooms once in 12 years. Similarly, this Madhagajaraja is being released after 12 years. It will not be like the old film. It will be just as fresh,” he said.
Actress Khushbu speaking,
“In these 30 years of life, my husband Sundar C spent sleepless nights for this film Madhagajaraja. Everyone has put in so much hard work for this film. At that time, there was definitely a feeling of regret that it did not get recognition for this. Sometimes they say that this film is going to be released. Then it stops like that. But whatever happens, everything is for the good, Madhagajaraja is being released as a treat for this Pongal festival. Before this film, Vishal and I were close friends. But after this film, when they started working together in films like Aampala and Action, they both left me and became like lovers,” he said.
At the ceremony, two songs and a trailer were shown and they received applause!
