Silambam Movie Music and Trailer Launch Ceremony
An Exclusive OTT Platform for Tamil Cinema Must Be Launched — Director Mohan G Appeals to Chief Minister Vijay at the Silambam Event
Please Finish Your Car Racing and Return to Acting Soon — Director Perarasu Makes a Plea to Actor Ajith at the Silambam Event
M.G.R. Is the Reason Silambam Has Grown to Such Great Heights Today — Stunt Master ‘Power’ Pandi Speaks at the Silambam Event
Only Action Heroes Can Succeed in Politics — Perarasu Opines at the Silambam Event
Produced under the banner of Lakshmi Narayana Films, Silambam is a feature film written and directed by Stunt Master Dr. A.K.S. Jothi. Starring debutant actor Ajith as the protagonist, the film also introduces Harish in the role of the antagonist, while Mounika Reddy plays the female lead.
The film features music composed by T, with cinematography handled by Kumar M. Ashok Charles served as the editor, while Kennedy choreographed the dance sequences. “Ponneri Puyal” (The Storm of Ponneri), Dr. A.K.S. Jothi himself, designed the stunt sequences. A. Arunkumar served as the Associate Director, and Govindaraj worked as the Production Executive. Vijay Karthik serves as the Public Relations Officer.
The film’s music and trailer launch ceremony was held in grand fashion on May 16th at Prasad Labs in Chennai. The event was attended by a host of special guests, including actor and stunt master ‘Pepsi’ Vijayan, Director Perarasu, ‘Power’ Pandian, Director Mohan G, actor ‘Cool’ Suresh, Stunt Union President K. Ashok, Secretary Sukumar, Treasurer John, and Director Ravi Raja, among many others. Delivering the welcome address at the event, Joint Director Arunkumar stated: “At a time when the flame of Tamil success is spreading in every direction, and with the aim of celebrating—and encouraging among students—our traditional art form of Silambam—which stands as a symbol of discipline and valor—we, on behalf of the Silambam film team, warmly welcome everyone present here—including the special guests and members of the press—to this film festival for the movie Silambam, produced and directed by Stunt Master Dr. A.K.S. Jothi.” Speaking at the event, the film’s director, Dr. A.K.S. Jothi, said, “We have featured many Silambam masters in this film. Master Ezhil offered immense cooperation, as did Master Durai from Adambakkam and Master Jothi. Master Power Pandian is my own mentor, and he is also the mentor to my children. Many leading heroes across India have trained under him. Everyone who has trained under him has reached great heights. Approximately 600 members of the Stunt Union have trained under him. It is a matter of pride for us that we, too, had the opportunity to train under such a distinguished individual. If one wishes to learn the lesson of discipline, one must learn it from him. Silambam itself is synonymous with discipline, and he teaches it with the utmost discipline; I bow down to him in reverence.
For this film, we selected and cast 300 individuals who are trained in Silambam. While some tend to intersperse their speech with English words, we consciously avoided that and ensured that only Tamil words were used. In the past, fathers were the ones who would take their children to train in Karate or Boxing; however, nowadays, it is the mothers who take their children to Silambam training sessions. They stay right there until the training session concludes—such is the level of interest the public has developed in Silambam. Today, in every street, a hundred people are undergoing Silambam training. Silambam has not only grown significantly across India, but the art form has also risen to such a stature that Silambam practitioners are now able to secure government jobs.
In the film’s storyline, Ajith plays the character of ‘Silambarasan’—a mentor who triumphs over all forms of strength: military might, financial power, and political authority. There were times when I yearned deeply—wondering when I would finally stand before a camera or when I would get the chance to give an interview—and I would cry out in frustration. During those moments, it was my wife who provided the encouragement, assuring me with confidence that, ‘One day, you will stand before the camera.’ I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to her as well.
I have overcome numerous hurdles and challenges to bring this film to fruition. However, the movie has turned out beautifully, exactly as we had envisioned. It is only if the journalists and the media fraternity lend their support…” “We have the potential to gain wider recognition, and I request your cooperation in making that happen. We have conveyed a great deal of information regarding Silambam through this film; I urge you all to watch it in theaters. Thank you,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, music composer ‘D’ stated, “My name is Vikram Udayavarman; however, within the industry, I am known simply as Vikram Varman. ‘D’ represents my new brand identity. I have been working extensively on Kannada and Hindi films—currently, I am focusing primarily on Kannada cinema, and as a result, I have settled down there. Jyothi Sir insisted that I be the one to compose the music for this project. Consequently—and with the realization that many of my friends and fellow artists here, despite possessing immense talent, often struggle to secure consistent work—we established a company called ‘D’ by uniting my friends here, with the specific aim of ensuring that everyone finds employment. Regarding this film…”
“The workload for ‘D’ regarding the film’s music has been immense. At this juncture, I would like to express my gratitude to all my friends and family members who stood by me and supported the creation of this film’s music,” he said.
Speaking next, the lead actress, Mounika Reddy, said, “Greetings to everyone, and a special thank you to the media. Your cooperation is vital to us. I would like to thank Director Jyothi Sir for giving me this wonderful opportunity. My thanks also go to the cinematographer, the music composer, and the entire team. I hope you enjoyed the songs and the trailer. I earnestly request that you all visit the theaters to watch the film. Thank you.”
G.V.M. Kumar, who plays a pivotal role in the film, addressed the gathering: “My humble greetings to all the celebrities who have graced this Silambam event with their presence—to the film’s director, Jyothi, and to the lead actors and actresses. Producing and releasing a feature film is akin to giving birth to a child. The path of cinema is not paved with flowers; rather, it is fraught with hardships and betrayals. My heartfelt congratulations go to Jyothi, who has successfully navigated such a challenging path to achieve this victory today.”
Actress Suma Devi spoke, saying, “I am a Malayalam actress, and my knowledge of Tamil is quite limited. Silambam marks my debut in Tamil cinema. Jyothi Master is a friend of my brother, and it was through that connection that I received this opportunity. I have been acting in the Malayalam film industry for the past 14 years. I would like to express my gratitude to Jyothi Master for giving me this opportunity to act in a Tamil film.” Speaking at the event, Stunt Master Power Pandian said, “Greetings to everyone who has gathered here for the trailer and audio launch ceremony of the film Silambam. The songs are excellent. The Silambam sequences featured in the movie have turned out exceptionally well. All of you have watched numerous films; however, this particular movie—Silambam—holds immense significance for our Stunt Union. In fact, one could say that our Union served as a pioneer for this film. In 1980, during the World Tamil Conference, a gentleman named David Manoraj presented a book titled Silambam and Fencing to Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Puratchi Thalaivar accepted the book but remained silent. The author wondered why he offered no comments or remarks regarding it. A week later, Puratchi Thalaivar summoned the book’s author. After commending him on the excellent manner in which he had designed the book, he posed a question: ‘Why shouldn’t this art form be transformed into a competitive sport?’ It was only after this interaction that Silambam—which had previously existed solely as a martial art and a traditional heroic discipline—took shape as a recognized competitive sport. Such is the history of the sport of Silambam. Subsequently, through the efforts of David Manoraj, the Tamil Nadu Silambam Art Association was established, and the sport was nurtured and promoted. Later, in 2006, Dr. Kalaignar incorporated Silambam into the curriculum of school-level sports competitions. Thus, every political party has played a role in fostering the growth of this art form.
Within the realm of this very sport, Jyothi’s children have achieved success at the state level. The experiences they encountered while participating in state-level competitions form the very narrative of this film. He [Jyothi] would often tell me that the history of Silambam dates back 4,500 years. Similarly, the art of Silambam has also flourished through the efforts of our Stunt Union. Although Silambam has evolved and been passed down through generations, it is our Stunt Union that has been instrumental in keeping this art form alive and vibrant. It was Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. who effectively utilized the art of Silambam within the medium of cinema, thereby elevating it to an entirely new level. Today, the art of Silambam…” “If this art form has risen to such great heights, the sole reason is the ‘Revolutionary Leader’ M.G.R.; I am prepared to assert this anywhere. Silambam resides within every single one of our homes. Consequently, this film—which centers on such a profound art form—is bound to resonate deeply with the public. The martial arts organizations in America have officially recognized the art of Silambam; yet, here in our own land, very few people seem to be aware of it. Therefore, once this film is released, it will unveil many facets of Silambam that have remained unknown until now. Thank you,” he said.
Speaking next, Ashok, the President of the Stunt Union, stated: “We are all disciples of ‘Power Pandi’ Master. Everything he has said is the absolute truth—facts that we have witnessed firsthand as we grew up under his tutelage. It is often said that discipline is paramount when training under a Master; it is precisely because we internalized that discipline that we stand in a position of prominence today. The success achieved by many leading actors—such as Vijay and Suriya—can be attributed directly to the discipline he instilled in them. People often refer to him as ‘Ponneri Pugazh Jothi Annan’ (The Renowned Jothi of Ponneri). That title suits him perfectly; indeed, he possesses a distinct ‘power’ of his own in that region. He has produced this film with the specific intention of sharing the knowledge he acquired and recounting the hardships he endured along the way. He has pushed his own children to work incredibly hard, and the youngsters have truly delivered exceptional performances. My congratulations go out to young brother Ajith, who starred as the protagonist, and to Harish, who played the antagonist. The trailer is excellent. The dialogues are superb. The songs are fantastic as well; my best wishes to the music composer. This film is destined to be a massive success. Thank you,” he concluded.
Actor ‘Cool’ Suresh then took the stage and remarked: “All this applause belongs entirely to the team behind the film Silambam. I was initially in a dilemma, unsure of whether or not I should attend this event. However, P.R.O. Karthi convinced me, explaining that although it is a small-scale film, it was produced by a Stunt Master…”
“Please come; you simply must attend,” he said. It was only after that conversation that I spoke with Mr. Jothi; I reasoned, “We have extended our cooperation to so many others, so we should certainly do the same for him,” and thus, I came. This film features a remarkable dialogue: “Are you suggesting we turn art into a commodity?” The film stars Ajith as the protagonist, and Mr. Perarasu—who previously delivered a massive hit with Mr. Ajith—is at the helm. Therefore, I offer this blessing: whether or not you ultimately reach the exact stature of Mr. Ajith, you must at the very least touch the heights of his success. To Harish, who played the villain: you, too, deserve to ascend to great heights. As for the heroine, Mounika Reddy—well, she admitted she didn’t know who I was; she even went so far as to ask my name! Nevertheless, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to her as well.
It brings me joy to see everyone smiling while I speak; therefore, I offer this wish: may the grand success celebration of this film be held at the Nehru Stadium—the very venue where Mr. Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister! My sincere thanks go to everyone who has gathered here today to offer their blessings.
Mr. Vijay has successfully formed his government; he appointed his personal astrologer to an official post—a decision that met with considerable opposition from many quarters. However, if there is anyone whose appointment would have been met with zero opposition, it is Mr. Perarasu; he is the one who truly deserved an official government position. The reason is simple: Mr. Perarasu is the man who accurately predicted Mr. Vijay’s rise to power a full fifteen years ago. Therefore, I have a humble request for Mr. Vijay: even if you choose not to grant Mr. Perarasu a government post, I earnestly implore you to do this instead—please agree to star in another film directed by him. On a separate note, during a recent event, Minister Rajmohan complimented me on my attire, remarking that I looked very stylish. The video clip of that moment went viral, attracting a multitude of comments—some of which were quite critical or negative in tone. I would like to offer a response to those critics: You are the very people who cast your votes to elect TVK into power; how, then, can you turn around now and find fault with them? What exactly is your grievance against Mr. Rajmohan? Why are you barking at him? I simply cannot fathom your mindset. “All the MLAs from the DMK party are educated individuals; yet, in the comments section, people address them disrespectfully using informal, singular terms. Is this fair? Their primary objective is not merely to stand in front of a microphone; rather, their true aim is to do good for the people. Therefore, I urge everyone to exercise patience for these five years and observe how things unfold. With this request, I extend my best wishes to the team behind the film Silambam. Thank you,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Perarasu remarked, “I do not desire any official post; they would only take it back anyway. They have already snatched away a position I held—one I had secured through an astrologer’s guidance—so I want no part of it. Nevertheless, I am grateful for Cool Suresh’s concern. Much like Pandiyan Master’s Gurukulam (training academy)—without passing through which no one could join the Stunt Union—this platform serves as a similar proving ground. Your affection and solidarity are clearly visible on this stage. You have gathered here to celebrate a Stunt Master’s transition into a film director, and for that, I thank you. ‘Ponneri Puzhal Jothi’—that is indeed a fine title. More than standing tall as a successful director, he stands tall as an exemplary father; he has cast his own son in roles ranging from hero to villain. He should aspire to be as powerful and influential as ‘Thiruvannamalai Jothi.’ In the Hindi film industry, a renowned Stunt Master once launched his son, Ajay Devgn, as a lead actor. That film became a massive hit, and to this day, Ajay Devgn remains a major star in Hindi cinema. As I look at this stage, Jothi reminds me of Veeru Devgan. Just as Cool Suresh made a heartfelt appeal to Vijay Sir, I would like to make a similar appeal to Ajith Sir: please do not take such long breaks between projects. If you leave too large a gap, someone else might step in to fill the void. Ajith Sir, please wrap up your car racing commitments quickly, return to the film industry, and commence your next project; your fans are eagerly awaiting your return.
Two young women performed Silambam on this stage, and it was a magnificent display. In times past, the Silambam staff was often associated with men; today, however, it has found its way into the hands of women. It fills me with immense pride to witness women wielding and twirling the Silambam staff.” Speaking about the Revolutionary Leader M.G.R., it was said that whenever the word “action” is mentioned, it is the Leader who immediately comes to our minds. The Revolutionary Leader was an action hero, and the man responsible for making him one was Pepsi Master’s father. Subsequently, Pepsi Master served as the stunt choreographer for Vijayakanth, who went on to achieve success in politics. Later, he worked as the stunt master for Vijay; today, Vijay has become the Chief Minister. Thus, a single family has played a pivotal role in producing two Chief Ministers. Not every actor can succeed in politics; fans tend to embrace only those who establish themselves as action heroes. M.G.R. was Tamil cinema’s first action hero, and he became the Chief Minister. Next came Vijayakanth—an action hero who succeeded in politics and rose to become the Leader of the Opposition. Now, Vijay is the action hero, and he, too, has become the Chief Minister. It is evident, then, that being an action hero serves as the fundamental prerequisite for an actor to succeed in politics; and it is these very stunt masters who are responsible for molding such action heroes. M.G.R. once remarked, “Of the four legs supporting the chair I sit upon, one leg is Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram”; however, he forgot to mention that another leg consisted of the fight masters. Similarly, one of the legs supporting Vijay’s Chief Minister’s chair is undoubtedly the stunt masters; my gratitude goes out to them.
The songs are excellent, and I offer my congratulations to the music composer, Dhibu. The manner in which he spoke was truly commendable; he stated that he alone was not responsible for the music, but that many others were involved—a sentiment for which he deserves special praise. In the film Kanaa, Sivakarthikeyan trains a female cricketer and helps her achieve success. In the film Bigil, he does the same for a team of female footballers…
“Vijay Sir creates such films. While many sports-centric movies have been released over the years, Silambam stands out as a film that focuses on empowering women through the sport and leading them to victory. Just as films like Kanaa and Bigil achieved great success, I offer my best wishes that the movie Silambam, too, achieves a massive triumph,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Mohan G stated, “It is no ordinary feat for a stunt artist to become a film director; it requires immense effort and determination. I am here today specifically to offer my support and solidarity to this endeavor. My best wishes go out to the entire Silambam team. I have watched the trailer. There are certain traditions and practices dating back a thousand years that remain inextricably woven into the fabric of our lives; Silambam is one such tradition, and its presiding deity is Lord Murugan. The filmmakers have expressed their intention to bring various aspects of the art—including the politics surrounding it—to the attention of the common people, and I wish them success in this endeavor.
Did you know that achieving success at the national level in the sport of Silambam can lead to securing a government job? I am unsure how many students are actually aware of this fact. Silambam is a subject of great significance; I only became aware of this information while I was working on my film, Draupathi. It was Master Pandian who provided the training for that project. Master Pandian recently expressed his concerns regarding the fate of Draupathi 2, and I must admit that the situation is, in part, my own fault. The timing of its release turned out to be unfortunate. Nowadays, the influence over the film industry has shifted into the hands of ‘cinema influencers.’ It is they who now decide which films will succeed at the box office and which ones will fail. In the past, it was the traditional media and journalists who, through their constructive reviews, helped films achieve success; today, that power has migrated to social media influencers. They often decide in advance—even before a film is released—that a particular movie must be shut down or suppressed; that is exactly what happened in my case. Nevertheless, I am currently making efforts to ensure that Draupathi 2 finds a platform on an OTT streaming service. Today, the Central Government operates its own OTT platform. While they may not offer monetary compensation, they provide a channel through which any film can be broadcast to the public. In that same spirit, I would like to submit a request to the Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Vijay Sir: a dedicated, exclusive OTT platform should be created specifically for Tamil cinema. If the Central Government can successfully run an OTT service, surely the Government of Tamil Nadu can do the same.” The reason is that films like Silambam face immense difficulties in securing an OTT release; indeed, there is a political undercurrent even in this process. Yet, no one seems concerned about this; neither the Producers’ Council nor any other industry associations have stepped forward to address this issue. The situation regarding ‘Qube’ is similar: while small-budget films technically shouldn’t be required to pay exorbitant fees, they are nevertheless compelled to do so. Consequently, small films currently face a situation where they must spend upwards of ₹30 lakhs just to secure a theatrical release. A subsidy mechanism should be established specifically for films releasing in fewer than 100 theaters. While hosting an event like this here may be a joyous occasion, the actual process of getting this film into theaters is anything but pleasant. Therefore, I earnestly request the Government of Tamil Nadu to establish its own dedicated OTT platform to provide support and assistance to small-scale investors in the film industry.
Social media influencers currently operate as a powerful, organized collective; working behind the scenes—invisible to the naked eye—they exert significant effort to sabotage a film’s success. They engage in these activities solely for financial gain. My own film suffered adverse effects precisely because of their actions. Therefore, to put an end to this menace, I once again appeal to the Tamil Nadu government to create a specialized OTT platform that can serve as a lifeline for small-budget films. Furthermore, I wish for the entire team behind the film Silambam to achieve great success. I also appeal to social media influencers to extend their support to such small-budget films by offering their services at nominal rates. May Silambam and everyone involved in its production achieve resounding success. Thank you,” he concluded.
Speaking on the occasion, Busy Vijayan remarked, “May Mounika—the lead actress of Silambam—become as big a hit as the famous ‘Monica’ song! May the film’s hero, Ajith, spin his way to the top and reach great heights in his career. My heartfelt wishes go out to our esteemed director, Jothi, and all my dear colleagues. In truth, when the British invaded India, their primary objective was to acquire ‘Black Gold’—that is, pepper. While it is often said that pepper originated in Kerala, the historical fact is that it actually originated right here in Tamil Nadu.” “Back then, in order to defend oneself against attackers, one would snap a bamboo staff and whirl it around vigorously; that practice is what we call Silambam. This marks the very origin of Silambam, and it was my father who taught it to me. He was, in fact, the master who trained M.G.R. My father used to conduct training sessions for everyone right at the premises where M.G.R.’s school was located. If one were to name the quintessential ‘Silambam Master’—the title would undoubtedly belong to Master Pandian. It was he who trained countless individuals in Silambam and provided them with the necessary support to gain entry into the Stunt Union. I myself have referred many aspiring heroes to him for training, and every single one of them stands at the very pinnacle of success today.
Thanks to the excellent instruction provided during the eras of both ‘Amma’ Jayalalithaa and ‘Kalaignar’ Karunanidhi, Silambam has today risen to attain global prominence. Silambam is no trivial matter; wielding just a single staff, one can effectively fend off a hundred opponents. My heartfelt congratulations go out to Jyothi, who has embarked on a commendable endeavor to promote this magnificent art of Silambam by bringing it to the silver screen. I wish for this film to achieve monumental success. Thank you,” he said.
