When South cinema’s versatile superstar Chiyaan Vikram and director Gautham Vasudev Menon (GVM), famous for making cult cop-films (like ‘Kaakha Kaakha’ and ‘Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu’), came together for the first time for a project, cinema lovers across the country were left with goosebumps. The film was named – ‘Dhruva Natchathiram: Part 1 – Yudh Kaandham’ (Dhruva Natchathiram: Chapter One – Yudh Kaandham).
When the first teaser of this spy-thriller film came out in the year 2016-17, its Hollywood style making, background score and Vikram’s ‘John Wick’ like salt-and-pepper look created a stir. However, even after approaching a decade, the film is still finding its way to release. Let us know the story of this film, its star cast and the complete inside story of its repeated stuck.
1. The Story and Plot of the Film
‘Dhruv Nathchathiram’ is a high-octane international spy-thriller film. The story centers on a secret undercover agent named ‘John’ (played by Chiyaan Vikram), who lives in New York. He leads a highly secret and illegal undercover spy organization named ‘The Basement’, which is sanctioned by the Government of India.
The main work of this organization is to eliminate the enemies of India and terrorists hidden around the world, who are beyond the scope of normal law. The main turning point in the film comes when the leader of this secret team suddenly disappears, and John (Vikram) has to set out on a dangerous global mission. The film has been shot in many beautiful and international locations like New York, Delhi, Slovenia and Istanbul.
2. Strong Star Cast & Crew
Gautham Menon has assembled a stellar pan-India star cast for this film:
Main Actor: Chiyaan Vikram (as Agent John/Dhruv)
Villain (Main Villain): Vinayakan (Who played the role of a dreaded villain in the film ‘Jailor’)
Female Artists: Ritu Varma and Aishwarya Rajesh
Co-Star: Simran, R. Sarathkumar, Radhika Sarathkumar and Gautam Vasudev Menon himself.
music: Harris Jayaraj – The song ‘Oru Manam’ composed by him is still a big blockbuster on social media.
3. Why is the film stuck for so many years? (Production Delays)
‘Dhruv Nathchathiram’ is counted among the most ‘delayed’ films in the history of Tamil cinema. There are several main reasons behind its stuckness:
a) Financial Issues:
The biggest reason for the film’s repeated delays was the financial dispute and lack of funds between its production house (Ondraga Entertainment) and director Gautham Menon. The film’s budget exceeded expectations, due to which post-production (VFX and dubbing) work was stalled for years.
b) Legal issues and contracts:
Legal notices issued against several financiers and distributors regarding court cases and payment of dues. The release date of the film was fixed at the end of 2023 (24 November 2023), but at the last moment the morning shows had to be canceled due to lack of financial clearance (lack of funds).
c) Technical work and re-shoots:
The shooting of the film started in 2017. Due to such a long gap, parts of the film had to be re-shot and patchworked to upgrade them to suit modern cinema, which further extended its running time.
4. Current situation and expectations of fans
There is a huge craze for this film even today among Chiyaan Vikram’s fans and cinema lovers. The main reason for this is the stylish visuals of the film and the brilliant music of Harris Jayaraj. Director Gautham Vasudev Menon has clarified in several interviews that he is committed to releasing the film theatrically and is trying his best to resolve all its financial disputes.
conclusion: ‘Dhruv Nathchathiram’ is not just a film but has become a cult project of Tamil cinema which everyone is waiting for. If this film hits theaters or any big OTT platform at the right time with the right promotion, then Chiyaan Vikram’s stylish avatar has the potential to break many box office records.
Entertainment News Hindi Today only at Prabhasakshi