‘Like Game of Thrones or Avatar’: Shankar on his much-awaited movie Velpari, Rajinikanth credits him for Tamil cinema’s growth

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At a recent gathering for the upcoming book Velpari, Director Shankar shared insights into his grand undertaking. He mentioned that while Enthiran was initially his dream project, currently, that title belongs to Velpari.

Director Shankar about his dream project Velpari

At the recent event, according to Cinema Vikatan’s report, Shankar expressed that his previous dream project was Enthiran. Now, however, his aspiration lies with Velpari. Whenever a large-scale film is produced, people often claim it will be a magnificent production akin to Chandralekha (1948), but in reality, Velpari might surpass or equal its grandeur.

In my opinion, this film has the potential to be one of the most ambitious productions yet, primarily due to the extensive work needed in costume design, art direction, and production as a whole. Furthermore, the technology involved suggests that Velpari could set a global standard, similar to series like Game of Thrones or films such as Avatar.

What did Rajinikanth say about Shankar’s contributions to Tamil cinema?

As the distinguished guest at the occasion, Rajinikanth delivered a speech highlighting Shankar as a key director instrumental in the expansion of Tamil cinema during the 1990s.

The renowned actor stated, “Bharathiraja, Mani Ratnam, and Shankar are the filmmakers who left a significant impact on 90s cinema. Our collaborations resulted in successful projects. I’m excited to see Shankar’s upcoming movie Velpari.

For those who may not know yet, Velpari is the eagerly anticipated movie directed by Shankar, derived from the novel Veera Yuga Nayagan Vel Pari penned by Su Venkatesan. This film recounts the story of the tribal king Vel Paari and the circumstances that sparked the desire for his conquest by the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas empires.

On the work front

In terms of Director Shankar’s past works, he recently led the production of the political action movie titled Game Changer. Starring Ram Charan, this film unfortunately flopped at the box office and garnered mostly unfavorable critic reviews.

Alternatively, Rajinikanth will be starring as the main character in the upcoming movie “Coolie,” which is being helmed by director Lokesh Kanagaraj. The movie is scheduled for release on August 14, 2025.

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2025-07-11 20:37