Tamil Film Industry in Total Shutdown, but Thalapathy 62 rolls on

Despite the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) ordering a total industry shutdown from March 16, four films are currently being shot. The movies, of which A.R. Murugadoss' Thalapathy 62 is one, sought permission from the council, justifying their reasons for shooting during the strike.

Telugu stunt masters Ram and Lakshman and their troupe from Hyderabad are currently shooting Thalapathy 62 in Chennai. Producer Sun Pictures had approached the TFPC, saying the twins have a packed schedule and if their dates aren't utilised now, they won't be available for the next two months. They sought permission to shoot for a few days to stave off financial repercussions.

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Prominent producer J. Satish Kumar, with films such as Paradesi, Thanga, Meengal and Taramani to his credit, took offense to this. Tweeting his displeasure, he accused the TFPC of double standards and mentioned the lack of unity among the Tamil film fraternity.

In a recent media interaction, Radha Ravi, cast as a villain in Thalapathy 62, said he plays a politician who will be taking on Vijay. There are likely to be heated confrontation scenes between the two. Ravi also expressed happiness at finally getting a substantial part in a Vijay film after having been in the industry for many years. Pala Karuppiah also plays a politician with negative traits. Varu Sarathkumar has also been roped in to play a character with grey shades.

Some of Vijay's recent hits, such as Mersal and Kaththi, have strong political themes. He does not shy away from taking on the establishment, delivering sharp dialogues and acting in an aggressive manner. A few on-location stills leaked on social media hint that Thalapathy 62 will also have a political flavour. The success of Vijay's earlier political films proves that his fans love what he does, which means Thalapathy 62 is expected to be just as popular.

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A section of the media has reported that the Thalapathy 62 team will soon head to the USA to shoot key scenes. However, a source close to the team told Film Companion that the team will not head to America at all, but continue to shoot in Chennai and its surroundings.