JR NTR and Dhanush Head for Murugan Showdown
"It is an unexpected twist. Ultimately, the better film will emerge victorious and win the love of the audience," he says.
An unexpected clash is brewing between Tollywood and Kollywood. While Jr NTR and Dhanush are certainly not at war personally, an intriguing competition appears to have begun over the mythological films they are set to headline.
Recently, director Trivikram Srinivas announced his dream project with Jr NTR in the lead. The makers revealed through a poster that the film will be set against a divine backdrop. Jr NTR's social media post further confirmed that the story revolves around Lord Kartikeya (Skanda), the commander of the celestial army and the god of war.
Now, acclaimed filmmaker Vetri Maaran has announced a new film starring Dhanush, titled Thamizh Murugan. The makers also unveiled the film's first glimpse. Lord Kartikeya is widely worshipped as Murugan, particularly in Tamil Nadu, and the glimpse indicates that this project, too, is rooted in mythology and divinity.
The announcement has sparked discussions about a potential Trivikram-Vetri Maaran face-off. Thamizh Murugan came as a complete surprise, with few expecting a leading Tamil filmmaker to announce a project based on the same deity around the same time.
"Dhanush's announcement has come as a big surprise," says a Telugu filmmaker. "A clash between two films based on Lord Murugan now looks inevitable. While the Telugu team has only released a concept poster and made a formal announcement, the makers of Thamizh Murugan have already unveiled Dhanush's first look, showing him atop an elephant. At this point, they seem to be ahead in the race."
He adds that the Murugan subject has always held deep emotional significance for Tamil audiences, but hardly anyone anticipated that a filmmaker of Vetri Maaran's stature would take up the same story.
"It is an unexpected twist. Ultimately, the better film will emerge victorious and win the love of the audience," he says.
Meanwhile, Vetri Maaran could well complete Thamizh Murugan before Trivikram begins his project with Jr NTR. The acclaimed director is known for his disciplined and efficient working style.
"Once a film goes on the floors, he generally pushes ahead until it is completed," the filmmaker notes.
If that happens, Trivikram may have to rethink his plans or make significant changes to his script. "We have to wait and see. Both films are reportedly inspired by Lord Murugan/Kartikeya, and judging by their announcements, the central premise of the two projects appears to be strikingly similar," he concludes.
