Kamal Haasan wanted a 'new face' for Amaran and Rajkumar Periasamy selected Sivakarthikeyan

Filmmaker Rajkumar Periasamy was initially signed by Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan's production banner, Raaj Kamal Films International, to produce a small-budget thriller. While finalizing that project, one of his Mumbai-based friends presented him with an opportunity.

How Rajkumar Periasamy landed Amaran

Rajkumar was offered the chance to direct a film based on a Tamil army officer in collaboration with Sony Pictures. The project drew inspiration from a chapter in the non-fiction book, India's Most Fearless. During his initial research, he became enthralled by the life story of Major Mukund Varadarajan, who lost his life in 2014 during an anti-terror operation in Kashmir.

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When Rajkumar expressed his desire to pursue Amaran before fulfilling his commitment to Raaj Kamal Films International, Kamal responded surprisingly. He shared Rajkumar's enthusiasm and even offered to co-produce the film, with one condition regarding the casting. Kamal insisted on a "fresh face" for the lead role in Amaran, believing it would authentically capture the essence of the narrative.

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The search for "new face"

Rajkumar was torn about Kamal's suggestion due to the movie's scale and budget. After careful consideration and discussions with industry peers, Rajkumar chose Sivakarthikeyan . Although not a "new face," Sivakarthikeyan is a leading star in Tamil cinema. To Rajkumar's surprise, Kamal instantly approved the idea. "Why are you so hesitant to share this good news? he asked me," recalled Rajkumar during an interview with Cinema Vikatan. "He told me that Sivakarthikeyan was the new face that he asked for. Sivakarthikeyan had not done a film like this before. So Kamal sir felt he was the right choice for the role," he added.

Despite being inspired by a book, Rajkumar conducted extensive research to understand the world Major Mukund Varadarajan lived in. Alongside Sivakarthikeyan, the film features Sai Pallavi, Bhuvan Arora, Rahul Bose, Lallu, and Hanun Bawra. It is expected to hit the screens soon.