Vaaitha, which questions the legitimacy of the judicial system, to release on May 27

Vaaitha, starring Mu Ramasamy (who was seen in KD Engira Karuppudurai) will be released in theatres on May 27. Produced by K Vinothkumar, this courtroom drama is directed by Mahivarman.

A former associate of late Thamira, Mahivarman, tells Silverscreen, “Vaaitha is set against the backdrop of the Salem District Court and discusses the corruption that occurs there. So far, courtroom dramas have not criticised or questioned the court, so this film can be considered a first. Judges, lawyers, and courts are questioned for their legitimacy.”

Vaaitha was inspired by an incident that his friend's father had gone through, says the debutant director, who wrote the script in 2017. “The accident that he met with required us to bring him to court. Having seen similar accident cases, I realised that there had been a mafia system involving insurance companies, lawyers, court personnel, etc. Accident cases are handled for free by lawyers who benefit from the compensation paid to victims. Lawyers are often kept informed about accident cases by police stations," Mahivarman tells Silverscreen.

Other cast members include Thirunavukkarasu, Powlen Jessica, Regin Rose and Muthu Azhagarsamy.

Mahivarman adds, “The story follows an elderly man, who gets hurt due to an accident and how he gets caught up in a court case. The crux of the story explores whether he gets the compensation owed to him or not. The film, in parallel, deals with the idea of casteism; how upper-caste people would have been responsible for causing the accident and how other parties get affected by it, the most.”

While Nasser essays a noble lawyer, Mu Ramasamy takes on the role of the injured elderly man. Pugal Mahendran, son of politician C Mahendran, plays Ramasamy’s son.

Vaaitha went on floors in 2019 and was wrapped up in 2020. The release was postponed for two years due to the ongoing pandemic and is censored with a U/A certificate. “We had another title called Ekali. It denotes a community of people, who predominantly iron clothes. However, censor board authorities had asked us to remove the name of the caste. Vaaitha means ‘to adjourn’,” Mahivarman mentions.

Vaaitha was shot extensively in Chennai, Dharmapuri and Salem.