Prakashraj uses ‘Iruvar’ experience to write book on Karunanidhi


60 Vayadhu Maaniram

Actor Prakashraj played former Chief Minister and DMK patriarch Karunanidhi in ‘Iruvar’, directed by Mani Ratnam.

When Karunanidhi passed away recently, Prakashraj came up with an emotional obituary for him on his Twitter page.

Prakashraj, who awaits the release of his next film ‘60 Vayadhu Maaniram’, says, “I had a great experience playing the great politician in Mani Ratnam’s ‘Iruvar’.

“I am actually writing a book on Kalaignar Karunanidhi from my point of view. I saw him through the character offered to me in ‘Iruvar’. The Kannada version of the book is over, the works for the Tamil version is also under progress,” he said.

In ‘60 Vayadu Maaniram’, Prakashraj plays an Alzheimer’s patient. Directed by Radha Mohan, the movie also stars Samuthirakani and Vikram Prabhu.

Produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu, it has music by Ilayaraja.

The film ‘60 Vayadhu Maaniram’ is inspired by Kannada hit ‘Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu’.

Says Thanu, “It’s the human element that works when you remake a film. This remake is sure to strike a chord with the audiences as it is about an old father with Alzheimer’s who goes missing and his son played by Vikram Prabhu goes in search of him.”

Talking about the project, Radha Mohan said, “Thanu bought this project and when I saw the original, I wanted to do it. I didn’t worry about the fact that I’d be doing two remakes in succession. It wasn’t planned that way and it’s sheer coincidence that both these films are remakes.”

The film’s dialogues are by Viji. The Kannada version of this film, which released in 2016, marked the debut of Hemanth Rao. It starred Anant Nag and Rakshit Shetty in the lead roles with Achyuth Kumar, Sruthi Hariharan, Vasishta N Simha and Ravikiran in supporting roles.