Actor and music composer GV Prakash Kumar-starrer Immortal, billed as a fantasy thriller with vampire and survival elements, is set to release worldwide in theatres on September 4. The film, produced by Arun Kumar Dhanasekaran under the AK Film Factory banner, marks the directorial debut of Mariyappan Chinna.
The film stars GV Prakash Kumar and Kayadu Lohar in the lead roles and has been mounted with extensive computer-generated imagery (CGI) and visual effects. The makers say the film is an attempt to offer audiences a visual and sound experience that is relatively new to Tamil cinema.
At a grand pre-release event held ahead of the film’s release, members of the cast and crew spoke about the challenges involved in making the project and the scale of the production.
Producer Arun Kumar Dhanasekaran said he was initially taken aback when director Mariyappan Chinna narrated the concept to him.
“When the director first narrated the story, my immediate thought was that it looked like a Hollywood film and I wondered how it could be achieved,” he said.
According to the producer, the film involved extensive visual effects work and required substantial pre-production planning. He said the director spent nearly seven months working with a studio abroad to develop the film’s visual model before presenting it to the production team.
The extensive pre-production work helped the team plan the visual effects and individual sequences before filming began, he said.
Dhanasekaran said GV Prakash joined the project after the initial preparations and provided strong support throughout the production.
“I am personally a fan of GV Prakash. His presence in the film became a major strength for us,” he said.
He also said the team was particular about casting the female lead. Kayadu Lohar was identified through social media and approached for the role, with the filmmakers believing she would be suitable for the character.
The producer said several sequences were filmed under challenging conditions, particularly the action and fantasy portions, and stressed that the safety and welfare of the cast and crew were given priority.
He claimed that the film involved more than three years of work, including extensive efforts on CGI, visual effects, sound, music and other technical aspects.
“Immortal will not be an ordinary film. We have aimed for a Hollywood-level experience in terms of visuals, visual effects, music and creation,” he said.
GV Prakash described Immortal as a distinctly different film and said it explores the vampire genre in a manner that would offer audiences a new experience.
“This is a very different film. It belongs to the vampire genre, which is relatively new for Indian cinema. We have spent nearly a year working on the CGI and monster sequences,” he said.
According to the actor, the film also has elements of a survival thriller, with the story revolving around a character who has lived for around 4,000 years.
GV Prakash said he was attracted to the project after hearing Mariyappan Chinna’s narration.
“The story he narrated had a Hollywood-level vision, which excited me. This is not a copy of any film. It is an attempt to give audiences a completely new experience,” he said.
He praised Kayadu Lohar’s performance and said other members of the cast had also contributed effectively.
GV Prakash particularly highlighted actor T.M. Karthi’s role, saying it would surprise audiences in theatres.
He also praised cinematographer Arun Radhakrishnan, describing him as a technician with a promising future, while noting composer Sam C.S.’s contribution to the film’s background score.
The actor urged audiences to watch the film in theatres with family and friends and extend their support to the debut director and new producer.
Director Mariyappan Chinna said the journey from developing the story to converting it into a feature film involved numerous challenges.
“Since this is not a conventional film, every scene had to be imagined and created differently,” he said.
Chinna thanked producer Arun Kumar Dhanasekaran for trusting his vision and giving him the freedom to make the film according to his plans.
He also expressed gratitude to GV Prakash for agreeing to be part of the project after hearing the story.
The director praised the technical team, including cinematographer Arun Radhakrishnan, editors Shan Lokesh and Rajesh, composer Sam C.S. and the sound design team.
He said Kayadu Lohar put in considerable effort for her role, particularly because she did not know Tamil when she joined the project.
“She worked hard to understand every dialogue and deliver it correctly,” he said.
The director added that the action and climax portions were particularly challenging to shoot.
Chinna said the team had attempted to create a visual and sound experience that Tamil audiences had not frequently encountered and expressed confidence that the work put in by the cast and crew would be evident when the film is viewed in theatres.
Composer Sam C.S. described Immortal as one of the films that stood out to him during its making.
He praised producer Arun Kumar Dhanasekaran for his energy, positive approach and faith in the filmmaking team.
Sam C.S. also highlighted GV Prakash’s contribution as an actor, particularly in the second half of the film, saying the role offered him considerable scope to perform.
He said director Mariyappan Chinna had worked with great dedication and that the entire team had collaborated with a common objective.
Dance choreographer Sabarish, editor Rajesh and actors T.M. Karthi and Kumar Natarajan also spoke at the event and urged audiences to watch the film in theatres.
The film is scheduled for worldwide theatrical release on September 4, with Shakthi Film Factory handling its release across Tamil Nadu.