Director Gautham Vasudev Menon's upcoming film, The Life of Muthu,(Telugu) featuring Silambarasan Aka Simbu will hit the theatres on September 15. The Life of Muthu is the Telugu version of the duo's Vendhu Thanindhadhu Kaadu written by B Jeyamohan. Simbu and Siddhi Idnani will play lead roles in the film, while Radikaa Sarathkumar, Siddique, Neeraj Madhav, and Aangelina Abraham will be seen in supporting roles. The film has music scored by AR Rahman and is being released by Sri Sravanthi Movies banner in the Telugu States.

Talking about the Life of Muthu, Director Gautham Menon got around talking about how he got into directing a beta noire film in a change from his romantic films, Simbu, the plot line and taking new actors in the film.

Tell us about 'The Life of Muthu'...how different is it from the films you and Simbu have done before?

Both of us have done romantic films before. But this is different and it’s the story of a gangster – Muthu who comes from a small village and goes to Mumbai for some reason and how gets caught in the gangster world. There is a dark side to Muthu's life and you will also see elements of love, romance, and action in the film.

What inspired you to make this film?

Gautham Menon: I wanted to do a love story with Simbu first. AR Rahman sir also composed a song and we were supposed to start shooting in a month's time. Then I met Jayamohan, a famous writer in Tamil, for another film. He narrated a short story in 15 minutes and I asked him what was next. He explained that this was what he had written so far and came back with a 100-page script within ten days. As I read, the visuals flashed before my eyes. Then I wanted to make the gangster film and kept the love story on hold.

We heard that you took newcomers.

Gautham Menon: Apart from Simbu, Radhika Sarathkumar, and Malayalam actor Siddiqui, all other actors are newcomers with a theater background. We conducted an audition and selected them. The audience has to believe that the world I am showing is real. So I chose new actors instead of seasoned actors. Not that seasoned actors are not good. We had a rehearsal so that everyone gets into the characters and we completed the shooting of this film in 55 days.

Did Simbu also rehearse?

Gautham Menon: Simbu easily slips into character in just ten seconds before the camera rolls on. Simbu is a one-take actor and his scene will be okayed in the first take. We rarely go for a second take. Even if we do it would be only due to technical problems. It is easy to make a film if you have an actor like Simbu. We waited for three to four months for him to grow a beard and undergo a body transformation in terms of character. Simbu's best performance will be seen in this movie. Even though Simbu is a star, he has an image and he can also look like a 20-year-old boy at the same time he can impress as a gangster. The audience will believe that it's Muthu and not Simbu, in the role.

Wishing the extremely talented & gorgeous @meramyakrishnan garu a Happiest Birthday - Team #TheLifeOfMuthu 💐#TLOMTRAILER 🔥https://t.co/n3TSE8Kr4L #TheLifeOfMuthuOnSep17 @SilambarasanTR_ @menongautham @arrahman @SiddhiIdnani @IshariKGanesh @VelsFilmIntl pic.twitter.com/XpqoqteFsp
— Sri Sravanthi Movies (@SravanthiMovies) September 15, 2022