"Kamal told me now's the time to do something different" - Vivek

The audio and trailer launch of actor-comedian Vivek’s Naanthan Bala held at Kamala Theatre earlier today 28th December was a reflection of Vivek’s popularity both with the general public and with industry bigwigs. The event’s guest list included Maniratnam, Balachander, Bharathiraja, and A.R.Rahman along with other notable names. Speaking at the event ARR said “People tell me that my music gives happiness and for me personally Vivek’s comedy does that. He should extend his boundaries and do something with a global appeal like Charlie Chaplin.” Maybe it was because of Vivek’s presence that Maniratnam was in an unusually chirpy mood as he said, “The only way I can fit into Balachander’s chair is to sit in one that’s reserved for him. A similar incident took place at Bharathiraja’s office as well, so I’ve achieved what I couldn’t in real life by practically sitting in both their chairs.” Talking about Vivek he said, “Comedians amaze me. It’s an ability that can only come from intelligence. Vivek should aim to do something along the lines of Woody Allen’s films and this film could be the first step for him in that direction.” Balachander grew nostalgic as he was reminded of Roja’s audio launch, the last time he shared a stage with Maniratnam and AR Rahman. He also recalled an incident that displayed Vivek’s presence of mind where the comedian had to prepare an impromptu poem at a short notice. He concluded by saying that this film would be Vivek’s turning point. Bharathiraja too was thrilled to be sharing the stage with such giants while he seemed confident about this film’s director, Kannan. Bharathiraja noticed a sense of maturity in the debutant director and attributed it to his family lineage that comprised of several famed writers. The hero of the day, Vivek, was his usually witty and articulate best as he said, “For 3 years Kannan kept offering me this film but I kept avoiding it. The two factors that influenced me were director Bala’s suggestion that I should do this role and also a private conversation that I had with Kamal Haasan where he told me that the time is ripe now for me to do something different. I can say for a fact that no comedian in India has got an offer like this.” The audio was released collectively by Balachander, Bharathiraja, Maniratnam and AR Rahman.