Why are fans furious over Ajith’s ‘Vidaamuyarchi’? | Explained 

With the makers of Ajith Kumar’s upcoming film with Magizh Thirumeni, ‘Vidaamuyarchi’, announcing their exit from the Pongal race, we look at the long and arduous road of the film’s making and release

So it’s official. Tamil star Ajith’s Vidaamuyarchi is not hitting the screens on Pongal as earlier announced. The makers confirmed the postponement on December 31, along with their New Year wishes. Films, especially the ones involving the biggest stars of the Indian film industry, often face their fair share of issues. With everything from political interferences and outfits protesting for changes in an unreleased film they are yet to watch, to rumours of squabbles within the film’s crew, the troubles that makers and in due course, fans have to go through are unfortunately one too many. Actor Ajith Kumar and his filmography have always been exempted from such behind-the-scenes drama, especially after 2011, when the actor disbanded his fan clubs across the state. While he was lauded for his daring decision, it unsurprisingly did not sit well with his fans who could not get a glimpse of their favourite star in any film-related events.

Fast-forward to the 2020s it became evident that his films will not have grand audio launches or success meets. So much so that fans started demanding updates on his films, and when things turned ugly with his 2022 film Valimai thanks to these requests spilling over from social media to sporting events and other gatherings, Ajith had to step in with a statement requesting his fans not to indulge in such activities.

It would not be an overstatement that these emotion-filled war cries hit the crescendo with the actor’s upcoming film Vidaamuyarchi and all the noises the film has made since its announcement in 2023. One of Tamil cinema’s leading production houses, Lyca Production, even before distributing their first film with Ajith, Thunivu (2023), collaborated with the actor for the first time in March 2022 for an untitled film which was to be helmed by Vignesh Shivan. Later, in early 2023, it was rumoured that the film was dropped for reasons unknown and in February of the same year, the actor’s 62nd film was revealed to be directed by Magizh Thirumeni. As expected, the news was welcomed with open arms by not just Ajith fans but also by those aware of Magizh’s limited yet brilliant filmography. Known for his genre-centric films, the filmmaker has made a name for himself with his repertoire of work that includes Thadaiyara Thaakka, Meaghamann and Thadam. The official confirmation of his collaboration with Ajith along with the film’s title came on May 1, 2023, on the occasion of the actor’s birthday, which also confirmed the technical crew of the film.

With no update from the makers till August, there were multiple reports on the film being dropped but Lyca Production’s head honcho Subaskaran Allirajah, during an event for Chandramukhi 2, affirmed that the film is on track. Vidaamuyarchi later went on floors in October, 2023 in Azerbaijan without the customary shoot commencement news from the makers. Lyca Productions, similar to what the Vidaamuyarchi’s lead character might do in the film, took the road less travelled with the film’s promotions. With no updates for the rest of 2023, it was Netflix’s South Indian X (formerly twitter) handle that shared the film’s first update in 2024, confirming the platform to be the film’s OTT partner.

By then, the speculations and rumours about the film’s cast started making the rounds — which later turned out to be quite precise. But instead of sharing first-look images of each of the supporting cast which happens to be the ongoing trend, the makers released a snap of Ajith from the shoot and mentioned that the Azerbaijan schedule has been wrapped up. The film’s primary cast members were tagged in the tweet.

Two months later, when fans were witnessing an update drought, instead of releasing the film’s first look, the makers pulled a surprise, unlike anything else Tamil cinema fans have ever seen. A clip from the making of the film was released; it featured a high-speed car sequence with Ajith and Arav inside a hummer vehicle. With Ajith on the wheel, the video shows the actor trying to manoeuvre the speeding vehicle only for it to topple. Unsurprisingly, the clip went viral.

It took the team close to three months to come up with the first-look image. The first look, which was released on June 30, 2024, featured the star walking on an open road with a duffel bag and it was criticised by many for being basic and an afterthought.