Kadhal Reset Repeat brings together director A.L. Vijay and composer Harris Jayaraj for a love story built around amnesia. Vijay, whose credits include Madrasapattinam, Kireedam, and Deiva Thirumagal, described the film in simple terms: “This is a common man’s story. A hero isn’t defined by looks. A hero is someone with a good heart.”
The film marks a notable moment for Harris Jayaraj, now in his 25th year as a film composer. He drew a line all the way back to Minnale in 2000, his debut alongside Gautham Menon and Madhavan, when everyone on the team was new. “When a story has the right foundation, it doesn’t need stars,” he said. “It pulls the best work out of everyone.” Over his career, he has introduced 65 singers and composed for 12 debut heroes.
The cast is led by Madumkesh, who plays a character named Siddharth. Vijay said Madumkesh threw himself into the role, undergoing surgery and losing weight to fit the part. Opposite him is Jiya Shankar, a Maharashtrian actress making her Tamil debut. Vijay compared the experience to his earlier work: “When I introduced Amy Jackson in Madrasapattinam, I felt something. I felt the same introducing Jiya.” She trained for six to seven days to perform a single-take song sequence in the film.
Arjun Ashokan, the Malayalam actor, also makes his Tamil debut here. He described his character as layered: “It can be romantic, funny, and at times villainous. You’ll have to watch the film to see the full picture.” He noted with some pride that this is the first time he has lip-synced to a Harris Jayaraj composition.
Harris Jayaraj’s approach to the score was characteristically painstaking. Lyricist Madan Karky, who wrote four-and-a-quarter songs for the film, described the recording of the track Un Paarvai in detail: eight hours for the male vocal alone, with Harris patiently waiting for the precise moment the singer’s voice hit the right texture. “He collects it bit by bit,” Karky said. “Each song took months. That’s why this kind of music outlasts everything.” Karky also offered a vivid analogy, comparing Harris Jayaraj’s handcrafted music to a home-cooked meal in an age of instant AI-generated songs.
MS Bhaskar, a fixture in Vijay’s films, shared a personal story. During the shoot, he became a grandfather. Before that, when he was building his house and needed money, Vijay paid his salary before the contract was signed. “This is a film I’ll never forget,” he said.
The screenplay was co-written with R. Mahadev, an assistant to SS Rajamouli. Vijay described Kadhal Reset Repeat as inherently musical, a story that couldn’t exist without Harris Jayaraj. Parts of the film were shot in Scotland, where a visa complication nearly cost them their lead actress. The producers gave Vijay the freedom to wait rather than recast. “That one decision is why the film turned out the way it did,” he said.
Director Bala, attending as chief guest, offered an unexpected tribute: “Vijay is my guru. He may be younger, but he taught me what hard work looks like for a technician.” He also singled out Viji Chandrasekhar, who has a role in the film, calling her ability to convey emotion through her eyes a gift that comes to one in a hundred.
Kadhal Reset Repeat releases worldwide on March 6.