Sattendru Maarudhu Vaanilai opens May 15 with Jai in Vijay-mode

Babu Vijay’s debut Sattendru Maarudhu Vaanilai opens on May 15, with Jai in the lead and a casting thesis written into the project. The director is a self-described Joseph Vijay fan, openly and often. Jai began his own career playing Vijay’s younger brother in Bagavathi, and in the years that followed built a parallel thambi register opposite Vijay across a string of films. Sattendru Maarudhu Vaanilai leans into that history rather than dodging it. At Monday’s pre-release event at Krishnaveni Theatre in T Nagar, Jai was direct about it from the stage. “I fell in love with the story the moment I heard it. The first half features a few Vijay Sir fan moments, elements like his body language and dialogue delivery; that distinct style is certainly present. SMV is a complete entertainer.”

The timing sharpens the read. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as Tamil Nadu’s chief minister on Sunday, ending his on-screen run for the foreseeable future. Producer Dhananjayan made the parallel explicit on stage: with Vijay no longer in the frame, the gap is open, and Jai is the actor in the room who could plausibly carry that body-language register forward into a next decade. “If Jai gets good stories, he can reach the height his elder brother once did.”

Babu Vijay is making the film as director and producer himself, under his BV Frames banner. He joined the first batch at BOFTA with the single stated goal of working with AR Murugadoss, and made it as far as associate director on Sarkar. Murugadoss was on Monday’s stage to close that loop. “Twelve assistant directors from my unit have become directors. Babu Vijay is the AD who made me lazy. He would be at my car at seven in the morning with rehearsals already done.” Then he reached for a specific memory. During Sarkar’s 2018 release, when AIADMK-led protests against welfare-scheme references in the film saw posters being torn down and police cordons going up around Chennai theatres, the two of them had sat together in a tinted-glass car parked near a city theatre, watching it play out. “Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched the posters being ripped apart. Babu Vijay has also stood by me during my most difficult times.”

Murugadoss also flagged a personal continuity with the film’s lead. Jai had been the male lead in his first production venture, Engeyum Eppodhum in 2011, and then again in Raja Rani in 2013. “I share a great rapport with Jai. With this third collaboration, I hope SMV turns out to be a hat-trick success.”

Music is by Girishh Gopalakrishnan, the Mookuthi Amman composer; Jai said he was sold within the first thirty seconds of the lead song. Meenakshi Govindarajan plays the female lead opposite him.

Cinematography is by Richard M Nathan, who Babu Vijay said on stage has not taken a single rupee in salary on the film, working “like a production manager more than a cameraman.” Darling Richardson edits, Jai Murali handles stunts. Yogi Babu, Garuda Ram, Sriman, Sathyan and Aadhitya Kathir round out the support. Sattendru Maarudhu Vaanilai, pitched as a contemporary romantic thriller engaging present-day issues, opens worldwide on May 15.