Malikappuram director starts Tat Twam Assi, with Vaibhav leading

Tat Twam Assi, a spiritual action drama led by Vaibhav, rolled its first shot on May 26. The film is directed by Vishnu Sasi Shankar, who made the Malayalam hit Malikappuram, and its title borrows a Vedic phrase that translates to “thou art that.” At the launch, Venkat Prabhu gave the inaugural clap and Ponram switched on the camera.

The film leans on the emotionally pitched devotion that was Vishnu Sasi Shankar’s strength on Malikappuram, folded together with action. Meenakshi Govindarajan plays the female lead opposite Vaibhav, with Aravind Akash and Aadukalam Naren among the supporting cast. The screenplay, credited to Adithya Tangirala, Nanthakumar Thamizhselvan and Prithivi Adithya, is built to reach family audiences and younger viewers alike.

Tantra Films’ JK Saravana and JK Shatesh produce, with Premgi Amaren composing, Yuvan Selva on camera, Praveen KL editing, Surya Rajeevan on art and Sakthi Saravanan handling the stunts. Pre-production ran a tight three months from late February before the camera turned, and the banner has a second film, Arya Kerala Varman, in the works against a historical and spiritual backdrop. The makers are aiming Tat Twam Assi at this year’s Ayyappa Mandala season, the Sabarimala pilgrimage window the story is pitched to.