Aishwarya Rajinikanth’s next film as director has a name, a cast and a launch that drew half of Tamil cinema’s A-list to The Leela Palace in Chennai. Texla stars Jai and Malayalam actor Suraj Venjaramoodu, with Yuvan Shankar Raja scoring the music. The film, produced by Kannan Ravi under KRG Productions with Deepak Ravi as co-producer, went on floors on Friday.
The pairing is interesting. Suraj Venjaramoodu, a National Award-winning actor known primarily for Malayalam cinema, plays the father of Jai’s character. It is his most prominent Tamil role to date. “The story and my character are very good,” Suraj said. “Working with director Aishwarya Rajinikanth has been a pleasure. Producer Kannan Ravi is a friend. I met him and his wife and Deepak two or three years ago. His hospitality is heartwarming. He is a genuinely good person.”
The title teaser, released earlier, showed children in a rural setting waiting to watch a film, evoking a nostalgic, rooted tone. That sensibility, combined with the producers calling it a “complete family entertainer with an emotional journey,” suggests Texla is aiming for something warmer and more grounded than Aishwarya’s previous directorial outings.
The launch itself was a statement. Director Bala, music composer Anirudh Ravichander, Latha Rajinikanth, actor Samuthirakani, NTK leader Seeman, and producers R.P. Chowdhary, Sujatha Vijayakumar and G.K.M. Tamil Kumaran were all in attendance. That turnout speaks partly to Kannan Ravi’s standing in the industry. He is currently producing 16 films simultaneously, a fact that both Seeman and Bala noted in their speeches.
“I am a small man in this industry,” Kannan Ravi said with characteristic self-deprecation. “When it comes to business, I will talk with authority. But in cinema, I am in LKG. I am happy to be working with the superstar’s family so quickly. Aishwarya is talented, kind and has a bright future ahead. And my brother Suraj, a wonderful artist, I missed working with him on eight projects before. This time, I got the chance.”
Jai, who has been rebuilding his career with a string of solid choices, spoke about how Kannan Ravi approached him two years ago but the timing was not right. “A month ago when we met again, I wanted to say let me grow a bit more before joining your production. But he said, let that growth come through my film. That confidence is what convinced me. I will give everything I have to this project.”
Director Bala kept it simple: “My first wish goes to my sister Aishwarya. And my next to the producer who gave her the opportunity. Kannan Ravi is not just producing 16 films. He is providing livelihoods for that many families. That deserves respect.”
Aishwarya Rajinikanth thanked Kannan Ravi for trusting her and her team. “We are all committed to making this film a success,” she said.
The supporting cast includes Anandraj, G.M. Sundar and George Marian. Texla will release in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi.
