The music and trailer launch for the upcoming Tamil film Mrs & Mr, written, directed by, and starring Vanitha Vijayakumar, was held in Chennai. The film, produced by Jovika Vijayakumar under the banner of Vanitha Film Productions, is slated for a June release and is described as a family entertainer.
Vanitha Vijayakumar, addressing the event, spoke about her journey in making the film and highlighted the support she received. “After my mother, I see Ambika and Shakeela as motherly figures,” she stated, acknowledging Shakeela’s role in the film and crediting Ambika with guidance on the project. Vanitha Vijayakumar also announced that her daughter, Jovika Vijayakumar, who produced Mrs & Mr, is set to make her acting debut in two upcoming films, one of which will be produced by M.S. Raju under Sumant Art Productions, with shooting scheduled to begin in June.
Jovika Vijayakumar, in her capacity as producer, stated, “I produced this film with the money I earned, and for that, I thank Vijay TV and Hotstar.”
The event featured several prominent industry figures, with director Vasanthabalan offering an extensive commentary on Vanitha Vijayakumar’s career and the challenges faced by women in society and the film industry. “From the moment Ms. Vanitha came into acting, I have been observing her. Her struggle is immense,” Vasanthabalan remarked. He added, “In this patriarchal society, we still see women as an oppressed community. I want to support all her actions as a woman, not just as a director. I see the assertiveness she sometimes displays as a shield to protect herself.” Vasanthabalan also expressed a desire for more women to tell their stories through cinema.
Actress Ambika mentioned her involvement in the film’s titling, recalling a conversation with Vanitha Vijayakumar where she questioned, “Why should it be Mr & Mrs? Why can’t it be Mrs & Mr?” Music director Srikanth Deva, who has composed for over 125 films, described his work on Mrs & Mr as “challenging and unforgettable,” noting the presence of four songs and a devotional track in the climax. He also mentioned introducing the prefix “Romantical” to his name in the film’s credits.
Producer Dhananjayan observed Vanitha Vijayakumar’s confidence and noted the film’s production scale, which included an international shooting schedule. He also called for an increase in the number of female directors in Tamil cinema, stating, “If 240 films are released in Tamil cinema, only two of them are by women directors. I hope Vanitha’s Mrs & Mr will be a good example.”
The film’s cast includes Robert, Vanitha Vijayakumar, Sriman, Shakeela, Ganesh, Aarthi Ganesh, Power Star Srinivasan, Chef Damu, and Mumtaj. Cinematography is by T. Rajapandi, Vishnu Ramakrishnan, and D.G. Kapil, with editing by Balaguru. Mathiazhagan of Sreenik Productions, which is distributing the film, indicated that their company plans to release films budgeted between one and five crore rupees monthly and that Mrs & Mr fits this category. He also mentioned that lead actor Robert is currently shooting for other projects.