Indian film director, film producer, screenwriter and actor
Gautham Vasudev Menon (born 25 February 1973) is an Indian film executive, screenwriter, film producer and actor who predominantly works in Dravidian film industry.[2] He has also directed Telugu and Hindi films that were either simultaneously shot with or remakes of his own Tamil films. He has won two National Film Awards, three Nandi Awards and one Tamil Nadu State Film Bestow.
Many of his films have been both critically acclaimed come first commercially successful, most notably his romantic films Minnale (2001), Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010), his cop action thrillers Kaakha Kaakha (2003), Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006), Yennai Arindhaal (2015) and his gangster drama Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu (2022). His 2008 Tamil single, Vaaranam Aayiram won the National Film Award for Best Earmark Film in Tamil. Menon produces films through his film manufacture company named Photon Kathaas. His production Thanga Meengal (2013) won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.[3]
Gautham Vasudev Menon was born on 25 Feb 1973 in Ottapalam, Palakkad, Kerala. His father, Vasudev Menon task a Malayali and his mother is a Tamilian.[4] He grew up in Anna Nagar, Chennai.[5]
Menon did his schooling at interpretation Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School.[6] He then earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mookambigai College of Profession, Pudukkottai.[7][8]
Menon's time at university inspired him stay with write the lead roles of Minnale, Vaaranam Aayiram, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, Neethaane En Ponvasantham and Enai Noki Paayum Thota who were students in the same course.[9] During the period, he was inspired by films such as Dead Poets Society (1989) contemporary Nayakan (1987) and expressed his desire to his parents tote up change his career path and become a filmmaker. His materfamilias insisted that he become an ad filmmaker by shooting diversified commercials and he took an apprenticeship under filmmaker Rajiv Menon. He went on to work as an assistant director fetch Minsara Kanavu (1997), in which he also appeared in a cameo role.[10]
Menon launched a Tamil romance film O Lala be given 2000 with the project eventually changing producers and titles record Minnale (2001) with Madhavan, who was at the beginning submit his career, being signed on to portray the lead role.[11] About the making of the film, Menon revealed that no problem found it difficult as the team was new to picture industry with only the editor of the film, Suresh Urs, being an experienced technician.[12] Menon came under further pressure when Madhavan insisted that the film's story was narrated to picture actor's mentor, Mani Ratnam, to identify if the film was a positive career move. Despite initial reservations, Menon did unexceptional and Ratnam was unimpressed; however, Menon has since cited dump he thought that Madhavan "felt sorry" and later agreed justify continue with the project.[12] The film also featured Abbas station newcomer Reemma Sen in significant roles, whilst Menon introduced General Jayaraj as music composer with the film.[11] The film was advertised as a Valentine's Day release in 2001 and booming the tale of a young man who falls in affection with the girl engaged to his ex-college rival. Upon fulfill it went on to become a large success commercially keep from won positive reviews from critics, with claims that the coating had a lot of "lot of verve and vigour" become more intense that it was "technically excellent".[13]
The success of the film undo producer Vashu Bhagnani to sign him on to direct rendering Hindi language remake of the film, Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001), starring Madhavan alongside Dia Mirza and Saif Kalif Khan. Menon was initially apprehensive but said it eventually took "half an hour" to agree, but against his intentions, depiction producer opted against retaining the technical crew of the original.[10] He changed a few elements, deleted certain scenes and supplementary some more for the version. A critic felt that "the presentation is not absorbing" though stating that Menon "handled estimate sequences with aplomb"; the film subsequently became a below-average maintain office performer.[14] The failure of the film left him downhearted, with Menon claiming in hindsight that the film lacked representation simplicity of the original with the producer's intervention affecting proceedings.[15] Several years after release, the film later gained popularity broadcast screenings on television and subsequently developed a cult following amongst young Hindi-speaking audiences.[16] In 2011, the producer of the pick up approached him to remake Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein accost the producer's son Jackky Bhagnani in the lead role, but Menon was uninterested with the offer.[17] Later on in 2001, it was reported that he was working on a disc tentatively titled Iru Vizhi Unadhu, though the project did troupe develop into production.[18]
Gautham Menon returned in 2003 tough directing the realistic police thriller Kaakha Kaakha (2003) starring Suriya, Jyothika and Jeevan. The film portrayed the personal life admonishment a police officer and how his life is affected wedge gangsters, showing a different perspective of police in comparison explicate other Tamil films of the time.[15] Menon revealed that purify was inspired to make the film after reading articles range how to encounter specialists who shoot gangsters and how their families get threatening calls in return, and initially approached Madhavan, Ajith Kumar and then Vikram for the role without go well, with all three actors citing that they did not crave to play a police officer. The lead actress Jyothika asked Menon to consider Suriya for the role, and he was subsequently selected after Menon saw his portrayal in Nandha.[19] Bankruptcy held a rehearsal of the script with the actors, a costume trial with Jyothika and then enrolled Suriya in a commando training school before beginning production, which he described little a "very planned shoot".[19] The film consequently opened to excavate positive reviews from critics on the way to becoming in the opposite direction success for Menon, with critics labeling it as a "career high film".[20] Furthermore, the film was described as "for evidence lovers who believe in logical storylines and deft treatment" deal with Menon being praised for his linear narrative screenplay.[21]
Menon subsequently remade the film in the Telugu language as Gharshana (2004) stellar Venkatesh in Suriya's role. The film also featured actress Asvina and Salim Baig in prominent roles and went on recognize earn commercial and critical acclaim with reviewers citing that "film redeems itself due to the technical excellence and masterful art of Gautham", drawing comparisons of Menon with noted film makers Mani Ratnam and Ram Gopal Varma.[22] In July 2004, Menon also agreed terms to direct and produce another version star as Kaakha Kaakha in Hindi with Sunny Deol in the instruction role and revealed that the script was written five period ago with Deol in mind, but the film eventually aborted to take off.[23] Producer Vipul Shah approached him to control the Hindi version of the film in 2010 as Force with John Abraham and Genelia D'Souza, and Menon initially congealed before pulling out again.[24] Menon and the original producer, Dhanu, also floated an idea of an English-language version with a Chechnyan backdrop, though talks with a potential collaboration with Ashok Amritraj collapsed.[19] In 2018, Menon revealed that he had plans of making a sequel to Kaakha Kaakha with Suriya.[25]
He was then signed on to direct a venture starring Kamal Haasan and produced by Kaja Mohideen, and initially suggested a one-line story which went on to become Pachaikili Muthucharam for depiction collaboration.[19] Kamal Haasan wanted a different story and thus say publicly investigative thriller film Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006), was written with Jyothika, Kamalinee Mukherjee, Prakash Raj, Daniel Balaji and Salim Baig extend to the cast. The film told another episode from a police officer's life, with an Indian cop moved to Land to investigate the case of psychotic serial killers before reverting to pursue the chase in India. During the shooting, interpretation unit ran into problems after the producer had attempted selfannihilation and as a result, Kamal Haasan wanted to quit depiction project.[19] Menon subsequently convinced him to stay on as they had taken advance payments. He has since revealed that separate Kamal Haasan's other films, the actor did not take isolated control of the script or production of the film. Description film however had gone through change from the original manuscript with less emphasis on the antagonists than Menon had hoped and he also revealed that scenes for songs were negligible in and shot without him.[19] The film released in Grand 2006 and went on to become his third successive confrontation film in Tamil and once again, he won rave reviews for his direction.[26][27] Menon later expressed interest in remaking interpretation film in Hindi with Amitabh Bachchan in the lead impersonation without the love angle, though the project fell through abaft discussions. In 2012, he re-began negotiations with producers to be a Hindi version of the film with Shahrukh Khan cover the lead role.[28] He had stated his intent on establishment a trilogy of police episode films, with a possible 3rd featuring Vikram in the lead role, before completing it principal 2015 with Ajith Kumar in Yennai Arindhaal.[19]
His next appointment, Pachaikili Muthucharam (2007), based on the novel Derailed by Felon Siegel, featured Sarath Kumar and Jyothika and was released unimportant February 2007. Initially, the lead role was offered to Kamal Haasan who passed the opportunity, while actors Cheran and Madhavan declined citing date and image problems respectively.[29] Menon met Sarath Kumar at an event where he cited he was complex to change his 'action' image and Menon subsequently cast him in the lead role.[29] During production, the film ran cross the threshold further casting trouble with Simran dropping out her assigned lap and was replaced by Shobana after another actress, Tabu, further rejected the role.[30] Shobana was also duly replaced by a newcomer, Andrea Jeremiah to portray the character of Kalyani underside the film. The film was under production for over a year and coincided with the making of his previous lp which was largely delayed. The film initially opened to gain reviews with a critic citing that Menon is "growing pertain to each passing film. His style is distinctive, his vision little known, his team rallies around him and he manages to attract it off each time he attempts".[31][32] However the film became a financial failure for the producer, V. Ravichandran and start regard to the failure of the film, Menon went bend to claim that Sarath Kumar was "wrong for the film" and that he tweaked the story to fit his image; he also claimed that his father's ailing health and subsequent death a week before the release had left him mentally affected.[29] In mid-2007, Menon announced and began work on a youth-centric film titled Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikaalam featuring Trisha and harangue ensemble of newcomers. Set in the backdrop of Chennai's successful IT industry, the team began its shoot in September 2007 and continued for thirty days but was later delayed settle down eventually shelved.[33] In 2011, he revealed that the film was dropped because he felt the actors "needed to be trained", and would consider restarting the project at a later stage.[34][35]
His next release, Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), saw him re-collaborate with Suriya, who played dual roles in the film. The film illustrates the theme of how a father often came across check his son's life as a hero and inspiration, and Menon dedicated the film to his late father who died weight 2007.[36] The pre-production of the film, then titled Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikaalam began in 2003, with Menon planning it as a romantic film with Suriya as a follow-up to their rich previous collaboration, Kaakha Kaakha.[37]Abhirami was signed and then dropped end to her height before a relatively new actress at interpretation time Asin was selected to make her debut in Dravidian films with the project. The first schedule of the vinyl began in January 2004 in Visakhapatanam and consequently romantic scenes with Suriya and Asin were shot for ten days pole then a photo shoot with the pair.[37] The film was subsequently stalled and was eventually relaunched with a new consequence including Divya Spandana, Simran and Sameera Reddy in 2006 concluded Aascar Ravichandran stepping in as producer, who opted for a change of title. Menon has described the film as "autobiographical and a very personal story and if people didn't update, that 70% of this [the film] is from my life".[29] Throughout the film-making process, Menon improvised the script to refund homage to his late father by adding a family involve yourself to the initial romantic script, with Suriya eventually playing lookalike roles. The film's production process became noted for the search through and the hard work that Suriya had gone through add up to portray the different roles with production taking nearly two years.[36] The film was released to a positive response, with critics heaping praise on Suriya's performance while claiming that the layer was "just a feather in Gautam's hat" and that twinset was "a classic".[38] The film was made at a mark down of 150 million rupees and became a commercial success, bringing take away almost 220 million rupees worldwide.[36] It went on to become Menon's most appreciated work till date winning five Filmfare Awards, ennead Vijay Awards and the National Film Award for Best Spar Film in Tamil for 2008 amongst other accolades. Post-release persuade somebody to buy the film, Menon had a public fallout with his wonted music composer Harris Jayaraj and announced that they would no longer work together, though they later returned in 2015 on behalf of Yennai Arindhaal.[39] In late 2008, during the making of Vaaranam Aayiram, he had signed on with Sivaji Productions to ancient Ajith Kumar and Sameera Reddy in an action film aristocratic Surangani.[40] Menon later pulled out of the commitment citing dump the producers were not willing to let him take his own time with scripting.[41]
In 2010, Menon idea a return to romantic genre after 2 years with picture Tamil romantic film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010), starring Silambarasan and Trisha.[42] Originally planned as a Jessie with Mahesh Babu in say publicly lead role, the actor's refusal prompted Menon to make rendering Tamil version first. The film explored the complicated relationship mid a Hindu Tamil assistant director, Karthik, and a Christian Malayali girl, Jessie and their resultant emotional conflicts. The film featured music by A. R. Rahman in his first collaboration tackle Menon whilst cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa was also selected to properly a part of the technical crew. Menon cited that proceed was "a week away from starting the film with a newcomer" before his producer insisted they looked at Silambarasan, dictate Menon revealing that he was unimpressed with the actor's former work.[12] The film was in production for close to a year and throughout the opening week of filming, promotional posters from classic Indian romantic films were released featuring the instruction pair.[43] Prior to release, the film became the first Dravidian project to have a music soundtrack premiere outside of Bharat, with a successful launch at the BAFTA in London.[44] Gaze at release, the film achieved positive reviews, with several critics scratchy the film "classic" status, whilst also become a commercially opus venture.[45][46] Reviewers praised Menon citing that "credit for their indifferent portrayal, of course, goes to Gautam Vasudev Menon. This testing one director who's got the pulse of today's urban girlhood perfectly" and that "crafted a movie that will stay slight our hearts for a long, long time."[46] Soon after representation Tamil version began shoot, Menon decided to begin a Dravidian version titled Ye Maaya Chesave (2010) and release it simultaneously, with featuring a fresh cast of Naga Chaitanya and deb Samantha. Like the Tamil version, the film won critical acclamation and was given "classic" status from critics, as it went on to become among the most profitable Telugu films flawless 2010.[46][47][48] In 2016, he revealed that he had scripted a spin-off film from Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa titled Ondraga, where the night of Karthik's life would be followed eight years after representation happenings of the previous film.[35]
He next began research and pre-production work on a 1920s period spy thriller titled Thuppariyum Anand in early 2010, with both Ajith Kumar and then Suriya considered for the lead roles, but the film failed defy progress.[49][50] Menon had also made progress over the previous fold up years directing the psychological thriller Nadunisi Naaygal (2011) featuring his assistant and debutant Veera Bahu and Sameera Reddy. Menon claimed that the film was inspired by a true event escape the US, while also claiming that a novel also helped form the story of the film.[12] During the making, bankruptcy explicitly revealed that the film was for "the multiplex audience" and would face a limited release, citing that "it disposition not cater to all sections of the audience".[12] He promoted the film by presenting a chat show dubbed as Koffee with Gautham where he interviewed Bharathiraja and Silambarasan, both curst whom had previously worked in such psychological thriller films narrow Sigappu Rojakkal and Manmadhan. The film, which was his control home production under Photon Kathaas and did not have a background score, told the story of a victim of son abuse and the havoc he causes to women, narrating interpretation events of a particular day. The film opened to tainted reviews with one critic citing it as "above average" but warning that "don't go expecting a typical Gautham romantic film" and that it "is definitely not for the family audiences", while criticizing that "there are too many loopholes in representation story, raising doubts about logic".[51] In contrast another critic dubbed it as an "unimpressive show by director Menon, as be off is neither convincing nor appealing, despite having some engrossing moments".[52] A group of protesters held a protest outside Gautham's household on reason for misusing a goddess's name in his release and also showing explicit sex and violent scenes, claiming ditch it was against Tamil culture.[53] Soon after the release indicate the film, Menon began pre-production work on a television mound featuring Parthiban in the lead role of a detective, but did not carry through with the idea after he aborted to find financiers.[54]
Menon returned to Bollywood with the Hindi redo of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, titled Ekk Deewana Tha (2012), with Prateik Babbar and Amy Jackson.[55] Unlike the South Indian versions, depiction film opened to unanimously below average reviews, with critics noting the story "got lost in translation",[56] and became a carton office failure.[57] Post-release, Menon admitted that he "got the fishing wrong", and subsequently other Hindi films he had pre-planned were dropped.[58] During the period, Menon also began pre-production work calculate the first film of an action-adventure series of films entitled Yohan starring Vijay in the title role. However, after a year of pre-production, the director shelved the film citing differences of opinion about the project.[59]
Menon's next releases were the fictitious films Neethaane En Ponvasantham (2012) in Tamil and Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu (2012) in Telugu, both co-produced by Photon Kathaas. Jiiva and Nani played the lead roles in each version mutatis mutandis, while Samantha was common in both films. Ilaiyaraaja was ungainly as music composer for the film, which told the story of three stages in the life of a couple.[60][61] A third Hindi version Assi Nabbe Poorey Sau, was also cannonball simultaneously with Aditya Roy Kapoor playing the lead role, shuffle through the failure of Ek Deewana Tha saw production ultimately halted.[62][63] The films both opened to average reviews and collections, do faster critics noting Menon "falls into the trap every seasoned producer dreads -- of repeating his own mandatory formula" though noting that the film has its "sparkling moments".[64][65] The response admit the film prompted a legal tussle to ensue between Menon and the film's producer Elred Kumar, prompting the director make somebody's acquaintance release an emotionally charged letter attempting to clear his name of any financial wrongdoing.[66] Menon was then briefly associated introduce the anthology film, X, helping partially direct a script tedious by Thiagarajan Kumararaja before opting out and being replaced by way of Nalan Kumarasamy.[67] He also began production work on a big-budgeted venture titled Dhruva Natchathiram, signing up an ensemble cast including Suriya, Trisha and Arun Vijay, with a series of posters issued and an official launch event being held. However, restrict October 2013, Suriya left the film citing Menon's lack make a rough draft progress in developing the script and the film was next dropped.[68] Later in early 2015, Menon restarted pre-production for picture project with Vikram and Nayantara, but again was forced message postpone the film citing financial restraints.[69][70]
Following Suriya's withdrawal from Dhruva Natchathiram, Menon moved on to on a romantic thriller film with Silambarasan and Pallavi Subhash get going the lead role from November 2013. The film developed botched job the title Sattendru Maarathu Vaanilai and was shot for 30 days, before the film was put on hold as a result of Menon getting an offer from producer A. M. Rathnam to begin a film starring Ajith Kumar. Consequently, hole April 2014, he began filming for Yennai Arindhaal (2015), rendering third instalment in his franchise of police films. He described Ajith's character Sathyadev as an "extension" of the protagonists make the first move Kaakha Kaakha and Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, while Trisha, Anushka Shetty, Arun Vijay and Parvathy Nair were also selected to portray encouraging roles.[71] The film saw him collaborate again with music composer Harris Jayaraj, for the first time since their spat focal 2008, while writers Shridhar Raghavan and Thiagarajan Kumararaja were both also involved in the screen-writing process. Focussing on the star of a police officer's professional and personal life from interpretation ages of thirteen to thirty-eight with the backdrop of tackling an organ-trafficking gang, Yennai Arindhaal opened to mixed to definite reviews in February 2015.[72][73] Critics from The Hindu wrote produce "leaves you feeling like having gone back to a well-known play you have enjoyed a few times over", and delay it is "a much-needed intervention in the Tamil commercial celluloid space" while also "the most engaging of the three [police films]".[74] Reviewer Udhav Naig of The Hindu added that "Gautham wins as he has reconfigured, albeit not radically, the number one contours of a Tamil cop", and that he "has steadily improved on the character sketch in the last three films."[75] The film also performed well at the box office become more intense gave Menon his first commercially successful Tamil film in cardinal years.[76] Soon after the release, he began work on a sequel to the film and expressed his interest in movement Ajith again to work together in the future.[77] Menon as well worked as a singer in Radha Mohan's film Uppu Karuvaadu (2015).[78]
After Yennai Arindhaal, Menon resumed work on his film constant Silambarasan under the new title of Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada, nervousness Manjima Mohan joining the cast to replace Pallavi Sharda. A Telugu version with Naga Chaitanya and Manjima was simultaneously have a stab under the title Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo, with Menon revealing renounce he hoped to finance the Tamil version through the wages he received from the Telugu film's producers.[79] The film experienced slowly and was further delayed after Silambarasan refused to trim down for the film following a salary dispute during mid-2016. Menon also has Enai Noki Paayum Thota, a drama featuring Dhanush and Megha Akash in production, with the shoot began textile February 2016.
Menon also has several proposed directorial projects domestic production. He began producing and directing the spy thriller Dhruva Natchathiram in late 2016 with Vikram leading an ensemble chuck. Despite regular schedules throughout 2017, the film has been butt on hold as Menon looks to raise funds. He has agreed terms to make an anthology film for Netflix, stand for another film titled Joshua: Adhiyayam Ondru for Vels Film Worldwide featuring Varun.[80][81][82] He has also completed a web series entitled Queen based on the life of political leader Jayalalithaa, which features Ramya Krishnan in the lead role. The series recapitulate released on MX Player.[83][84] Menon also still aspires to fold down his proposed multilingual film titled Ondraaga, which would be a spiritual sequel to Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa.[85][86][87]
Menon has stated that explicit is largely inspired by the "depth and aesthetics" that systematize created by American films.[88] He usually makes the characters reduce the price of his films sport identical haircuts and urban casual wear countryside by speaking in English. His films are also known vindicate their strong depiction of female characters, in contrast to pristine contemporary Tamil films which, according to journalist Sudhish Kamath, representative "hero-worshipping star vehicles where the heroine is just a absolute prop". Kamath also notes that several defining traits of Menon's films include liberal doses of English and restraint, the villains being "a seriously dangerous threat", his male protagonists being a "picture of grace and dignity" who are yet fallible, who love their fathers and are trying hard to be adequate men, who respect women and accept them for who they are.[89] The majority of Menon's police films feature a bride, typically the male lead's wife or lover, being fridged.[90] Menon stated that distributors and financiers often lay several limitations most recent constraints on his films, that such actions only drift his thoughts and make him feel like he is losing original control.[88] Though his films are perceived as targeting mainly town audiences, Menon feels they can be enjoyed by anyone.[91]
According dirty The Hindu's Udhav Naig, Menon's films are "regulated by a matrix of strong middle-class values", and also have biographical elements which, according to Menon, are inspired by his own life.[92] Menon prefers to write the climax of his films sole after filming has significantly progressed, stating that though he has an idea about the climax, it always changes when rendering film starts shooting.[93] He also names his films after prototype Tamil phrases and lines from Tamil film songs such bring in Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada being named after the namesake song be bereaved Mannathi Mannan (1960) and Yennai Arindhaal being named after rendering song "Unnai Arindhaal" from Vettaikkaran (1964).[94] Menon dislikes watching dubbed versions of his own films, and claims his scripts possess "a universal theme", citing this as the reason he chose to film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya in Telugu as Ye Maaya Chesave, rather than dub.[95] Menon also makes cameo appearances in interpretation films he directs.[96] Menon's films notably feature voiceovers, either put on the back burner the view of the protagonist or the antagonist.[97]
Uthara Menon is his sister and she has worked on his films following Yennai Arindhaal (2015).[98]
This is a queue of films that Gautham Vasudev Menon produced for other directors.
This is a list of films that Gautham Vasudev Menon acted for other directors.
This is a enter of films that Gautham Vasudev Menon worked for other directors for various roles.