For a change, director Vijay is pretty relaxed about the release of his next film, Saivam , on May 1. Featuring Nasser in a central role along with a host of newcomers, Saivam, he says, deals with how social relationships have changed due to migration from villages. “Three generations of a family decide to celebrate the temple festival in their village together after a very long time. The film captures the experiences and idiosyncrasies of the characters when they come into contact with one another. Many events in Saivam are inspired by my life — going back to my village, interacting with my grandparents…” says director Vijay.
Saivam will see Nasser's son Luthfudeen Basha making his debut. He and Baby Sara Arjun play Nasser's grandchildren.
The fact that a lot has changed in our villages is well-known. Did Vijay observe anything specific that prompted him to make a ‘back to the roots’ film? “Those of my generation would have learnt to make sense of the world from our grandparents. These days, kids teach their grandparents about the world.” But why name it Saivam ? “The theme of vegetarianism runs through the film. It touches upon my experiences of becoming a vegetarian. I am not trying to preach anything.”
This small-budget feature has been produced by Vijay's father under the banner Think Big Films.
While Vijay is likely to work with Arya on a romantic entertainer next, his production house will be backing a film helmed by cinematographer Nirav Shah.