S. A. Chandrasekhar has the distinction of directing 17 of Vijayakanth’s 150 plus films. It was his 1981 hit Sattam Oru Iruttarai that propelled Vijayakanth to stardom.
Now, SAC’s grandniece Sneha Britto is on the verge of completing the remake of Sattam Oru Iruttarai . She went to meet ‘Captain’ (as Vijayakanth has been referred to after his 100 film Captain Prabhakaran ), the hero of the original Sattam Oru Iruttarai, to seek his blessings.
Sneha is helming the remake, with guidance from SAC himself. Newcomer Thaman plays Vijayakanth’s role, while Bindu Madhavi, Piaa Bajpai and Reema Sen play the other important characters.
What did Captain have to say to Sneha? Says Sneha: “I had gone along with SAC to meet Vijayakanth. He went on a nostalgic trip to the days when he acted in Sattam Oru Iruttarai . He said, ‘I learnt a lot under SAC. His dedication and passion for his art has made him what he is today — a successful filmmaker. As far as Sattam Oru Iruttarai is concerned, the film took me to a higher status in the industry, after a brief lull. The film's success is purely attributed to the strength of the script and its contemporary nature. Thirty years from now if anyone remakes it, it will still be a hit. The way SAC has etched the characters in the film is unique.’”
Of her first meeting with the actor-turned-politician, Sneha says, “Despite his success in the film industry and as a politician, Vijayakanth comes across as a humble person, grounded in reality. I think that has been the secret of his success.”
Sneha’s remake, also titled Sattam Oru Iruttarai, has just been cleared by the censors and is awaiting an early release.
