The sound of whistles echoed across Chennai’s Leela Palace, the venue of the audio launch of upcoming Tamil film, LGM (Let’s Get Married). The cheers were not just for the actors, but for the producer: MS Dhoni.
‘Thala’, as the Chennai Super Kings captain is fondly referred to in the city, debuts as a producer in Tamil cinema with this film. “I believe in destiny and this film was destined to happen in Tamil,” said Dhoni, “My Test debut happened in Chennai and my highest Test score was in this city. When it comes to cricket, a lot of things that I am proud of happened in Chennai. Since the beginning of IPL, I was adopted by Tamil Nadu. The kind of love fans have shown is unbelievable; the win in IPL 2023, after its ups and downs, was remarkable.”
Dhoni’s love for the city extends beyond cricket, which is probably why he zeroed in on a Tamil film to kickstart his movie production business. “I feel that the bond (between the city and me) is there. And it is mutual.”
Yogi Babu and MS Dhoni; Graphics: Albert Francis J
Produced by Sakshi Singh Dhoni and Vikas Hasija for Dhoni Entertainment, this romantic film, directed by debutant Ramesh Thamilmani, stars Harish Kalyan, Nadiya, Ivana, Yogi Babu and RJ Vijay. Expected to hit screens in July, the core concept of this film was mooted by Sakshi. Director Ramesh said, “Sakshi gave me a concept that I developed further, based on lots of interaction. LGM was like a family project, with absolutely no pressure; there were lots of happy moments for the team.”
The film tackles a “universal problem”, he added. “We have seen many love stories but this film deals with how the lead pair plans a trip with their families before the wedding, and how they tackle the problems that ensue.”
Dhoni, despite being tied up with IPL and his cricketing commitments, also heard the storyline and gave his inputs. Ramesh revealed, “All he told me was: Don’t worry about results, follow the process.”
Dhoni, who has already watched the film, added, “LGM is a clean movie. I can watch it with my daughter too, and even though she will have lots of questions, she will enjoy it.”
