Vishal: Game for challenge

Refusing to be bogged down by the pressure caused by the not-so-impressive performances of his last two films at the box office, Vishal is back to doing what he does best ��� providing wholesome entertainers.
His next film, Theeratha Vilayaatu Pillai (TVP), will showcase him as a playboy for the first time and the movie���s triggered expectations. Giving out details of his role in the film, he says, ���I play Karthik, a playboy who has this habit of always choosing only from the three best options, even when it comes to his marriage.���
The three ladies who now share screen space with him in the film are Tanushree Dutta, Sarah Jane and Neetu Chandra.However, the original cast the team had in mind was different and included Shriya Saran. So, why was the cast changed?
Explains the actor, ���Shriya was definitely a part of the cast of TVP before Thoranai released. That was because we thought Shriya would suit the role. It is not because Thoranai flopped that the cast was changed. There were quite a few other artistes whom we approached for the other two heroine slots. But we realised that it���s easier to make a remake of Ben Hur than cast three top heroines in one film. The only other option open to us was going with Shriya and two new faces. But if that was going to be the scenario, then we realised that it would be easy for the viewer to guess that it would be Shriya who would be getting the hero among the three in the film.���
He continues, ���Apart from this, the producer of the film too changed. The first producer wasn���t forthcoming in taking up this project after Thoranai because TVP is a new director���s project. The producer gave me an offer saying that ���we would rather go with an established director than a new director.���
I didn���t agree, because I was all set to roll.We communicated it to the producer who didn���t want to go ahead with the project. So, I went back to my home production, which is there to back me up, and my brother, after listening to the script, okayed it. That���s when we decided to start the project and chose to go for new faces.���
According to sources, the movie is shaping up well, but the pressure to deliver a hit is intense. Has the pressure affected his working style? Says Vishal, ���I don���t know if it is an advantage or disadvantage, but I have never changed the way I work, irrespective of my success or failure. Had I been affected by it, I would not have chosen to work with a new director. Yes, my last two films did make me take note of things but they certainly haven���t made me think that I should opt for a safe bet.���
The movie, the audio of which is expected to release in the second week of December, also has Santhanan and Sudha Chandran, apart from Prakash Raj, who will be making a cameo appearance. The music has been composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja.
Says Vishal, ���It���s wonderful to work with Yuvan. His songs are the highlight of this film. Just wait and watch, Yuvan���s songs in this film will rock!���