17 actors said ‘No’ to THIS Tamil film: It became a blockbuster, and even got a Bollywood remake

Ask any film historian, and they would unanimously agree that some of the greatest films in the history of cinema were first dismissed as risky ideas. From ideation to execution, such films would have struggled to find even a handful of people who really believed in them. But success always accompanies those with determination. And the story of a 2018 Tamil film that emerged as a blockbuster is no different. As many as 17 young actors turned down the film, but the right one said ‘Yes’, and well, the rest is history. The Tamil film in question is the 2018 release ‘Ratsasan’. Yes, you read that right. As many as 17 actors refused to play the lead role in the film. That’s not all. About 21 producers thought the film wasn’t bankable and refused to produce it. Their loss! Because the film emerged as one of the best crime thrillers of the decade, and was even remade in two languages, including Hindi! The 2018 film ‘Ratsasan’, written and directed by Ram Kumar, featured Vishnu Vishal and Amala Paul in the lead roles. Initially, when the filmmaker tried to pitch the film to some of the big production houses in Kollywood, they weren’t interested. Many felt it was a risky gamble, and the topic was too dark. Dark? Maybe. Risky? Depends. But none of them thought ‘Ratsasan’ would evolve as a gem and sell like hotcakes in the cinemas. “Seventeen actors listened to the story and refused to act in it. Likewise, 21 producers heard it and declined to back the film. In the end, Dilli Babu of Axess Film Factory came forward to produce it,” Vishnu Vishal earlier revealed in an interview. The film revolved around the life of an aspiring filmmaker who becomes a cop and is on the hunt for a serial killer. Starring Vishnu Vishal and Amala Paul, the film also featured Sangili Murugan, Radha Ravi, Nizhalgal Ravi, Kaali Venkat, Munishkanth, and Vinoth Sagar, among others, in supporting roles. The film’s box office success also attracted national attention, and it was remade in Bollywood as ‘Cuttputlli’, featuring Akshay Kumar in the lead role.