Director Mathimaran Pugazhendhi's Mandaadi was born from an experience he had while visiting a seaside town for an entirely different reason.
Hailing from Cuddalore, Mathimaran grew up near the coast, but it was watching a traditional boat race in person that eventually inspired him to tell a story set against the sea. The filmmaker, who previously worked as an assistant director to Vetrimaaran, spent two years developing the story and another year making the film.
Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Mathimaran recalled the experience that stayed with him. "I didn't create this story. I had gone to a place for a different purpose but I found something was happening in that seaside town. That was when I had the opportunity to watch this boat race. The impact of that event was very strong on me."
Mandaadi, which released in September 2026, has also drawn attention for the performances of Soori and Suhas.
Mathimaran said the film required more than just actors playing their respective parts. "Acting is one thing. Delivering a performance like that another. Soori and Suhas have done a great job," he said.
Why Mathimaran Chose Suhas For Sattapuli
Suhas plays Sattapuli, a negative character in Mandaadi, marking his entry into Tamil cinema. Mathimaran said he was looking for an actor who could bring versatility to the role.
"We were looking for an actor with versatility and when I saw some of Suhas' work, I was convinced he was perfect for Sattapuli. But I was apprehensive whether he would agree to play a negative role as he was playing lead roles in Telugu cinema. Suhas agreed to do the film after listening to the story and even wanted to dub for the film. The only thing he kept asking me was whether this negative role would be good for him to make his debut in Tamil cinema and I assured him it would and it has," smiles Mathimaran.
Interestingly, Mathimaran himself eventually dubbed Suhas' portions in the film.
"In fact, I dubbed for Suhas in Mandaadi!" he adds. Asked if that experience has made him consider acting, the director laughs.
"Are you asking me because many directors are turning actors? I am not interested in acting. We tried numerous voices for Suhas but it didn't work out like how I wanted and eventually I stepped in. I have no desire to act."
Vetrimaaran Initially Warned Him About Shooting At Sea
Mathimaran's association with Vetrimaaran goes back to his days as an assistant director. Vetrimaaran later came on board Mandaadi as its creative producer and was also seen in behind-the-scenes footage from the film's challenging sea shoots.
Mathimaran revealed that Vetrimaaran was initially unsure about the idea of making a film that involved extensive shooting at sea.
"When I first narrated the script to him, he told me perhaps I should think of another subject because shooting at sea was extremely difficult. He told me that he had tried it and it didn't work. But after watching the film when it was completed, he said I had followed through with it and appreciated my conviction," says Mathimaran.
Vetrimaaran also called Mathimaran his most successful assistant director, as he was the first among his assistants to deliver a blockbuster.
Shooting Mandaadi At Sea Was A Major Challenge
While the boat race forms an important part of Mandaadi, filming those sequences came with its own set of challenges. Cinematographer SR Kathir played a key role in capturing the unpredictable action at sea.
"He has contributed a lot to this film. Because the sea was so unpredictable we couldn't plan the shots and go into the sea. We'd end up getting disappointed if we did that. What Kathir had to do was improvise on his feet - we'd go into the sea and he would shoot what he thought was required and come through at that point. It was very tough shooting those moments in the sea because the boats are constantly moving," the director acknowledges.
The shoot also saw difficult incidents, including a boat capsizing and expensive camera equipment being lost. Despite these setbacks, Mathimaran and his team continued with the film.
The director's wife, lyricist Jayashree Mathimaran, has also been part of the journey. She has penned three songs for Mandaadi, which has music by GV Prakash Kumar. Jayashree has described the film as the culmination of a journey that the couple went through together, including the difficult phases of its production, delays, the boat accident and the physical demands of filming at sea.
With Mandaadi now released, Mathimaran is looking ahead. The director says he would like to expand the story into a trilogy, as he believes there are more stories waiting to be told against the backdrop of the sea.
"There are still many stories to narrate that are set at sea," he signs off.
