Director Vishnu Edavan has dismissed speculation that his debut film ‘Hi’ was intentionally written around the age difference between its lead pair, Kavin and Nayanthara.
The romantic drama, which marks the lyricist’s first venture as a director, has drawn comparisons with Suriya and Mamitha Baiju’s upcoming film ‘Vishwanath & Sons’, with many assuming both films revolve around relationships involving a significant age gap.
Addressing the rumours in a recent interview, Vishnu said his primary objective was to challenge conventional casting choices rather than highlight the age difference between the lead actors. He explained that he wanted to tell a simple, family-oriented story and felt casting Kavin and Nayanthara would add a fresh element to the narrative.
The filmmaker also said he hoped to break long-standing perceptions surrounding female stars and age in cinema. Pointing out that senior male actors such as Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Chiranjeevi and Nandamuri Balakrishna continue to headline films irrespective of age, he questioned why the same approach could not be extended to leading actresses. He added that he considers Nayanthara capable of carrying such roles in the same way male superstars have done over the years.
Apart from Kavin and Nayanthara, the film features the late K. Bhagyaraj, Radikaa Sarathkumar, Prabhu, VTV Ganesh, Sathyan, Amrutha Srinivasan, Adithya Kathir, Kureshi, FEFSI Vijayan, Kaavya Arivumani and Mirchi Kemy in key roles.
Jen Martin has composed the music, while Rajesh Shukla is handling cinematography. Philomin Raj serves as editor and Sekar B is the art director.
‘Hi’ is jointly produced by Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan under The Rowdy Pictures, along with SS Lalit Kumar’s Seven Screen Studio, with Zee Studios also backing the project. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on August 14.