Delay in Silambarasan’s STR 51: Producer says film will begin after Ashwath Marimuthu completes Dharman
Producer Archana Kalpathi has clarified the reasons behind the delay in Silambarasan’s much-awaited project with director Ashwath Marimuthu, saying the film will commence only after the filmmaker completes his ongoing venture starring Rajinikanth.
The project, currently referred to as STR 51, was announced with a promotional glimpse introducing Silambarasan in the role of the “God of Love.” Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting updates, leading to speculation about the film’s status.
Speaking in a recent interview, Archana explained that the delay has nothing to do with the actor’s availability. Instead, she said the production schedule depends entirely on Ashwath Marimuthu finishing work on Dharman, his upcoming film featuring Superstar Rajinikanth.
She noted that the original production plan had envisioned STR 51 and Silambarasan’s ongoing film Arasan, directed by Vetri Maaran, progressing simultaneously. According to her, scheduling conflicts involving the actor were never a concern.
Archana, who said she has known Silambarasan since childhood through her family’s long association with actor-director T. Rajendar, added that the filmmaker required additional time to perfect the screenplay. She praised Ashwath’s writing process, describing him as a director who prefers to complete every aspect of the script before filming begins, leaving little need for changes during production or post-production.
She also revealed that both her father and T. Rajendar encouraged Ashwath to prioritise the screenplay rather than rush the project. During this period, Silambarasan accepted Vetri Maaran’s Arasan, with an understanding that he would allocate dates for both films whenever STR 51 entered production.
Those plans, however, changed after Ashwath was offered the opportunity to direct Rajinikanth in Dharman. Archana said the team unanimously supported the decision, describing it as a significant milestone in the director’s career.
She added that everyone involved is prepared to wait until Dharman is completed and released before moving ahead with STR 51, expressing confidence that the long-awaited collaboration will eventually go on floors once Ashwath becomes available.