Director Nithilan Swaminathan, known for his critically acclaimed films "Kurangu Bommai" and "Maharaja", recently revealed that "Maharaja"—which is Vijay Sethupathi's 50th film and became a blockbuster—was initially intended to be his debut project. The film's unique storyline, which follows a saloon owner who files a police complaint over a stolen dustbin, ultimately had to wait its turn.

In a recent interview, Nithilan shared, "I shared the initial script of Maharaja with several actors and producers, and while some were very enthusiastic about it, the project faced challenges. Actor Shanthanu was particularly keen on the script and even introduced me to various producers. However, due to the producers' hesitation towards such a unique story, the project didn't materialize. As a result, I chose to debut with a different script, which eventually became Kurangu Bommai."

Reacting to Nithilan's comments, actor Shanthanu took to social media to express his thoughts. He admitted that he missed out on a fine script in his post saying, "First of all, I’m truly glad that Nithilan could bring #Maharaja to life, earning the recognition he deserves worldwide. It reassures me that I picked the right script back then Secondly, it’s incredibly kind of him to give me credit even after 10 years, really happy for you brother @Dir_Nithilan For all the questions below, neither my father nor I had anything to do with rejecting this script (in fact, my father didn’t even know Nithilan approached me). At that time, producers weren’t willing to take the risk, but today, it’s proven that 'Content is King.' I’m always looking for great scripts to work. As they say, 'Time will answer everything' Love to all" (sic).

First of all, I’m truly glad that Nithilan could bring #Maharaja to life, earning the recognition he deserves worldwide. It reassures me that I picked the right script back then
Secondly, it’s incredibly kind of him to give me credit even after 10 years, really happy for you… https://t.co/DypxVCSpYc

— Shanthnu (@imKBRshanthnu) August 20, 2024