9 years of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan: Nayanthara calls hubby Vignesh Shivan's directorial 'special'; 'A film that came to bless my life and...'

If there's one film that changed the life of Lady Superstar Nayanthara, it has to be the 2015 romantic film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, directed by her husband, Vignesh Shivan. Starring Makkal Selvan Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara in the lead roles, this month marks the 9th anniversary of this iconic romantic drama's release.

Nayanthara's heartfelt note

Directed by Vignesh Shivan, the film was produced by actor Dhanush and marked the beginning of the love story between leading lady Nayanthara and the director. On the film’s 9th anniversary, Nayanthara shared a heartfelt tribute recalling her romantic tale that began on the film's set. Sharing a memorabilia video containing shots from the film and some behind-the-scenes photos, the actress expressed gratitude for the immense love she received for the film. 

She wrote, “A film that came to bless my life and change it forever. 9 years ago on this day Naanum Rowdy Dhaan released. Forever grateful to it for giving me a new love from people, new lessons as a performer, new experiences, new core memories, and new relationships. And of course, I have to thank my man @wikkiofficial for giving me NRD, which gave me him. Sharing a collection of images that I’ve been carrying on my phone all these years that constantly remind me of my special film. #NaanumRowdyDhaan #NRD #9years #Oct21 #Grateful (sic).”

A look back at the 2015 romantic drama

Naanum Rowdy Dhaan marked the first collaboration between Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara, as well as the leading pair's first association with director Vignesh Shivan. The movie revolves around Pondy Paandi, who falls in love with Kadhambari, a deaf woman. Together, they join forces to take revenge against a ruthless gangster.

Also read: Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan officially man and wife: Here are some love-filled moments from their wedding

Upon its release, the film received overwhelming responses from audiences who loved Nayanthara’s portrayal and were captivated by Anirudh Ravichander’s hit compositions. The film not only became a roaring success but also achieved cult classic status, with dialogues like "Are you okay baby?" becoming popular pop culture references in Kollywood. Interestingly, Vignesh Shivan initially announced the project with Anirudh in the lead role. However, Anirudh later withdrew, and Gautham Karthik and Lavanya Tripathi were brought in, with Gautham Vasudev Menon set to produce. The project, however, failed to materialize, leading to Dhanush stepping in as the producer in 2014 and confirming Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara as the lead actors.

Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan, who met on the film’s set, fell in love and, after a whirlwind 7-year romance, got married in 2022.

Naanum Rowdy Dhaan is available for streaming on SunNXT in Tamil and Aha in Telugu.

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