Karan Johar captivated by Suriya’s Kanguva, praised spectacular visuals, recalls producer

Producer KE Gnanavel Raja has heaped praise on director Siva for his exceptional management of the ambitious project Kanguva, which took over three years to complete. The film, starring Suriya in the lead role, is the most expensive project in the actor’s career, with a budget reportedly nearing Rs 350 crore.

Speaking about Siva's dedication, Gnanavel said, "I know that when a movie's production stretches beyond a year, the cast and crew can start to grow restless. But Siva managed to keep the entire team’s morale high for three years. That is no small feat." Gnanavel emphasized that the positive energy on set throughout such an extended period was a testament to Siva's leadership and passion for the project.

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The producer also revealed his confidence in Siva's vision, explaining why he gave the director complete creative control over the budget. "I was so impressed with Siva's script that I didn't want to restrict him. I was worried that if I set a budget limit, he might have to make compromises, so I gave him a free hand," Gnanavel shared.

Gnanavel is proud of what Siva and the team have achieved with the massive budget, stating that the film's visual grandeur is a direct result of the time, effort, and resources invested. He recounted a memorable moment when filmmaker Karan Johar visited their office in Mumbai. "Karan was in a rush, but when we showed him 40 minutes of visuals from Kanguva, he stayed back for more than an hour discussing the movie and praising Siva. Karan is one of the biggest names in Bollywood, and for the film to captivate him, a non-Tamil audience, shows how remarkable Siva's work is. This wouldn’t have been possible if we had restricted the budget," Gnanavel told Behindwoods.

Kanguva, which has been in the making for over three years, is one of the most anticipated releases of 2024, and the producers are confident it will make a significant impact not just in Tamil cinema, but across India.

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