The film was officially announced in December 2019 untitled, and the official title was announced the following month. Production was delayed for around four years owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vetrimaaran and Suriya's prior commitments and extensive pre-production works. As per recent developments, the film is currently scheduled to begin production in early 2025.
In mid-November 2019, Vetrimaaran in an interview to Ananda Vikatan had stated that he would collaborate with Suriya for a potential project.[1][2] Later that month, Kalaipuli S. Thanu who had produced Vetrimaaran's previous film Asuran (2019), officially announced the project under the tentative titleSuriya 40, as it was intended to the lead actor's 40th film.[3] However, the project went through delays, and Suriya 40 went on to become Etharkkum Thunindhavan (2022), directed by Pandiraj.[4][5]
At an award show held in Chennai in early January 2020, Vetrimaaran announced the title of his film as Vaadivaasal.[6] He further retained his norm technicians including musician G. V. Prakash Kumar, cinematographer R. Velraj, editor R. Ramar and production designer Jacki for the film.[7] Based on the eponymous novel authored by late C. S. Chellappa, Vetrimaaran signed an agreement with the novel's publisher Kalachuvadu, and Chellappa's son C. Subramanian.[8][9] The film is reportedly based on the traditional bull taming sport jallikattu and the taming of the bull Kaari, by the protagonist after whose father being hit by a bull to death.[9] It will be mostly set in the backdrop of Madurai.[9]
Pre-production
The commencement of filming was delayed multiple times owing to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in India, and with both Suriya's and Vetrimaaran's respective priorities on Etharkkum Thunindhavan and Viduthalai Part 1 (2023).[10] Due to this, efforts to start production was pushed from September–October 2021 to as late as mid-2022.[11][12][13] Vetrimaaran decided to work on the film's pre-production, utilizing the delay.[13] A test shoot was held at the outskirts of East Coast Road in Chennai, during mid-March 2022,[14][15] for which a huge set resembling a jallikattu event venue was erected and over hundreds of bulls were trained during the test shoot.[16][17]
In April 2023, Thanu stated that the production would begin from the fourth quarter of the year (October 2023); he added that the film would feature extensive use of computer graphics for sequences featuring animals.[18] The following month, Vetrimaaran went to London to work on the computer graphics.[19] He also added that, he planned to use animatronics, where the scanned images of a bull will be used as a robot, to film Suriya's portions with the bull.[20] This resulted in the filming being delayed again, with Vetrimaaran having to shoot few more sequences for Viduthalai Part 2 (2024).[21]
Since the start of filming had delayed consecutively, numerous reports surfaced that the film was being shelved, but Thanu in an interview with India Today dismissed them saying that the pre-production works are underway and being made on a huge scale.[22][23] Vetrimaaran also reinstated his claims on the film not being shelved or Suriya being replaced, and that he would commence filming after completion of Viduthalai Part 2.[24][25]
Casting
To prepare for his role, Suriya underwent a bull training procedure for a month before the film's production.[26] In September 2020, Andrea Jeremiah was announced to play the female lead, pairing opposite Suriya.[27][28] A year later, director Ameer Sultan was finalized for an important role in the film.[29] Due to the disputes regarding Ameer and producer K. E. Gnanavel Raja, a relative of Suriya, on the production of Paruthiveeran (2007), and Vetrimaaran voicing his support for Ameer raised claims whether he would be replaced in the film, because of the ongoing controversy.[30] However, Vetrimaaran dismissed the reports of Ameer being replaced as his role was written keeping with the actor in mind.[31]
Karunas, besides being cast in a prominent role, would also serve as an assistant director.[32] Soori confirmed his presence in the film, after previously working with Vetrimaaran on Viduthalai Part 1 and Part 2, and added that "the film will be an epic, which will make the world aware of the glory of the traditional game of our soil that has been heroic for thousands of years."[33] In an X video post released on the occasion of Tamil New Year (14 April 2022), Suriya was seen walking with the bull which would appear as a key character in the film.[34]
Filming
On 15 January 2025, on the occasion of Mattu Pongal, Thanu shared a picture of himself with Suriya and Vetrimaaran, announcing that the film is set to begin production soon.[35]
Music
The film's music is composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar in his second collaboration with Suriya after Soorarai Pottru (2020) and in his fifth collaboration with Vetrimaaran.[a][36] Prakash started working on the film's music during April 2021, and had completed recording around 2–3 songs by March 2022.[37] He described the music as native and rustic.[37] The film's audio rights were purchased by Saregama for ₹10 crore (US$1.2 million).[38]
Marketing
On 23 July 2020, coinciding with Suriya's 45th birthday, the producers unveiled a character design first-look poster from the film.[39][40] A year later, on 16 July 2021, a new title logo resembling that of bull was unveiled.[7][41] A behind-the-scenes (BTS) footage featuring Suriya training the bulls,[42] was released on 23 July 2022.[43][44]
