Kavin Begins Per Sollum Pillai, a Rural Entertainer

Kavin has spent the last couple of years picking films that are rooted rather than glossy, and his next one keeps to that line. Per Sollum Pillai went on floors in Chennai this week, launched with the traditional pooja and a first clap from producer Kalaippuli S. Thanu, who gave the camera its ceremonial start.

The film is directed by Ram Sangaiah, who drew notice with the rural thriller Thandatti, and it places Kavin at the centre of a story set against a village backdrop with a heavy streak of entertainment running through it. Sanjana Krishnamoorthy plays the female lead.

For Kavin, it is another collaboration with a director who works from a strong sense of place, a register he has leaned into since Star and Bloody Beggar. The makers are pitching Per Sollum Pillai as a family-friendly entertainer, the kind of crowd-pleaser that wants laughs and warmth in equal measure rather than a single tonal note.

The technical crew is a notable one. R. Velraj, who shot Viduthalai, is behind the camera, with music by Justin Prabhakaran, editing by G. Madan, and art direction by M. Kathiravan Mathi. The film is produced by S. Lakshman Kumar under Prince Pictures, with A. Venkatesh as co-producer.

The launch drew a strong turnout from the industry, with director-actor Tamizh, filmmaker Thiagarajan Kumararaja and director Andrew Louis among those present to send the project off. With the camera now rolling and a cast and crew this settled, Per Sollum Pillai moves straight into a shoot the team expects to keep on schedule.