Director Cibi Chakravarthy opened up about a difficult phase in his career when a planned collaboration with Superstar Rajinikanth did not materialise. Speaking at the audio launch of ‘Baththa’, the filmmaker recalled how he was supposed to direct ‘Thalaivar 173’ but eventually missed the opportunity.Cibi described the setback as a painful experience and credited Atlee with helping him regain confidence during that period. Calling Atlee his mentor, he recalled how the filmmaker personally reached out to him when he was struggling.“Atlee sir is a big mentor for me. Recently, I was supposed to do ‘Thalaivar 173’ with Superstar Rajinikanth, but it got missed. It was a very painful space for me,” Cibi Chakravarthy said.
Atlee’s words gave Cibi Chakravarthy new confidence
Cibi Chakravarthy revealed that Atlee’s call came at a particularly emotional point and helped him look beyond the setback. Recalling the filmmaker’s words, he said Atlee told him, “You’re a blockbuster director. Don’t get fed up.”According to Cibi, that reassurance gave him the motivation to return to work and focus on his next project.“Your words made me get up and run, sir. I’ll make you proud with my next film,” he said.Cibi also praised Atlee’s approach to filmmaking and credited his passion for his success.“More than hard work, it’s all about your heart. Whatever you touch will be greatly successful, sir,” he added.
Cibi Chakravarthy praises Atlee’s ‘Raaka ’ visuals
Cibi Chakravarthy also spoke enthusiastically about Atlee’s upcoming film ‘Raaka’, revealing that he had already seen some of the project’s visuals.The filmmaker was particularly impressed by the scale and visual ambition of the film. “Atlee sir is doing a film that will make Indian cinema proud. He showed me the visuals. I haven’t even seen such visuals in Avatar. You all will witness it in three days. It was extraordinary,” he said.Cibi further compared Atlee’s ambition to that of filmmaker SS Rajamouli, who has taken Indian cinema to international audiences through large-scale productions.“Just like Rajamouli sir is taking Indian cinema to the next level, Atlee sir will take Indian cinema to the global map with ‘Raaka.’ I’m proud to be your student, sir,” Cibi said.
About ‘Baththa’
Cibi Chakravarthy made the remarks at the audio launch of ‘Baththa’, which is scheduled to release in theatres on October 1. The film stars Vijay Sethupathi and Lijomol Jose in the lead roles and is directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan. Atlee is backing the project through A For Apple Studios and Cine1 Studios. Sai Abhyankkar has composed the music, while Selva Kumar SK is the cinematographer and Kalaivanan R is handling the editing.
