Ajith Kumar agreed to father role in Badhaai Ho Tamil remake

There are few things more isolating for a director than a flop. Adhik Ravichandran says that after his second film failed, he could not get a hero to sit through a story narration. The filmmaker, whose Good Bad Ugly with Ajith Kumar is his latest release, has now opened up about the one person who changed that.

From a supporting part to a superstar’s backing

Adhik first met Ajith on the sets of Nerkonda Paarvai, the Tamil remake of Pink. The H. Vinoth-directed drama was produced by Boney Kapoor, with Ajith in the lead and Adhik in a supporting role. Within four or five days of working together, Adhik recalls, Ajith took the initiative to introduce him to Kapoor and recommend him as a director worth backing.

That matters because Adhik was, in his own telling, at his lowest professionally. After a disappointing second outing, he struggled to get meetings, let alone commitments. Ajith, he says, wanted to give him a film.

The Badhaai Ho moment

Boney Kapoor had acquired the South Indian remake rights to Badhaai Ho, the 2018 Hindi comedy about a middle-aged couple’s unexpected pregnancy. When a Tamil version was being discussed, Ajith said he would play the father, the part Gajraj Rao played in the original. Adhik described the offer as a “lifetime opportunity.”

There was a twist: Adhik had not seen the original when he said yes to the remake. His plan was to reshape it as an action script for Ajith while keeping the essence of the story intact.

Why the casting still fascinates

Ajith is a star built on action and mass moments, so the idea of him taking on a family-driven father’s role is the kind of image-blurring casting fans love to debate. It also shows how remake rights can open unusual doors: a top actor can use a proven story to try a different register, and a struggling director can find a route back.

The key beats from Adhik’s account:

• His second film had failed, and he could not get heroes to hear a narration.
• Ajith introduced him to Boney Kapoor and pushed for a film under his direction.
• Kapoor held the South Indian remake rights to Badhaai Ho.
• Ajith agreed to play the father’s role, but the project did not move forward with them.

What actually got made

That version never went into production. The Tamil remake was eventually made as Veetla Vishesham, directed by RJ Balaji and NJ Saravanan. For filmi fans, the reveal leaves behind a tantalising what-if: a mass hero, a beloved comedy, and a director whose second chance disappeared before cameras rolled.

Source: The Times of India