What is the story about?
The Tamil film Maharaja is in the news again. Last week, it was revealed that the remake rights for Maharaja had been sold in Hollywood, with True Detective
star Matthew McConaughey taking on the lead role. Meanwhile, the star of the Indian version, Vijay Sethupathi, not only shared that a sequel is in the works but also stated that he wouldn't mind working for free in the Hollywood version. Directed by Nithilan Saminathan, the action thriller co-starring filmmaker Anurag Kashyap became a surprise hit at the box office in 2024.
Vijay Sethupathi on Maharaja sequel and Hollywood remake
At the audio launch of Baththa in Chennai, Vijay Sethupathi excited fans by announcing that he had heard what the sequel is about. Praising the director Nithilan, Vijay said, "His writing sense is so good. He recently told me the story of Maharaja 2, which was so beautiful. Initially, some people did not believe in Maharaja, but I always did. However, I didn’t expect this."
The Viduthalai Part 2 actor also discussed the Hollywood remake at the event. He went on to say that he asked the producers if the rumours were true. He shared, "I told him I’d act in it for free. Just give me a role in the film, and I’ll go there. It gives me such a great surprise and a sense of happiness. I’ve always wanted to act there, so I’m happy my film is going there."
What we know about Maharaja's Hollywood remake
After Maharaja's success on streaming and after its impressive box office returns in China, producer Sudhan Sundaram shared that a Hollywood agency had approached them to remake the Tamil film. In China, the action film raked in Rs 91 crore. According to Sudhan, Matthew McConaughey is one of the Hollywood actors being approached for the remake. The rights for the Hindi version have been bought by Aamir Khan Productions, with the Dangal star looking to take on the lead role.
More about Maharaja
Based on a story by Nithilan Saminathan, the director co-wrote the screenplay of Maharaja with Raam Murali. Released on June 14, 2024, Vijay plays the title role of a barber who goes to the police station looking to file a report about a stolen dustbin and launches an investigation into something much larger. Anurag Kashyap, Sachana Namidass, Baby Shynika, Mamta Mohandas, Natty Subramaniam and Abhirami also star in the thriller. The Tamil film nearly grossed Rs 200 crore worldwide and was a top title on streaming after it debuted on Netflix.
