'I called you,' Vikram on Anurag Kashyap's remark that he 'never responded' to 'Kennedy' casting
Chennai/Cannes, May 22: South star Vikram on Monday said he called Anurag Kashyap "immediately" after he came to know the filmmaker had tried to contact him him for "Kennedy".
In a recent interview with news outlet Film Companion, Kashyap said that Vikram, whose real name is Kennedy John Victor, was his first choice to play the titular assassin in his latest film, but the actor "never responded".
In a lengthy Twitter note to the filmmaker, Vikram said he called Kashyap immediately after he got to know that the director was trying to get in touch with him for a project.
"Dear @anuragkashyap72... Just revisiting our conversation from over a year ago for the sake of our friends and well wishers on social media.
"When I heard from another actor that you had tried to reach me for this film & that you felt I hadn't responded to you, I called you myself immediately and explained that I hadn't gotten any mail or msg from you as the mail id that you had contacted me on was no longer active and my number had changed almost 2 years before that," the "Ponniyin Selvan" star wrote.
Vikram then wished the filmmaker "great times ahead" and said he is excited about the movie as it has his name.
"As I said during that phone call, I'm very excited for your film Kennedy and even more so because it has my name. I wish you great times ahead. Lots of love. Chiyaan Vikram aka Kennedy," he added.
Kashyap, currently attending the Cannes Film Festival where "Kennedy" is set to premiere under the Midnight Screenings section, went on to cast Rahul Bhat as the lead.
"I actually had a specific actor in mind when I wrote this film... The film was called Kennedy Project. It is Chiyaan Vikram. Chiyaan Vikram's real name is Kennedy. I reached out to him. He never responded. So then, I reached out to Rahul," the filmmaker told the news website.
"Kennedy" is a noirish thriller which follows the titular character working for a corrupt police force with scores to settle. The film also features Sunny Leone.
Dear @anuragkashyap72 ,
— Vikram (@chiyaan) May 22, 2023
Just revisiting our conversation from over a year ago for the sake of our friends and well wishers on social media. When I heard from another actor that you had tried to reach me for this film & that you felt I hadn’t responded to you, I called you myself…
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One tourist dies, two rescued at Malpe beach
Mangaluru (PTI): A tourist died and two others were rescued at Malpe Vadabandeshwara beach when they were bathing in the sea on Thursday, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Girish (26), a resident of Belur. Two persons who were rescued by lifeguards were identified as Ananth Gowda (42) and Santhosh (27), both from Belur Town, they said.
According to police, a group of tourists from Belur in Hassan district had come to Malpe beach. Girish, Santhosh and Ananth Gowda entered the waters to bathe and within minutes, all the three were caught in a strong current and washed away.
Lifeguards launched their speedboats and jet-ski vehicles and rescued Ananth Gowda and Santhosh.
Sources in the lifeguard group said when they picked up Girish, he was already lifeless due to water intake. He was taken to Kasturba Hospital where he was declared dead by hospital authorities.
Malpe police have registered a case of accidental death and are investigating.
