‘Mission: Chapter 1, a new experience for everyone in the team’

CHENNAI: We meet Arun Vijay and director Vijay at a studio in the city, where an exclusive screening of the film’s trailer was shown to us. The video had Arun Vijay in a new look with some exhilarating action sequences, who pulls off some daredevil action sequences without body double, and it is evident that director Vijay has come up with a new back-drop and has gone all out in what could be a high-octane action drama upon its release.

However, Vijay is still seen standing in one corner of the preview room, at his modest best. “Least did I know that Vijay had such an action-packed director in him. He has come out with all guns blazing literally with Mission Chapter 1.

But on the sets again, he still spoke in a soft tone, even in crunch situations. Even for me this is something new. I haven’t tried this kind of action before. This is something fresh for all of us including our stunt choreographer Silva. There are certain things we have tried because the script demanded it. It has come out well,” says Arun Vijay with a smile.

The story is set in the backdrop of London’s Wandersworth Prison, and Vijay says that intense research was done to get things right for Mission: Chapter 1 that will be presented by Lyca Productions.

“We went to the prison and took notes of every small detail of what we saw there. A warden in a London prison is called a custodial manager. What uniforms they wear and what would be Amy Jackson’s designation in the movie, we have brought all those details in the movie, so that it looks authentic. The story travels back and forth from India to the United Kingdom,” he reveals.

A massive set resembling Wandersworth Prison, across four acres was built in Chennai. Arun Vijay reminisces and opens up on his first reaction when he visited the sets in person. “Whenever I called Vijay, he kept telling me to wait as the set work was still in progress. At a point in time, I was agitated and was also keen on seeing what took such a long time. When I went there it was massive and was like a maze. The corridors and pathways were real. It was built keeping the safety of artistes and stuntmen in mind as we had a lot of action sequences to perform. I was lost for words,” says Arun.

The film also marks the comeback of Amy Jackson in movies after a hiatus.

Vijay says, “Amy feels at home with me. When I told her the character outline, she was excited to be in front of the camera.” The story written by Mahadev will release in two parts and Vijay says that wasn’t the plan initially.

“Only after the story was developed, we realised that it has the scope to be made as a two-part story. We have shot only the first part for now and we will go on floors again for Chapter 2 later.”

The film was initially titled Achcham Yenbadhu Ilaye, before changing to Mission: Chapter 1. “When Lyca came into the film, they saw that the story had a pan-Indian appeal to it. Hence, the title was changed keeping the Indian audience in mind,” concludes Arun Vijay.

The trailer of Mission: Chapter 1 will be launched soon across Indian languages.