‘Rana Daggubati was supposed to die’: Vishnu Vishal breaks his silence on tiff with filmmaker Prabhu Solomon, says 'I never spoke to...'

Actor Vishnu Vishal, who earned widespread praise for his performance in the 2018 thriller Ratsasan, has opened up about his disappointment and fallout with director Prabhu Solomon over the 2021 film Kaadan (released as Aranya in Telugu and Haathi Mere Saathi in Hindi).

In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, Vishnu revealed that he hasn’t spoken to the director since the film’s release.

A Tough Journey in Tamil Cinema

Reflecting on his journey since debuting in Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu (2009), Vishnu said that his path has been far from smooth. “My journey was not easy. I haven’t taken many names, but if I did, there would be a long list,” he shared. He spoke emotionally about Kaadan, saying, “I was there from the first frame to the last. Rana [Daggubati] was supposed to die, and I was to become the forest’s protector.”

Shocking Changes Made Without Informing Him

However, things took a painful turn just before the release. Vishnu discovered, only five days before the film hit theatres, that major portions of his role had been cut from the second half. “After giving a movie like Ratsasan, I find out my scene has been trimmed. I still did the promotions,” he said. “But from then till today, I haven’t spoken to Prabhu Solomon sir. Because he didn’t tell me—I got to know from someone else. That was very disheartening.”

What Kaadan Was Supposed to Be

Kaadan tells the story of Veerabharathi, a forest protector who deeply cares for elephants and stands against those who threaten nature. Vishnu played Maaran in the Tamil version, a key character whose arc was meant to be significant. The same role was played by Pulkit Samrat in the Hindi version. However, after the edits, Vishnu’s character lost much of its presence in the final cut.

What’s Next for Vishnu Vishal

Despite the setback, Vishnu has continued to work steadily. He recently starred in and produced Oho Enthan Baby, which also marked the debut of his brother Rudra. Up next, he will be seen in Irandu Vaanam and Aaryan, as he continues to explore new projects and push forward in the industry.