(This article is authored by Alar)

The blockbuster Tamil film ‘Thani Oruvan’ (2015), which starred Jayam Ravi and Arvind Swamy in the lead roles, was originally conceived for a different star. Director Mohan Raja, who helmed the film, has revealed that he had approached Prabhas, the Baahubali actor, to play the protagonist in his cop thriller.

In an interview with SS Music, Mohan Raja surprisingly revealed that his first choice for the lead was the Bahubali actor. He said,  “Back in 2015, if I had made a love story with Prabhas, my career would have taken a different route. I took a decision to do a cop film over a romantic film at that time,

"In fact, I realised that I was interested in making a different cop film and I went into a different zone. ‘Thani Oruvan’ was initially started for Prabhas. The initial idea of jumping off of a police academy - it started with Prabhas.” he added.

However, things did not work out with Prabhas and Mohan Raja decided to cast his brother Jayam Ravi as the honest and upright police officer Mithran IPS. The film also featured Arvind Swamy as the suave and cunning antagonist Siddharth Abhimanyu, who is a scientist and a businessman involved in illegal activities.

‘Thani Oruvan’ was a huge success at the box office and received critical acclaim for its gripping storyline, engaging performances and stylish direction. The film also spawned a Telugu remake titled ‘Dhruva’ (2016), which starred Ram Charan and Arvind Swamy in the same roles.

Mohan Raja is currently working on the sequel to ‘Thani Oruvan’, which will reportedly have Jayam Ravi and Nayanthara reprising their roles. The director has also expressed his interest in working with Prabhas in the future, saying that he is a fan of his work and personality.