Viduthalai Part: 1 is a recent film that was released on March 31 and is running successfully in theatres. It was directed by Vetri Maaran and has Soori as lead with also has leading directors Rajiv Menon and Gautham Vasudev Menon in important roles. The film also has Bhavani Sre playing the female lead and Vijay Sethupathi playing the key character Vaathiyar/Perumal. It also has music composed by Isagnani Ialayaraja. The film received huge praise for the opening sequence of the film which shows a train that derails due to bomb blast. It shows sequence was shown in a single shot and sets the base for the plot of the film. The film has Jacki as the art director.
Jacki/Jackson made his debut as art director with the late filmmaker K Balachander in 2006 and done many films over the years predominantly in Tamil including Asuran, Soorarai Pottru, etc. He gave an exclusive interview with Galatta Media where he shared about the making of Viduthalai Part: 1. The art director said “It began as a small project with Soori and He asked me to read the novel, I read it. Then, he said this is only we are going to do and he (Vetri Maaran) explained the train sequence and said 'This is only going to be the first thing Jackson. However, big you build the set I am going to take only one shot in it.' I asked if it was just one shot, And that how it started. 'The massive thing in the film will be this otherwise the film will be simple' said the director. Then it took shape."
As the anchor asked how many days it took for the massive Train set, the technician said “As you said, I asked for two coaches. We bought it but you can transport it because of its length by road. So we cut in like cake and then joined it at the location. Then other coaches, we did it." Speaking about the experimental shots, Jackson said "mostly everything was experimental because in Vada Chennai we build a set with height variations but in this, the terrain itself is different we make a plan this is how it's going to be, but when you reach the elevation will be different and the house should alone, so we had to think how it looks lively and we had to either excavate the hill or close the 12ft steep rocks in the hill. The fight sequence, Where Soori jumps on top of terracotta roof tiles and it breaks. If an actor just jumps on it the roof it will break and he will fall inside the house. So we had to underlay it with thick Plywood fully. We kept the terracotta roof on top." When asked about how Vetri Maaran's would be in shooting spot the art director said "to be honest he won’t allow me inside the shooting spot. I will make things ready and get off the set. And he will only work with his assistants team. One time, I went voluntarily while shooting the climax scene. I saw the energy he was giving and thought I needn’t interrupt him and went out through the back. He needed 100 times more efforts as he was the captain of the ship to make sure every aspect is right."
