Vijay Sethupathi says he was ‘heartbroken’ when Super Deluxe wasn’t chosen as India’s official Oscars entry due to ‘politics’

Vijay Sethupathi expressed his disappointment over his film Super Deluxe missing out the opportunity to be India's official entry to the Oscars in 2019, with the honour going to Ranveer Singh-starrer Gully Boy instead.

By: Entertainment Desk

Chennai | January 7, 2024 11:13 AM IST

3 min read

Vijay Sethupathi in a still from Super Deluxe.

Vijay Sethupathi’s 2019 film, Super Deluxe, also featuring Fahadh Faasil, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Ramya Krishnan in key roles, garnered widespread acclaim for its innovative storytelling. Sethupathi, who portrayed the groundbreaking role of a transgender woman in the film, expressed his disappointment that Super Deluxe missed the opportunity to be India’s official entry to the Oscars in 2019. Instead, the honour went to Ranveer Singh-starrer Gully Boy.

In response to a fan expressing disappointment over Super Deluxe not being India’s official entry for the 2019 Academy Awards, Sethupathi acknowledged being heartbroken. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, he shared, “It was heartbreaking for us also. Politics, something happened. It was not because I starred in the film. Even if I was not in that film, I wanted that film to go there. Something happened in between and I don’t want to talk about it. It’s unnecessary.”

Despite its three-hour runtime, ‘Super Deluxe’ received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. Directed by Thiagarajan Kumararaja, the film intricately weaved together four groups of individuals facing unexpected predicaments, exploring themes of nostalgia, science-fiction and political incidents.

Also read | Super Deluxe is dazzlingly, unapologetically feminist

Earlier, Sethupathi had shared how adamant he was to do Super Deluxe after hearing its script that he even agreed to do the part without being paid a single penny. In an old interview with Film Companion, Vijay Sethupathi opened up about being touched by the script and said, “When he (Kumararaja) narrated the script, I liked it so much. The way it was written was so awesome. In one scene, my kid asks me why I was not born as a female. That scene was written so well that I decided that I don’t want to miss this film. I begged him (the director), told him that you don’t need to pay me any money. On the first day, I think it took 50-60 takes. Then finally, I realised the female inside me. I got the confidence.”

Currently, Vijay Sethupathi is busy promoting his upcoming film Merry Christmas along with co-actor Katrina Kaif and filmmaker Sriram Raghavan. This marks Sethupathi’s first collaboration with Katrina Kaif, following his role as an antagonist in Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster Jawan. Merry Christmas is set to hit the theatres on January 12.

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