Apr 09, 2026 1:43pm IST
‘Love Insurance Kompany will take Pradeep Ranganathan to the Next Level’: Vignesh Shivan (EXCLUSIVE)
Vignesh Shivan, who last directed his film, “Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadal” in 2022, is back after a four-year hiatus. His latest film, “Love Insurance Kompany (LIK)”, releases tomorrow. The film was conceived in 2018 but was beset by repeated budget constraints, digital-deal setbacks and multiple delays. Amidst all this turmoil, his wife Nayanthara lent him her moral and financial support that saw the fruition of his dream. The couple, who wed in 2022, shares an unbreakable bond that is one of the prime factors in the success of their marriage. In this freewheeling chat with Variety India, Vignesh talks about the trials and tribulations of making “Love Insurance Kompany,” doing the balancing act between films and family and what keeps him motivated.
What was the reason behind the multiple delays in releasing this film?
We wanted to release the film in October 2025 as a Diwali release. This was also meant to be Pradeep Ranganathan’s second film after ‘Love Today.’ That was the initial agreement. But there were production challenges because of the market crash; OTT rights were not getting sold at expected prices. We could not close the digital deal, and this led to a budget shortage. Pradeep had also started working on ‘Dragon’ and ‘Dude.’ Both ‘Dude’ and ‘LIK’ were ready for Diwali, October 2025. But we didn't want the two films to clash. I decided to spend more time on my film as it had a lot of VFX. So, we decided to let ‘Dude’ come out first and bring out my film a few months later. I made the decision to move the release to December 2025. But we didn’t get a suitable date in December and therefore, we decided to opt for a summer release this year.
There are high expectations from “Love Insurance Kompany.” Pradeep Ranganathan's fans are expecting this film to recreate the success of “Love Today” and “Dragon.” Does this add to your stress?
Pradeep Ranganathan has two big hits to his credit, like ‘Love Today’ and ‘Dragon.’ He has become an even bigger star. But ‘Love Insurance Kompany’ is a larger-than-life movie which will take him to the next level in his career. It's a big-budget film and needs to cater to a wider audience, and we need to get good box-office numbers. There is no stress, but yes, we have worked very hard.
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The film has been co-produced by Nayanthara. To what extent is she involved in this film?
We faced multiple challenges, such as the OTT deal not working out, and there were budget constraints, as we had issues getting funds from the market. My producer, Lalit Sir and I were struggling to get that investment going. We had exhausted a good amount of the budget to complete 60 per cent of the film. Our next schedule was in Malaysia, and we were three days away from shooting. The funds were not released. Nayanthara quietly stepped in and gave the remuneration she had received for ‘Mookuthi Amman.’ I was overwhelmed and grateful to her for bailing me out of a tough situation.
You are married to a top star. What is the key to making a marriage successful?
There is no insecurity. I am proud of her. She is a blessing in my life and I am happy to see her flourish at work. The key to a successful marriage is a lack of pretense between us. We like to share our professional experiences. I ask her advice if I have written lyrics for a new song or a scene, and I send it to her, and she gives me good feedback. We have a great rapport not just as husband and wife but also as a director and heroine, which is also why we gel well.
How do you, as a couple, balance your multiple ventures, movie careers and parenting responsibilities?
We really enjoy our partnerships with the cofounders of our businesses. We have a good team. We do have time constraints, but once we finish our work, we spend a lot of time with our kids. We also take a lot of breaks in between. Out of 365 days a year, we must take 100 days off as a family. We will split it into three to four vacations per year. No matter how hard you work, you need time for yourself and your kids. That matters to us.
Multiple tracks from “Love Insurance Kompany” have gone viral. You and Anirudh make a great combination. What do you attribute this success to?
I give credit to Anirudh. The kind of songs that he creates adds life to my movies. While he might be working on films with big stars like SRK, Rajani Sir and Kamal Sir, the music is largely massy. In my films, there is always an opportunity to compose a love song that brings out the best in him.
What can we look forward to from you next?
It depends on this movie's success. If it becomes a blockbuster, then I will get a huge budget for my next film. I have multiple options in mind.
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