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Exclusive | Gautham Menon Reveals His Next Tamil Film Along with Plans For a Broadway-Style Musical
Having recently celebrated 25 years in cinema, filmmaker Gautham Menon reveals he’s already begun shooting for his next Tamil film, a love story
Gautham Menon’s 25-year journey in films could be an elective taught in film schools; the director himself has laughed about the many twists and turns he’s encountered in what has been a career for the ages. Amidst the clouds surrounding the still-delayed release of Dhruva Natchathiram, GVM recently pulled off a memorable concert series celebrating the music from his films, even as audiences eagerly wait for his next film announcement — his last directorial was the Malayalam outing Dominic and the Ladies' Purse (2025) over a year ago.
Now, in a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, GVM exclusively reveals that he’s already begun shooting for his next Tamil film, and more. Excerpts:
What’s next for you as a filmmaker? Will your next release be in Tamil or another language?
It’s a Tamil film, and we are already three days into the shoot. I’m not announcing further details just yet, but the schedule is already planned and we’re moving ahead in full steam. I should be ready with the film by July or August.
And the genre?
It’s a love story.
After the reception to Dominic and the Ladies' Purse, can we expect you to make another Malayalam film?
I’m definitely hoping to direct another Malayalam film soon. I’ve always wanted to work in Malayalam cinema. With Dominic… things aligned organically. I met Mammootty, and the project began almost immediately. Once I complete this Tamil film, I have a couple of ideas in Malayalam. Some writers have narrated stories to me, and I’ve had preliminary conversations with actors as well.
Your recent concerts — appropriately titled Yennodu Vaa Veedu Varaikum — celebrating 25 years in cinema were widely appreciated. What were your learnings from those events, and do you see this as a sustainable format going forward?
The difference with these concerts is that they’re curated and helmed by a filmmaker. I talk my way through the songs. There’s trivia, context about how the songs came about, discussions about the singers, insights into the film… all woven into the performance.
I’ve always wanted to create musical conversations. Even my earlier audio launches were structured like concerts, as I’ve never liked the format of people coming on stage and speaking about everything except the film. I wanted those events to focus purely on the music and its journey.
Across my films, I’ve done about 85 songs. From those, selecting 25 for our show was challenging. The first concert ran close to three hours! But I didn’t overthink placement in terms of creating high moments as such; the idea was to invite people who love the music and give them an immersive experience.
What’s happened after that has been encouraging. We’ve had calls and meetings to stage these concerts in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and across the U.S. There’s almost a film-style schedule in place. We have about six concerts lined up this year starting in April, both within Tamil Nadu, India and then internationally.
I’m also fortunate to be working with an ensemble of musicians who believe in the idea — artists who are prolific and enthusiastic about being part of this journey. And of course, I have the advantage of names such as A.R. Rahman, Harris Jayaraj, Darbuka Siva and others who have composed music for my films, as well as some independent songs.
Could we see a full-blown musical from you at some point?
So, I’m writing a script around the production of these concerts — almost like a Broadway-style musical. The idea is to have actors who can break into song and dance, with the songs becoming emotional expressions within a larger narrative. We are currently scouting for actors who can perform on stage, with a script and story based around the songs. That’s a big plan which is currently in motion.
One of the most viral moments from your concert was singer-composer Karthik asking you for an update on Dhruva Natchathiram. Is there finally a release window in sight?
You know, it’s ironic and somewhat unbelievable that this is happening to me. It has been 10 years since we conceived the project. The film is complete and ready to release.
We’ve been navigating issues that I sometimes can’t believe arise. Could I have handled things differently? I don’t think so. I never imagined I’d be in a position where a finished film would struggle to reach theatres.
But I can now see the horizon. The film feels like it’s emerging from the tunnel it has been in. If everything aligns, I’m hoping we can release it post-elections.
February 1 marked 25 years since Minnale was released. If you had to encapsulate your journey in one word or phrase — perhaps even as the title of an autobiography — what would it be?
I would say… Musical and Magical.
I’ve always liked to take stories forward through songs and lyrics. In my films, the music organically carries the narrative forward in several moments; it’s not just an addition, but an integral storytelling device.
When I look back, apart from the great experiences of working with some tremendous actors and drawing from stories that have come from my own life, what stays with me most is the music. I’ve always been deeply involved in that process. The music in my films has been something I’ve put out wholeheartedly, discussing it closely with composers and being very clear about what I wanted it to achieve within the story.
At the same time, I’ve also made a film where I consciously decided there wouldn’t be even a single strain of an instrument. So for me, music is a deliberate choice, whether it’s present in abundance or completely absent.
But overall, “musical” is the word I would use. Even when I write, I write with music playing. I don’t like silence; even in a coffee shop, I prefer some music in the background, people moving in and out. That rhythm, that atmosphere, feeds into the way I think and create.
In 2023, you had 10 releases as an actor, and a few more over the last couple of years. You have stated though that you are cutting back on on-screen assignments going forward. Looking back at them, do you have a favourite performance?
Even though acting isn’t something that comes naturally to me, I’ve always put everything into it. I never approach the camera casually.
I liked my work in Trance, and also Viduthalai — the process of shaping that character, and how we pulled it off. I also really like this film called Euphoria that I've done in Telugu. Dragon was fun, and so was Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal.
When can we see you on-screen next?
I’ve done a very small role in Jana Nayagan after Vinoth called me. I’ve also acted in another Telugu film — Dulquer Salman’s Aakasamlo Oka Tara and that should come out soon. I’ve not signed anything else.