Sibiraj-starrer Walter, which is set for release this week, went through many changes before it even went on floors. The film was originally launched with Vikram Prabhu slated to play the lead and Arjun and Gautham Menon in supporting roles.
A small incident on the inaugural day caused the project to be shelved for a length of time before producer Prabhu Thilak took over. Debutant director U Anbarasan, or simply Anbu, says, "Perhaps Sibiraj was destined to play Walter."
All eyes are on Sibiraj as he plays a cop named after one of his father Sathyaraj's most iconic roles. Anbu says, "Sibiraj’s steely resolve and the amount of homework he did has paid off. Walter is a man of few words and the audience will be impressed by Sibi’s effective body language and the way he uses his eyes to convey the character's feelings. When a media report brings to light that close to a thousand children had died in a space of 18 months in and around Kumbakonam, the fury of this cop emerges with all its might."
A cop story is incomplete without a fearsome criminal on the other end. Anbu is happy that he was able to get Natty to play this role after Gautham Menon backed out citing date issues. "In Natty and Samuthirakani (playing a politician), I had two performers who could provide the perfect foil for the hero," he adds.
Interestingly, Walter will clash at the box office with Vikram Prabhu’s Asura Guru, which features him as a thief. "Maybe it was destined to be so," smiles Anbu.