Youth pre-release event: Dhanush, Vetrimaaran and team rally behind Ken Karunas’ directorial debut

With just days left for its theatrical release, the team of Youth hosted an energetic Youth pre-release event, titled Youth Vibe, bringing together the film’s cast, crew and several prominent personalities from the industry.

The upcoming film marks the directorial debut of Ken Karunas, who also plays the lead role. Scheduled to hit theatres on March 19th, the film has generated curiosity for being a youthful entertainer backed by a vibrant team. The special event witnessed the presence of Ken’s father Karunas, filmmaker Vetrimaaran, actor-filmmaker Dhanush, composer GV Prakash Kumar, producer Karuppaiah, and other members of the cast and crew.

Actor Suraj Venjaramoodu, who appears in the film, shared his excitement about being part of the project. He noted that Youth marks his second Tamil film after Veera Dheera Sooran.

Recalling how he joined the project, Suraj said Ken personally traveled to Kerala and narrated the script with re-recorded portions and even pre-shot scenes on his phone to convey his vision. Impressed by the young filmmaker’s dedication, Suraj predicted that Ken would become a major director in the future and hoped he would continue to collaborate with him.

The actor also expressed gratitude to Dhanush for attending the event and mentioned his happiness about working with him again in the upcoming project Kara. He further said he admired Vetrimaaran’s work and wished to collaborate with him someday.

Actor Karunas spoke emotionally about his son’s journey in cinema and thanked both Vetrimaaran and Dhanush for recognizing Ken’s potential. He said Vetrimaaran first introduced Ken as an actor by trusting his talent, while Dhanush later mentored him in filmmaking by taking him under his wing as an assistant director.

Karunas also shared memories of working with Dhanush over the years and revealed that the two actors have reunited on screen after 16 years in the film Kara.

Reflecting on Dhanush’s early career, Karunas recalled how the actor faced criticism about his appearance in the beginning but eventually proved his critics wrong – similar to what actor Vijay experienced early in his career.

Speaking about the making of Youth, Karunas thanked the producers for trusting a young team. He revealed that for the first time in his 25-year career, he personally requested GV Prakash Kumar to compose music for the film after Ken decided to make a love story. According to him, GV Prakash agreed to work on the film without discussing remuneration, simply out of support for the project.

Karunas also humorously shared that their home had turned into a “mini restaurant” over the past two years as Ken’s friends and crew frequently gathered there during the making of the film, with his wife cooking for the entire team.

Producer Karuppaiah revealed that he had always been a fan of Dhanush and used to post the actor’s dialogues as Facebook statuses. He also said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, an article by Vetrimaaran had motivated him during a difficult period.

Originally an assistant director who had signed a film as a director, Karuppaiah described himself as an “accidental producer.” However, after reading the script of Youth, he was convinced that it deserved to be made.

He compared the film’s emotional tone to movies like Thiruchitrambalam and said he believed any producer hearing the story would want to make it immediately. The project initially began with a token advance of ₹50,000 raised with friends’ support, before his father eventually agreed to finance the film, allowing the team to complete production.

Composer GV Prakash Kumar spoke fondly about his association with Ken, describing him as a “back-bench student” who had learned filmmaking under two strict mentors.

He recalled noticing Ken during the making of Asuran and even suggesting that some close-up shots be reshot after encouraging him to lose weight. GV Prakash joked that Ken later “took revenge” by teasing him about some of his songs not working for him.

Despite the friendly banter, GV Prakash emphasized that Ken is extremely sincere about his work and said audiences would soon witness his dedication on screen.

Filmmaker Vetrimaaran appreciated the film’s energetic team and said it was refreshing to see such strong teamwork in a project. He revealed that Ken had narrated the script to him earlier and that he liked it, although he suggested trimming the second half slightly.

According to Vetrimaaran, Ken is largely self-made, even though he benefited from guidance under Dhanush, whose work ethic and traits influenced him. He also shared that Dhanush had taken Ken along during the filming of Asuran to help him understand the father-son dynamic for the story.

Vetrimaaran further praised the lively creative combination of Ken and GV Prakash, saying their promotional videos were entertaining and expressing interest in seeing them act together in a film someday.

An emotional Ken Karunas thanked everyone who believed in him and worked on the film. He said Youth would not have progressed without the trust of his collaborators and supporters.

Ken remembered late filmmaker Thamira, who first gave him an opportunity to act in the film Retta Suzhi. He also credited Vetrimaaran for giving him major recognition through Asuran.

Addressing the audience, Ken requested viewers to watch Youth without comparing it to other popular romantic films and said the journey to becoming the hero of his own film was not easy, as he had to prove himself even to junior artists.

He concluded by expressing deep gratitude to his father Karunas and especially to Dhanush, calling him the primary reason he was able to stand on stage as a director. Ken also promised that he would remain forever grateful to both Dhanush and Vetrimaaran as their devoted student.

Actor-filmmaker Dhanush praised producer Karuppaiah for trusting a 23-year-old director and backing the project with confidence. He advised Ken to always remember the support he received during the early stages of his career.

Dhanush also complimented Karunas and his wife Grace for raising Ken with good values, saying upbringing plays a crucial role in shaping a person’s character. He thanked GV Prakash Kumar for demonstrating friendship through action by composing music for the film without expecting remuneration.

Recalling his first impression of Ken during the Asuran photoshoot, Dhanush admitted he initially doubted casting him but later noticed the young actor’s confidence on the first day of shooting.

He also revealed that Ken is his regular PUBG gaming partner, jokingly calling him the “most valuable player.” When Ken first shared his intention to direct Youth, Dhanush had suggested waiting a few more years to gain more experience as an assistant director. However, Ken remained confident about executing the film.

After watching the trailers and songs, Dhanush said he was pleasantly surprised by the film’s quality and admitted that Ken had proven him wrong again.

Calling Ken “like my own son,” Dhanush concluded by saying that the young filmmaker’s dedication and discipline set him apart from many others of his generation, and he wished him great success with Youth.

Click here to watch Youth Trailer