Back in those days, I was just 22 years old, with no prior work experience and no exposure to cinema. Despite my inexperience, I had the opportunity to work with legends like Ajith Sir, K. Viswanath Sir, P.C. Sreeram Sir, Deva Sir, and Balakumaran Sir.

The movie 'Mugavari' celebrates its silver jubilee this year. Released on February 19, 2000, it featured an incredible star cast including Ajith, Raghuvaran, Jyothika, and K. Viswanath. The film also stood out for Balakumaran’s dialogues, P.C. Sreeram’s cinematography, and Deva’s music, adding to its magic.

Director V.Z. Durai shares his memories: "It still feels like the movie just got released. While working on 'Mugavari', I hadn’t even completed my college. Handling legendary artists like Ajith Sir and K. Viswanath Sir at such a young age still amazes me. Without producer Chakravarthy Sir, this movie wouldn’t have been possible."

He recalls a special moment: "Before the movie’s release, Ajith Sir gifted me a car, which is rare in cinema. Usually, such gifts come after a film’s success. But he believed in the project and kept his word. He even said, 'For the first time in my career, I truly felt my character without seeing myself on screen.' His words meant everything to me."

"Similarly, producer Thanu Sir gifted me a car before my film 'Thotti Jaya' was released. Probably, I am the only director who received two cars as gifts before movie releases!" laughs V.Z. Durai.