Not retiring without working together: Kashyap responds to Vikram's tweet on 'Kennedy' casting

Chennai/Cannes: Anurag Kashyap and actor Vikram on Monday had an interesting conversation on Twitter with both talking about how they missed working together on the director's new film "Kennedy" due to a changed contact number.

In a recent interview with news outlet Film Companion, Kashyap said that Vikram, whose real name is Kennedy John Victor, was his first choice to play the titular assassin in his latest film, but the actor never responded.

Vikram took to Twitter to clarify that he had called Kashyap after he came to know the filmmaker had tried to contact him for "Kennedy" on a number that he had changed years ago.

"Dear @anuragkashyap72... Just revisiting our conversation from over a year ago for the sake of our friends and well wishers on social media.

Dear @anuragkashyap72 ,
Just revisiting our conversation from over a year ago for the sake of our friends and well wishers on social media. When I heard from another actor that you had tried to reach me for this film & that you felt I hadn’t responded to you, I called you myself…

— Vikram (@chiyaan) May 22, 2023

"When I heard from another actor that you had tried to reach me for this film & that you felt I hadn’t responded to you, I called you myself immediately and explained that I hadn’t gotten any mail or msg from you as the mail id that you had contacted me on was no longer active and my number had changed almost 2 years before that, the "Ponniyin Selvan" star wrote.

Vikram then wished the filmmaker great times ahead and said he is excited about the movie as it has his name.

"As I said during that phone call, I’m very excited for your film Kennedy and even more so because it has my name. I wish you great times ahead. Lots of love. Chiyaan Vikram aka Kennedy," he added.

Kashyap, currently attending the Cannes Film Festival where "Kennedy" is set to premiere under the Midnight Screenings section, responded to the actor's comments on Twitter with "Absolutely right Boss sir".

The director said Vikram reached out to him to let him know that he had a different WhatsApp number.

"He gave me his correct information to reach out and even showed interest in reading the script but by then we were all locked and a month away from shooting.

Absolutely right Boss sir. For the information of people, when he found from another actor that I was trying to reach to him he called me directly and we realised that he had a different WhatsApp number. He gave me his correct information to reach out and even showed interest in… https://t.co/1xmImitvHY

— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) May 22, 2023

"He also graciously blessed us to use the name 'Kennedy' for the film. What I stated in the interview was the story behind, how the film got to be called Kennedy. There is no need for any overreaction. And definitely I think neither Chiyaan sir or I am retiring without working together. FYI we go back to pre Sethu days," the director said referring to Vikram's 1999 hit.

"Kennedy" is a noirish thriller which follows the titular character working for a corrupt police force with scores to settle. The film features Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone.