Cobra (upcoming film)

Producer S. S. Lalit Kumar of Seven Screen Studios, announced their upcoming project featuring Vikram in May 2019, tentatively titled Vikram 58 (Chiyaan 58).[lower-alpha 1][19] The film is directed by R. Ajay Gnanamuthu, who previously helmed Demonte Colony (2015) and Imaikkaa Nodigal (2018).[20] Originally planned to release as a pan-Indian film (in Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Telugu & Malayalam), The makers originally planned to kickstart the film's shoot during August 2019, and release the film in April 2020, during the occasion of summer,[21] although principal photography commenced in October 2019. In July 2019, A. R. Rahman was roped in to score music for the flick.[22][23] A report from The New Indian Express, dated 2 August 2019, stated that Vikram will be seen in 25 different looks.[24]

While it was rumoured to be titled as Amar,[25][26] the makers finalised the film's official title as Cobra was announced on 25 December 2019.[27][28] The team titled the film 'Cobra' because it resembles the pivotal character of a cobra snake.[29] Director Ajay Gnanamuthu, in an interview with The Times of India stated that "the protagonist’s character and cobra has a link. If I reveal anything more now, it will give away too many details. Also, since the film is made in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi, I wanted a title that works in all languages. Hence, we zeroed in on Cobra."[30][31]

Initially, Priya Bhavani Shankar was cast as the film's female lead.[32][33] Due to unknown reasons, Priya opted out of the project and the makers finalised Srinidhi Shetty (of KGF fame) in late October 2019, to play the female lead thereby marking her debut in Tamil film industry.[34][35] Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan makes his film debut,[36] by signing in a pivotal role for the project.[37][38] His character was later revealed as Aslan Yilmaz, an Interpol agent.[39] K. S. Ravikumar joined the film's shoot during late-October and shot for his portions for few days.[40] Gnanamuthu stated that his character will be a "complex one" and "quite integral to the script".[40] Mirnalini Ravi was roped in to the cast in January 2020,[41] and the same month, Robo Shankar was chosen as one of the supporting actors.[42]

After impressed by his performance in Kumbalangi Nights (2019), Gnanamuthu decided to rope in Shane Nigam for this flick.[43] However, after the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), had written to the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFC), seeking a ban on the actor until he compensated the producers for his two projects in Malayalam that have been shelved, the makers replaced Malayalam blockbuster "June" fame Sarjano Khalid for the fllm.[43][44] Theatre personality Mohammad Ali Baig, was also roped in for the flick in February 2020.[45][46] In April 2020, Malayalam actors Roshan Mathew and Miya were included in the film's cast.[47] K. S. Ravikumar, Padmapriya Janakiraman, Kanika and Babu Antony were also in the part of the film.[48] Popular Malayalam actor Mamukoya, made his Tamil debut with this flick.[14] Other supporting actors in the film include Anandaraj, Renuka, Sindhu Shyam, Poovaiyar and TSR.[48]

Originally, the film's principal shoot was set to commence on 21 September 2019 in Chennai.[49] However the principal photography kickstarted from 4 October 2019.[50] While Irfan Pathan joined the sets of the shoot on 15 October, Srinidhi Shetty joined the film's sets only on the month-end.[51] The former had wrapped the first schedule of the film on 6 November 2019 at Chennai.[52][53] On 11 November 2019, Vikram and his team headed to Alleppey for a song shoot, which was wrapped up within two days.[54] By the end of November 2019, the second schedule of filming was completed in Kerala.[55] The third schedule of the film took place in Chennai in December 2019. The makers planned to shoot few sequences across Russia and Europe in January 2020.[56] However, on 17 January, the makers headed to plan the shoot in Kolkata, for the third schedule.[57] Irfan Pathan completed his portions for the flick on 21 January, throughout the fourth schedule.[58] On 6 February, the makers planned to shoot the climax sequence in Russia.[59] The makers shot a crucial sequence at Ramee Mall located in Chennai on 7 February 2020.[60][61]

Vikram and Gnanamuthu started filming on Russia in March 2020, despite the fear of the novel coronavirus spread.[62][63] However, due to rapid spread of the COVID-19, the crew halted filming and returned India.[64] The film's shoot further affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as 25% of the shoot is pending as of March 2020.[65] The director Ajay Gnanamuthu had announced that he will take paycut for the film, in order to help producers in the current time of crisis.[66] As the team faced problems in shooting in Russia, due to non-availability of international travel facilities, the team created huge sets resembling Russia in a film city in Chennai.[67] In October 2020, the team had starting the dubbing portions of the film.[68] The shooting of the film resumed on 3 December 2020 in Chennai, with Vikram joining the sets.[69] After completing the schedule, the team headed to Kolkata on 22 December.[70] But, as Vikram had joined the shooting for Ponniyin Selvan in mid-January 2021, the team decided to shoot few scenes without Vikram and the production team stated that the actor will join the shoot, once the completion of his portions for Ponniyin Selvan.[71] Whereas Srinidhi Shetty completed her shoot on 7 February 2021.[72]

Director Ajay Gnanamuthu was unsatisfied with the portions shot in the sets, so the team decided to go back to Russia in mid-February 2021, despite the cold weather.[73] Vikram joined the film's shoot on 22 February,[74] where the final portions of the film was being shot at Moscow alongside Irfan Pathan too joined the film on 26 February 2021.[75] On 2 March 2021, the team shot few scenes at the Saint Petersburg State University as a part of their final schedule.[76] The team completed the major portions of the film on 5 March 2021.[77][78] Shooting has been delayed apparently, due to Vikram's commitments with Karthik Subbaraj-directorial Mahaan (2021) and the subsequent lockdown implemented by the government to curb the second wave of the pandemic.[79] After the shooting of Mahaan was wrapped, the team restarted production on 15 August 2021, with the commencement of a minor schedule in Kolkata.[80] Post Vikram's commitments on other projects, the team had started the final schedule in Chennai on 24 November 2021, and continued for a month.[81][82] On 14 February 2022, Gnanamuthu tweeted that the filming has been completely wrapped.[83]

Cobra is scheduled to be released theatrically on 26 May 2022.[89] The film was originally scheduled for a release coinciding with the Eid Al-Fitr weekend, falling on 22 May 2020.[90] But the release was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India.[91] In March 2021, it has been said that the post-production of the film might take a longer-time than planned and many sequences had to be re-shot, since Ajay Gnanamuthu was disappointed on shooting the film by replicating terrains, rather than filming in real locations, which he felt was "not authentic", despite the difficulties faced by travel restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic.[79] During the production, Seven Screen Studios had refuted claims of releasing on a streaming platform, and also re-assured the plans of theatrical release.[92] It has been stated that this film will be released after Lalit Kumar's another production with Vikram, the Karthik Subbaraj-directorial Mahaan (2022).[93]

The satellite rights of the film is sold to Sun TV.[94]