G V Prakash's 'Immortal': A year of shooting, a year of CG for Tamil vampire thriller
Synopsis
Tamil cinema rarely attempts the vampire genre — and 'Immortal' is betting two full years of production, including a year of Canada-handled CG, that it can do it at international standard. With a 4,000-year-old protagonist, a prehistoric timeline, and a 'U' certificate already in hand, G V Prakash's most ambitious acting project yet hits screens on 4 September.
Key Takeaways
G V Prakash Kumar stars in 'Immortal' , a Tamil vampire-fantasy thriller directed by Mariyappan Chinna , releasing on 4 September .
The film took two years to complete — one year of principal photography and one year of CG post-production.
Visual effects are being handled by top CG studios in Canada , with the goal of meeting international standards.
The story features a character who lives for 4,000 years , with the narrative extending into prehistoric times.
The Censor Board has cleared the film with a clean 'U' certificate .
The cast includes Kayadu Lohar , TM Karthik , Lollu Sabha Maaran , and others; music is by Sam CS .
G V Prakash Kumar, National Award-winning music director and actor, has revealed that his upcoming horror thriller 'Immortal' — directed by Mariyappan Chinna — took a full two years to complete, split equally between principal photography and computer-generated imagery work. The film, a vampire-fantasy mystery set partly in prehistoric times, is slated to release on 4 September with a clean 'U' certificate from the Censor Board.
A Production Built Around Visual Ambition
Speaking to reporters, G V Prakash said the production timeline was communicated to the cast from the outset. 'The producer told us that we would shoot for a year and that we would wait for a year for CG. Only then would this film be released,' he said. The CG work is being handled by top visual-effects firms in Canada, which have been engaged on the project for approximately a year.
The decision to invest that heavily in post-production was deliberate. According to G V Prakash, the aim was to ensure the film's visual effects meet international standards — an unusually high bar for a Tamil production in the horror genre.
What 'Immortal' Is About
'Immortal' is described by its lead actor as 'a relatively new genre for Tamil cinema.' It is a vampire film — a sub-genre that has seen little exploration in Tamil-language cinema — blending fantasy, mystery, and survival-thriller elements. A key narrative strand follows a character who has lived for 4,000 years, with the story travelling back to prehistoric times.
G V Prakash said the title itself evolved during production. 'I initially wanted the film to be called Saaga Varam but we later changed it to Immortal,' he said, aligning the title with the film's central conceit of an ageless protagonist.
Cast and Technical Crew
The film stars Kayadu Lohar as the female lead alongside G V Prakash. The supporting cast includes TM Karthik, Kumar Natarajan, Lollu Sabha Maaran, Aaditya Kathir, Arshu Maharjan, Pema Tsamchoe, and Sunita Shrestha.
On the technical side, the film has been produced by Arunkumar Dhanasekaran, with cinematography by Arun Radhakrishnan and music composed by Sam CS. Editing is handled by San Lokesh, art direction by Siva Sankar, stunt choreography by R. Sakthi Saravanan, and dance choreography by Sabarish.
Build-Up and Censor Clearance
Shooting for 'Immortal' was wrapped up before the release of Lokah, according to G V Prakash. An official shoot-wrap announcement had been made in May 2025. The film had already generated significant anticipation after the release of its teaser last year, which opened on a comedic romantic note before pivoting sharply into horror.
The Censor Board has since cleared the film with a 'U' certificate, and G V Prakash shared the certification update on his X account, posting a poster with the caption: '#Immortal from September 4.' With its release date confirmed, Tamil cinema is set to see its most ambitious vampire-genre attempt to date.
Point of View
Which means there is no audience template to fall back on; the film either creates the category or becomes a cautionary tale about over-investment in spectacle. G V Prakash's track record as a performer is still being established relative to his stature as a composer, and 'Immortal' is the highest-stakes test of that transition yet. The 'U' certificate is a notable commercial choice for horror — it broadens the audience but raises the question of whether the film can sustain genuine dread within those constraints.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is 'Immortal' releasing and who stars in it?
'Immortal' is set to release on 4 September, starring G V Prakash Kumar in the lead role alongside Kayadu Lohar. The film is directed by Mariyappan Chinna and has been certified 'U' by the Censor Board.
Why did 'Immortal' take two years to make?
The production was split into one year of principal photography and one year dedicated entirely to CG post-production. The makers planned this timeline from the outset to ensure the visual effects met international standards.
Who is handling the CG work for 'Immortal'?
The film's computer-generated imagery is being handled by top VFX studios based in Canada, which have been working on the project for approximately a year.
What is 'Immortal' about?
'Immortal' is a Tamil vampire-fantasy mystery survival thriller. It features a character who has lived for 4,000 years, with the story travelling back to prehistoric times. G V Prakash has described it as a relatively unexplored genre in Tamil cinema.
What certificate has 'Immortal' received from the Censor Board?
The Censor Board has cleared 'Immortal' with a clean 'U' certificate, making it suitable for universal audiences. G V Prakash announced the certification on his X account along with the 4 September release date.
