Praveen Gandhi was first given the opportunity to become a film maker by producer K.T.Kunjumon with Ratchagan (1997), who noted that in the director he saw "a young man who is very talented and full of ideas who was willing to work hard".[2] The film was launched in January 1996 but filming only commenced the following year in January 1997, with an established cast and crew including Nagarjuna, Miss Universe pageant winner Sushmita Sen, Girish Karnad and A. R. Rahman.