Sanjana Tiwari has recalled her memorable first day on the sets of Vijay’s Varisu, admitting that she was stunned when she finally came face-to-face with the actor she had admired for years.
In an interview with Behindwoods, Sanjana opened up about getting selected for the film and described how nervous she was when she first encountered Vijay during the shoot.
For Sanjana, Varisu was particularly significant because it marked her debut in cinema.
Sanjana Tiwari was a Vijay fan before Varisu
Sanjana said she had been a fan of Vijay for a long time and went for the Varisu audition without expecting that she would land the role.
“I have been a huge fan of Vijay sir since the beginning. I went to the audition without much confidence,” she recalled.
A few days after the audition, she received the call confirming that she had been selected.
The news came as a surprise to the newcomer, who said she initially found it difficult to believe that she had secured a role in the Vijay-starrer.
For an actor making her debut, being part of a major production alongside one of Tamil cinema’s leading stars was a significant beginning to her career.
‘When I saw him, I was shocked’
Sanjana’s nervousness became even more apparent when she arrived for her first day of shooting.
She recalled standing on the sidelines when Vijay arrived on set. Seeing the actor in person left her momentarily stunned.
“At that time, Vijay sir came. When I saw him, I was shocked and stood there,” Sanjana said.
According to the actor, Vijay greeted her and the people around him before leaving.
Sanjana said she was so overwhelmed by the encounter that she initially did not know how to react.
Sanjana thought Vijay had not responded to her
The newcomer also described a small misunderstanding from that first interaction.
Sanjana said Vijay had said “hi” when he arrived, but she was too nervous to properly respond. She recalled feeling disappointed afterwards because she had not managed to interact with him the way she had expected.
However, the situation changed the following day.
Sanjana decided to approach Vijay herself and speak to him, despite feeling reluctant and nervous.
She said the actor responded casually and made the interaction much easier for her.
“I always say hi after that. He would say hi in return,” she recalled.
The simple exchange eventually became a regular greeting between the two actors.
Varisu marked Sanjana Tiwari’s film debut
Directed by Vamshi Paidipally, Varisu was produced by Dil Raju and Shirish under Sri Venkateswara Creations.
The film featured Vijay alongside Rashmika Mandanna, Prabhu, Sarath Kumar, Prakash Raj, Jayasudha, Srikanth, Sham, Yogi Babu, Sangeetha, Samyuktha and Khushbu in important roles.
Hari and Ashishor Solomon were credited with the story and screenplay, while S Thaman composed the music. Karthik Palani handled cinematography and KL Praveen edited the film.
The film was released during the Pongal festival period and became an important early milestone in Sanjana’s acting journey.
From a nervous newcomer to an established performer
Looking back, Sanjana’s first experience with Vijay reflects how different the reality of a film set can feel for someone entering the industry as a fan.
What began with an uncertain audition, followed by the shock of seeing her favourite actor on her first day, eventually turned into a more comfortable working relationship.
Sanjana has since gone on to appear in projects beyond Varisu, including Jayam Ravi-starrer Iraivan and Hotspot 2 Much. She has also spoken about wanting to avoid repeating the same kind of role and exploring different genres and characters.
Her memories of Varisu, however, remain closely tied to the beginning of her journey — and to the first time she found herself sharing a film set with an actor she had admired for years.
