▁vent ures ▁as ▁a ▁director , ▁screen play ▁and ▁writer ▁Th eri ▁( 2 0 1 6 ), ▁M ers al ▁( 2 0 1 7 ) ▁and ▁Big il ▁( 2 0 1 9 ), ▁all ▁featuring ▁actor ▁V ij ay . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁director ▁in ▁En th ir an ▁( 2 0 1 0 ) ▁under ▁director ▁S . ▁Sh ank ar ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁work ▁with ▁him ▁in ▁his ▁next ▁project ▁Nan ban ▁( 2 0 1 2 ), ▁a ▁re make ▁of ▁the ▁H indi ▁film ▁ 3 ▁Id i ots . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁director ial ▁debut ▁with ▁R aja ▁R ani . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁produced ▁by ▁Fox ▁Star ▁Studios ▁and ▁AR ▁Mur ug ad oss , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁rom antic ▁comedy ▁featuring ▁A ry a , ▁ ▁J ai , ▁N ay anth ara , ▁Naz ri ya ▁Naz im ▁and ▁S ath yar aj . ▁R aja ▁R ani ▁earned ▁over ▁ 5 0 0 ▁million ▁from ▁the ▁South ▁Indian ▁box ▁office ▁within ▁four ▁weeks ▁and ▁won ▁him ▁the ▁V ij ay ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Deb ut ▁Director . ▁At lee ’ s ▁next ▁director ial ▁project , ▁Th eri , ▁became ▁the ▁second - high est - g ross ing ▁T amil ▁film ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁This ▁was ▁his ▁first ▁film ▁with ▁actor ▁V ij ay . ▁ ▁He ▁started ▁his ▁own ▁production ▁house