Prem Kumar-Vijay Sethupathi's 96 tapped into the pangs of separation. Actor Aegan's recent release, Haiku, gives a nod to the 2018 film with multiple references at important junctures in the narrative. "96 is very special to everyone involved in our film. With Haiku, we wanted to celebrate a film that focuses on a protagonist dwelling in his past. We wished people learn from their mistakes and move on. In fact, I feel that Haiku might have helped Ram (from 96) move on in his life," says Aegan, adding, "Rhythm (2000) introduced me to the concept of remarriage and moving on. I did not know something like that existed before. We wanted to create a similar impact with Haiku."
Haiku walked an impressive tightrope, espousing kindness toward erring humans while not completely siding with them because of it. Aegan points to the film's theme that explores how getting better at relationships is a lifelong process. "My character, Mano, takes the lessons he learnt from Pavazhakodi (Sri Devi) to Nivetha (Femina George). It is like someone who, after failing in a running race, assumes that sprinting skills will help him compete better, but the next competition is actually long jump," says Aegan.
Haiku, which marks Aegan's sophomore film, was bolstered by the presence of Sri Devi and Femina George, who brought in a lot of gravitas to their roles in the film. Aegan reveals that Vision Cinema House, his home banner, and the producers of Haiku, took enough and more time to cast the right actors for the roles of Pavazhakodi and Nivetha. "This is not just the case of Haiku; we also waited for two months to sign Malavika Manoj for our production, Joe. The wait benefited both films in the end. Both films would not have clicked if not for strong actors playing these roles," says Aegan, revealing that performing with them was quite a daunting task. "Even before I felt that I had done a good job in a particular scene, I would notice how Sri Devi would have already aced the scene with her expressions and performance. Something similar happened with Femina, too, and it didn't take long to get comfortable with them on camera. Honestly, I feel fortunate to have worked with two talented and completely different actors."
As Rajinikanth-Nelson's Jailer 2 is still getting an unabated run at the box office, Aegan concedes that he was scared to release the film alongside the superstar's film, but he also saw an advantage in it. "I was very nervous about how Haiku would be received, whether or not it would even be noticed when the Jailer 2 storm was in full force. But since there weren't many other films releasing in the next two weeks, I saw an opportunity and took the gamble. It paid off, fortunately," says Aegan, as he goes on to talk about the bond he shares with Haiku director Yuvaraj Chinnasamy. "Our friendship goes back to our time on the Blacksheep YouTube channel. I understand his writing process, and as he is open to suggestions, our discussions about a few changes in the script were very friendly. Now, when I hear people say that they are Mano, Kodi, or Nivi, I feel the film has done its job well," he concludes.