HE has essayed a lot of exciting roles in the past but this role truly promises to show him in new light. As the rustic youth Ilamparuthi in Madharasapattinam, the period film which is set for a grand release on July 9, all that Arya has to say is, “whoever watches this movie will like our work, applaud our efforts and will not be disappointed.” He continues, “The USP of this film is the period it is set in: 1945-1947. As the whole nation fights for the freedom of our nation, here is a rustic wrestler and the daughter of a governor, a rich vivacious girl, madly in love, who stand by each other and fight against all odds.
It’s a love story set against a period and ‘independence’ plays an important role throughout.” Recollecting pleasant memories of shooting for the film he says, “I like Madharasapattinam better than Chennai.
It was delightful even to think that people used to row boats in the Cooum river. A glimpse of old Madras normally brings those B/W pictures of the Central Railway Station, the Presidency, the beach and more, and art director Selva has done an amazing job in recreating these places to actual size, after a lot of research.” Talking about the challenges while working on this film he says, “I play a dhobi (washer man) who is also a wrestler. Working on any film is a learning experience and I learnt wrestling and it’s techniques here. We used to work for 16-17 hours everyday during the course of which I believe director Vijay and cinematographer Nirav Shah hardly slept.
They would be in by six in the morning.” About his co-star Amy Jackson, Arya is full of praise. “I am amazed at Amy’s professionalism and her commitment to work.
This being her first film ever and coming down from a city like London, adjusting to the climate here was a big challenge for her.
I remember she nearly fainted because of the sultry weather. But she never complained and took her scenes seriously. She truly is the soul of the film.” One moment that he cherishes a lot is the Independence eve shot. “It was a pleasant coincidence, when we were shooting that scene — August 14, 1947. And it was shot on the same date last year. We did not plan it, it just happened that way,” he says.
Arya sure is positive about the wrestler in Madharasapattinam, but he also has other releases lined up — Chikku Bukku, Boss Engira Baskaran (for which he has acquired complete rights) director Bala’s Avan Ivan, for which he’s already shooting with a new look. He is also concentrating on his maiden production venture Padithurai, under the banner The Show People. “Wearing various hats like acting and production is a unique experience. They are completely different departments,” he smiles.