Raai Laxmi terms shooting for Neeya 2 a physically challenging experience. The strain of shooting at rough terrains and remote locations supposedly made her unwell several times. One of the toughest shoots for her was at the Challakudy waterfalls.
Both Laxmi and Jai had to scale slippery rocks to get close to the powerful waterfalls. “It was dangerous and scary. We could feel the immense force of the water gushing nearby. Luckily for us, a few locals advised us on where to place our feet and climb the rocks’, she recalls.
However, the real ordeal began after they reached the location. Both the lead actors had to remain in water the entire day without assistance.
“The camera unit was far away. It was quite slippery so we couldn’t go back and forth during breaks. Our assistants couldn’t reach us for any sort of help. So we both would pack food and keep it nearby for lunch, eat and go back again under the waters for the shoot.” This ordeal lasted three days.
“At the end of each day, our legs would be completely wrinkled due to being in water,” says Laxmi, adding that she had to take medicines every day to ease the pain. “In fact for the rest of the shoot in tough terrains, we started popping pills in advance, to avoid falling ill,” she narrates.