Director P S Ramnath’s upcoming film, Thirunaal has caught the attention of film buffs for a number of reasons including the fact that Nayanthara will be seen playing a homely character, also similar to the one she played in the Sarath Kumar-starrer, Ayya (2005).
Talking to City Express, Ramnath says, “Jiiva and Nayanthara play the lead in my film. While Jiiva plays a rowdy called Blade, Nayanthara plays a kindergarden teacher. In fact, after her role in Ayya, she will be seen playing a homely character only in mine.”
The film, which is set in Kumbakonam, deals with rowdies and crime in small towns. Explaining his film and its title, he says, “My film’s title and its message are connected. What is a thirunaal? It is not just the day we celebrate festivals. It’s also the day we choose to give up our evil ways to embrace good… And that’s the message of my film.”
The film has an interesting star cast that includes Joe Malluri, Karunas and Gopinath, the anchor of the popular reality show, Neeya Naana. “Gopinath plays a special role in this film. A Kannada artiste, Sarath Yogith Shiva, is the main villain,” discloses Ramnath, who says he shot his film in a span of 65 days.
Draw Ramnath’s attention to rumours doing the rounds that Nayanthara had demanded a hefty fee to act in this film, and both the director and his producer Senthil Kumar dismiss it immediately.
Says Senthil, “She did not demand an exorbitant sum! She wanted a certain sum as salary and we negotiated. We decided on a number that was mutually agreeable.”
Showering praises on both the actors who play the lead in his film, Ramnath says, “I actually narrated this script to Nayanthara over the phone. She patiently heard the script from me for an hour and based on that, agreed to do this film.”