Director APG Elumalai, who awaits the release of his sophomore venture, Myyal, mentions seeking inspiration from ancient Tamil literature for the title. “Myyal means love at first sight,” says Elumalai, who previously helmed the 2019 mystery thriller Aghavan. After being an assistant director for the 2006 K Balachander film Poi, Elumalai has worked with director Prabu Solomon on Mynaa (2010), Kumki (2012), and Kaadan (2021).
Myyal, which has been written by Jeyamohan, is shot in hilly areas in and around Tamil Nadu, like Kalvarayan Hills and Melamanjanoor. “The film is set in a village, and it speaks against discrimination. We are told that everyone is considered equal in the eyes of society, but that is far from reality. People aren’t like tissue papers, to be thrown away after use,” says the filmmaker.
The upcoming film stars Samridhi Thara and Sethu in the lead roles. “Samridhi’s character belongs to a family that practices black magic and is alienated from society. She is almost bereft of human interaction, having barely socialised with anyone. Sethu plays a petty thief, someone who is again viewed as inferior by others.” What happens when this unlikely pair falls in love forms the crux of the film, which is said to culminate with violence. So, what can one expect to take back from the film? “Religion and caste were concepts created to make us embrace each other, but they are used as means of discrimination. If only we all treated each other equally and respectfully, the world would be a much better place,” says Elumalai.
Being a romance, Myyal will have four songs composed by debutant Amargeet and penned by Viveka, Ekadasi, and Karunakaran. The film, which has completed production, has a supporting cast that includes PL Thenappan and Subramani. Elumalai reveals that they are looking to release the film sometime around September-October.