The first look poster of Amala Paul-starrer Aadai has created quite a buzz in Kollywood circle. The image shows an injured Amala wielding a makeshift weapon, crying out in agony. Ask the film’s director Rathna Kumar if the actress had any inhibition while doing the shoot, and he says, “No, everything that was going to be shot was on paper, and we didn’t do any spot improvisation. After Meyaadha Maan, I spent a lot of time on this script. The idea for the story came about three years ago after a particular incident, and I thought the time is right to make it into a film because such incidents have been happening a lot more frequently in the past few years.”
Talking about the film, he says, “Freebies destroyed a generation, and free data is destroying the next. Amala’s character is a metaphor of sorts and symbolises something that’s related to our present society.”
So, did Amala have to prep for her character? “She is a good, under-utilised talent, and I am happy she is part of this film. When she read the script, she told me that her character has disturbed her a lot because it’s both mentally and physically challenging to play the role. I wanted someone who is both bold and confident to pull it off; she shouldn’t feel conscious while performing in front of the camera. Amala told me that yoga is helping her in doing that,” says the director, adding, “This is not an experimental film; it’s a thorough entertainer, but you need a sense of maturity to see it.” On her part, Amala says, “Aadai isn’t a regular script, and projects like this fuel us. The intricacies of my character Kaamini is already giving me, and especially those around me, jitters.”
