Dhanush made fun of me when I told him about Saani Kaayidham, says Selvaraghavan | Exclusive
India Today
Ahead of Saani Kaayidham release, Selvaraghavan spoke about his tryst with acting, debutant director Arun Matheswaran and Dhanush’s response to his acting. Saani Kaayidham will stream on Amazon Prime Video on May 6.
Selvaraghavan is a maverick director. But now, he is an actor too. Though Saani Kaayidham was the first film he signed, it was Thalapathy Vijay’s Beast, which was released first. For his debut venture, Selvaraghavan joined hands with Rocky director Arun Matheswaran. He plays the role of Sangaiyyah, Keerthy Suresh’s step-brother in the revenge thriller.
Saani Kaayidham skipped a theatrical release and will premiere directly on Amazon Prime Video on May 6. In an exclusive chat with IndiaToday.in, Selvaraghavan spoke about his experience, director Arun Matheswaran and what his brother Dhanush thought of his acting.
Excerpts from the interview:Q: Saani Kaayidham was the first film you signed as an actor. What pushed you to become an actor?
A: I didn’t have the intention of becoming an actor. When Siddharth (creative producer) approached me, I said I was not interested. He then asked me to listen to Arun Matheswaran’s script, and when I did, I was taken aback. He narrated it so beautifully. Then he asked me if I would do the film. I was happy and honoured to have received the opportunity.
Q: When Arun Matheswaran narrated the script of Saany Kaayidham, what struck you the most?
A: I am always drawn to films that are about real people and stories that we can relate to. I play Sangaiyyah and he’s a person you’d meet on every corner. Even Keerthy Suresh’s Ponni is a character you can find in everyone’s life. We never felt we were a part of a movie. It felt like everything was happening for real. That was Arun’s most striking quality.
Q: Your character Sangaiyyah is unabashedly himself in the film. How did you channel that rage?