‘Kadhalikka Neramillai is a story I wanted to tell the audience’

CHENNAI: Be it Jayam Ravi and Nithya Menen’s looks or AR Rahman’s music or Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi’s stylish narration, Kadhalikka Neramillai has been hitting the right notes since its announcement. With just a few more days left for the release, Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi is excited as to how the audience would receive it. “This is my first festival release. I just realised. I haven’t had a festival release before and I would want to see how people are going to receive our film. It is a proper, new-age film and I wouldn’t want people to be critical of our film saying this story is way forward and progressive and wonder how Gen Z people would look at it. I have made a film on today’s relationship trend and there is no message as such. It will be a light watch. It is a story inspired by true events and I haven’t made it for a specific section of people. This will be one for the audience. Some may like it while some may not like it. But I have made a story that I wanted to tell,” she begins.

So what according to Kiruthiga is the current relationship trend? “I believe women in a relationship are less tolerant than before. Back in the days, women stayed in a marriage or a relationship whether or not she liked it because breakups and divorces were more of a taboo and women were dependent on their husbands. Times have changed, people have changed. Women have become independent and less tolerant. So, when they are unhappy with their partners they move on,” she opens up.

Romance movies and Tamil cinema haven’t had the best of relationships in the recent past. Despite having a crime thriller and a horror film on hand , Kiruthiga still chose to do a romantic entertainer. “The storytelling aspect has always excited me. That is why I came here to make films. This idea brewed when friends met over a cup of coffee and we found it interesting. Kadhalikka Neramillai is more of a drama than romance or a rom-com. I like feel-good films and I wanted to make one that will make everyone good at this point in time,” says the filmmaker.

In a career that has spanned across 12 years Kiruthiga has directed three films and one web series. “I take a lot of time for pre-production or production. I am making films for passion. So whenever I make a film, I see it as a calling. I have to be focused and I have to trust the script completely before I go for a shoot. Even if its once in a few years, I put my heart and soul into it,” she tells us.

Jayam Ravi and Nithya Menen‘s looks from the film posters have been jaw-dropping. “Yes, the looks are something that they haven’t tried in their previous films. The story takes place in an IT set up, which made us zero in on these looks. More than that, Ravi and Nithya’s chemistry worked instantly. You will see that when you watch the movie,” assures Kiruthiga.

Talking about her upcoming projects, she says, “I have a crime thriller ready with a production company on hand and also another web series too. The announcement will be made in the coming months.”