Come October, Udanpirappe, the second Tamil film of actor Suriya’s 2D Entertainment‘s four-film deal with Amazon Prime Video, is set to premiere on the streaming platform. The first of the four, Raame Aandalum Raavane Aandalum, released on Friday.
Starring Jyothika and actor-director Sasikumar in the lead roles, and written and directed by filmmaker Era Saravanan, Udanpirappe will showcase the unconditional love between siblings Mathangi and Vairavan, who are separated due to differences of opinion. While Vairavan believes justice must be fought for, Mathangi’s husband Sargunam insists on going by the law diligently. Over the years, the rift between them is aggravated and all attempts by Mathangi to unite the family turn futile. Whether Mathangi can unite her family forms the crux of this emotional family drama.
Director Saravanan says the film will shine a light on familial relationships, particularly estranged ones.
The filmmaker wrote Udanpirappe three years after his second directorial Kaththukkutti (2015). He says the film came into being because he observed that people in this day and age show a lot of tolerance towards strangers. “However, when it comes to our own, we let our ego take over. Moving away from these familial relationships not only affects us at our homes but also outside, where it comes out as anger.”
The film is, in a way, inspired by his own experiences, the director adds. “I have three sisters and a brother. Despite our best intentions, a sense of distance has grown between us because we are all now in different parts of the world.”
“To truly unite such separated family members, would probably require a grave incident like a death because, in case of happy occasions such as weddings, there is ego and a desire to show off one’s wealth. And a death uniting a family is also ironic because we do not really care about the person until they are gone for good,” says Saravaran, adding that it is crucial to try and save relationships before an unmendable dent is caused in the understanding. The film focuses on this aspect, he notes.
Saravanan reveals that his first movie was about an issue as important as the methane gas problem. However, it barely got any support.
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Working with a production banner like 2D Entertainment has been a blessing in this regard, he says, as he will definitely be able to reach more people with Udanpirappe. “I felt that Jyothika would be apt for the role from the start, but I was looking for other producers. Later, 2D decided to produce it themselves.”
Udanpirappe was shot over 56 days in Thanjavur and Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu, by cinematographer Velraj. The film’s post-production has been completed and it is now awaiting clearance from the CBFC. Edited by Ruben, it currently runs for two hours 15 minutes. D Imman has composed five songs for the film.
While Sasikumar and Jyothika play the siblings, other cast members include Samuthirakani as Jyothika’s husband and Soori, who essays the role of a mutual friend to the families.