Jyotika, who will next be seen in the Tamil film Udanpirappe, said it was the depth and dignity of her character that made her choose the script. The actor was speaking at the trailer launch of the upcoming film on Monday, which was attended by the cast and crew.
Udanpirappe, which happens to be Jyotika’s 50th film, also stars actor-directors Sasikumar and Samuthirakani in the lead alongside her. It is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on October 14.
Produced under Suriya’s 2D Entertainment, the film is written and directed by filmmaker Era Saravanan. According to the official synopsis, it will showcase the unconditional love between siblings Mathangi (Jyotika) and Vairavan (Sasikumar), who are separated due to differences of opinion. While Vairavan believes justice must be fought for, Mathangi’s husband Sargunam (Samuthirakanni) 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.
Speaking to Silverscreen India earlier, Saravanan had said that Udanpirappe will shine a light on familial relationships, particularly estranged ones. While most of the cast and crew also stressed the same point and spoke about the need to value human relationships at the event, Jyotika shared her reasons for choosing this script. “The newness of the character lies in the strength and the silence. That’s what made me choose this film. I have done a few village films, but this character has so much depth. I play many roles in my real life as a wife, mother, and woman. All these are put together in this film. I don’t think I have played such a dignified character yet and am really happy with this portrayal,” she said.
Saravanan revealed that he was initially unaware that Udanpirappe marks Jyothika’s 50th film. He called this a blessing in disguise since he would otherwise have been wary of directing the actor. “If I had known that it was her 50th film, I would have requested her to work with another director, because it is a milestone and an important one.”
The filmmaker also mentioned that while his previous film, Kaththukkutti, barely managed to get 40 screens, Udanpirappe will be reaching 240 countries through the streaming platform.
Samuthirakani, meanwhile, said he felt the working style of Jyotika was similar to Suriya’s. “It was as if I was working with Suriya. I have worked with him in two films and have seen him up close. He thinks only of the shot and does not pay attention to anything else. I saw exactly the same in her.”
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The actor-filmmaker also revealed that he has “tried a new type of comedy” with Soori. “I realised I could do such humour too.”
On working with Sasikumar again, he said, “We have both directed each other, but to act together in a feature film is an unforgettable experience.”
Sasikumar, meanwhile, praised Jyotika for her performance in a particular single-shot scene during the climax and said that no other actor could have done it better. “She used no glycerin, and Suriya sir had also come to the shoot that day. Her acting was par excellence,” he added.
Udanpirappe was shot over 56 days in Thanjavur and Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu, by cinematographer Velraj. It is edited by Ruben and has music by D Imman, who has composed five songs for the film. It will release in Telugu as Raktha Sambandham.