Malai, the upcoming Tamil film starring actors Lakshmi Menon and Yogi Babu, is set to be a social drama that revolves around a doctor, the director of the film IP Murugesh tells Silverscreen India.
Murugesh, who has previously assisted filmmakers Seenu Ramasamy and Susienthiran, will be making his debut with the film backed by producer R Ganesh Moorthy Soundarya under the Lemon Leaf Creation Pvt Ltd banner.
Speaking about his directorial debut, Murugesh says, “Malai is about the journey of a woman who has never been exposed to rural life. She is a doctor and goes to a village. The story follows the things she experiences there and how they change her life. Lakshmi Menon essays the role of the doctor, while Yogi Babu comes in as an important component in her journey.”
Murugesh, who has also written the script of Malai, says all the characters in the film are inspired by real people. “Lakshmi Menon and Yogi Babu’s characters are based on the people I have come across in real life. However, I’ve developed them with fictional elements.”
Aside from Yogi Babu and Menon, the cast includes actors Kaali Venkat, Singampuli, and Ramachandran, among others.
“I wrote this film sometime in 2018, but due to the pandemic-induced restrictions, we could not commence production until recently,” the filmmaker adds.
The film went on floors in December 2021 and about 30% of the shooting remains to be completed, Murugesh tells us. Malai is being shot in the hilly areas of Theni, Tamil Nadu by cinematographer Theni Eswar. Kasi Viswanathan is handling the edits.
The film has music by composer D Imman. “We have four songs as of now, but this might change,” says Murugesh.
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The team is expecting to complete the shooting within a couple of months and is looking for a theatrical release for Malai.
Meanwhile, Menon is also a part of Sippai, alongside Gautham Karthik. Yogi Babu, on the other hand, will next be seen in Vijay-starrer Beast, which is scheduled to release on April 13.