Single Shankarum Smartphone Simranum, the upcoming Tamil film starring actors Shiva, Anju Kurian and Megha Akash, is a fantasy comedy about an artificial intelligence (AI) named Simran, director Vignesh Sha PN tells Silverscreen India.
The film backed by Kumar K of Lark Studios is written and directed by the debutant filmmaker.
Vignesh, who has made short films in the past, says of his upcoming film, “It is about an AI that has all the features of a girl and behaves like one, and follows what happens when this AI comes into the life of a single man. His life after that turns into a roller coaster ride. While Alexa and Siri only do what they are told, Simran (the AI) does what is not said too. It thinks on its own and has the ability to feel love and other emotions.”
While Megha plays Simran in an extended cameo role, Anju stars as Shiva’s love interest. “Each of the artists was hand-picked. Singer Mano essays an important role too,” the filmmaker reveals.
Vignesh wrote the script back in 2014. The idea, he says, struck him during his final year in college. “When I got my first iPhone, I got introduced to Siri. This sparked the idea of what would happen if an AI spoke and acted like a human and it prompted me to write this script.”
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The film, which will feature four songs composed by music director Leon James, is set against the backdrop of Triplicane, Chennai.
Single Shankarum Smartphone Simranum began rolling on Monday and, according to the director, will be shot by cinematographer Arthur Wilson in a single schedule.
The film will be completed by mid-November, says Vignesh, adding, “You can expect Single Shankarum Smartphone Simranum to release in theatres either later this year or for Pongal 2022.”