Exclusive! Ramya Pandian: The biggest challenge for me was to get close to the two bulls in the film

Ramya Pandian, who was part of a notable film and a few reality shows in her career, is elated to have played one of the leads in Raame Aandalum Raavane Aandalum, which will have a premiere on Amazon Prime Video, on September 24. She believes it was destiny which brought her on board for the project, directed by Arisil Moorthy and produced by Suriya's 2D Entertainment. The young actress recalls that after getting rejected initially for the role, it was her perseverance which made the makers reconsider their decision. It was a newspaper advertisement which helped her grab the opportunity.

She reminisces, "I came across the advertisement which a friend of mine had sent me. The makers of the project were looking for a heroine with rustic look who could speak Tamil as well. Working for a film bankrolled by a production banner like 2D Entertainment is every artist's dream, thanks to the quality of movies they have been coming up with. But the makers rejected me in the initial stage saying that I had played the role of a village girl earlier in Joker. They felt that the audience would find me repetitive if I'm offered the female lead's role."

But Ramya says she wasn't ready to give up so easily. She requested them to allow her go through the audition and asked about the appearance of the character which the director has in his mind. "I went for the audition wearing an old synthetic saree based on the character's look director described to me," he says excitedly, adding, "After two or three attempts, I could see a smile on his face. I was told that I have been selected for the role, and the director narrated the story to me. I really loved the screenplay and my character." 

Later, she was introduced to the other cast members, went through script reading sessions and a workshop on dialogue delivery. Ramya says, "Usually, after we start working for a film, it takes a few days for us to get to know our co-stars and to get used to the location. But thanks to the rehearsals, all of us were aware of what we should do from the day the project went on floors." The challenge, however, was to get close to Karuppan and Vellaiyan - the two important characters in the film - the two bulls who are seen in the film's trailer."

Ramya says dealing with bulls was quite a unique experience for her which she will cherish for a long time. "I'm not an animal person, except for instances where I click pictures with those dogs or cats which I find adorable. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would get close to two big bulls. We had a trainer on set because of which I was able to get close with them. After a few days, I learnt to feed and give massage to them; I gradually realized that I loved spending time with the bulls. I think human beings and animals develop a natural bonding when they spend some time together. As far as this film is concerned, the chemistry between artists and bulls are important than the bonding between hero and heroine," she says.

Working on the voice modulation, she says, was another thing she enjoyed during the shooting. "I would observe people in the village and their dialect which helped me deliver my lines in a better way. The director used to correct me whenever there was a slight change in my dialect. I enjoyed the process during dubbing, too," she signs off.