Exclusive! Vani Bhojan on Tamil Rockerz: People may never watch a pirated film after watching the series

With just a few days to go for the release of Tamil Rockerz, Vani Bhojan is exhilarated. The web series, helmed by director Arivazhagan, delves into the dark and nefarious world of digital piracy and the entertainment industry's relentless battle against the predicament. Headlined by Arun Vijay, Vani Bhojan and Ishwarya Menon, the thriller is all set to stream on SonyLIV on August 19.

So, what made Vani come on board? "The fact that piracy has been one of the biggest battles of the industry and the gripping script! I think the reason some people watch pirated versions of films is because they are unable to gauge the sweat and blood the industry puts into a project and the repercussions of piracy. We thought the issue could be addressed to a larger audience through the web series. It was a bold move by the team."

Was it easier for Vani to resonate with the concept since it dealt with an issue that her industry was a part of? "Actually, no! Before taking the plunge into this series, all I knew was that piracy was illegal. But, after getting into the skin of my character, the whole concept and the series became an emotional journey for me. I play a cyber forensic head and there is a reason why she is so involved in this particular case. It was a lot of learning for me and I am glad I was a part of it."

Vani is teaming up with director Arivazhagan and Arun Vijay for the first time in her career and the actress says that she was rendered speechless by their dedication to work. "Arivazhagan is a brilliant director and puts a lot of effort into a project. He was so clear about my role in Tamil Rockerz that I barely had to do any prep work. He made my job a lot easier. He hardly took any break during filming and worked on very little sleep. I knew he was up to something big."

She adds, "Arun and Arivazhagan have collaborated earlier for a few films. When I quizzed them about their working style, they said that this is how they worked. Even the show's producer Aruna Guhan of AVM Productions, was present throughout the shooting and she, too, would spend sleepless nights with us. We became like a family. Our entire and only focus was on the series and we worked on it with gusto and passion. The team never compromised on any aspect. We were constantly travelling, working 24 X 7 with barely any shuteye. The entire team was on the road, running and doing everything they could. On the last day of the shoot, I fell sick. It was around 3.30am in the morning and I told my producer that I may not be able to do the scene and she stayed up with me all night. We have now become good friends and I hope we do more projects together."

Talking about Arun Vijay as a co-star, Vani says, "He is a wonderful co-star. Despite being an experienced actor and a big star, he never thrusted his ideas on me and let me be myself. He was quite chilled on the sets and asked me to deliver my scenes in my own style. So, there was no pressure of working with an experienced actor."

Vani states that Tamil Rockerz might be an eye opener for many and urges everyone to watch the series. "While working on the series, I had first-hand-experience of the agony that the film industry goes through every time pirated versions surface on the internet. People who do not really understand why we need to put a stop to piracy, will have a better understanding of the subject after watching the show and may never watch a pirated version after this."