​Exclusive! With Vadandhi, SJ Suryah sir has proved how vast and versatile his acting range is, says Andrew Louis

​Director Andrew Louis couldn't have ended the year on a better note. His latest offering, Vadandhi- The Fable of Velonie, a gripping crime thriller that revolves around the murder of a young woman and the rumours surfacing around her death has been receiving accolades from the audience around the world. The popularity of the series is only soaring higher by the day. Did he expect the series to do so well? "Well, we were very optimistic about the project, the script and the way the story was shaping up. SJ Suryah sir was super confident and he had said during the making itself that the show would rock. Once it was released and the show resonated with people, we were overwhelmed by the response and appreciation. We knew Vadandhi was going to be a success, but the magnitude of it has been much more than what we had predicted."

Was the character of SI Vivek written with SJ Suryah in mind, because the role seemed to have been tailor made for him? "I wasn't thinking about whom to cast while writing, but the role did turn out to be tailor made for him. No one could have suited the character better than Suryah sir. I think by now, every one who had watched the series would agree with the point. He has pretty much lived the character. He has also proved how vast and versatile his acting prowess is and how he keeps reinventing himself from project to project."

The show also marks the debut of one of the leading 2000s stars Laila in a web series, and the Sardar actress is seen in a completely different avatar altogether. Quiz about the thought behind casting Laila, and pat comes Andrew's reply, "The character of Velonie's mom was quite a tricky one. We wanted someone who would fit the bill perfectly and also a good performer. I had always seen Laila ma'am as a chirpy and bubbly personality in her films. I thought it would be interesting to cast her in the show and make her play a serious role. She had that Anglo Indian look as well. During the shoot, she spilled the beans that she indeed had an Anglo Indian lineage and we were all taken aback. It was also a sign that the pieces were falling into place."

He adds, "Laila ma'am was excited hearing the script. The story required a subtle performance along with some intensity. And Laila ma'am's talent and experience came in handy. She was very understanding and got into the skin of the character. The audience, too, felt like they were watching a different Laila and that aspect appealed to them. We needed to give a different version of her to keep the audience enthralled and it worked."

When quizzed how he struck a balance by setting up the story in a small town milieu, but at the same time, appeal to a global audience, Andrew says, "See, urban backdrop is something that we come across quite often. Rural and small town backdrops have a certain flavour to it. The authenticity of a particular region, its inherent beauty and essence appeals to a wider audience. If I had used a city backdrop for this plot, Velonie's family might be living in a flat, have a fast-paced life, where you don't even know who the next-door neighbour is. In a rural setting, everyone knows everyone and word travels fast. People love to watch about such lifestyles. It was not a frightening or threatening thought at all casting them in such a backdrop.​"

The director adds that he also wanted to show a different facet of Kanyakumari. "Kanyakumari was a huge plus for me. Usually people tend to show only the sea here, but we wanted to show the lush green side of the district. The region and this world complemented the kind of characters that I had for the story. You need to choose the world of the story well to tell the tale effectively."

You had been SJ Suryah's assistant during the beginning of your career. How was it directing your own director? " Somewhere during the writing process, I felt that SJ Suryah sir would be apt for the role. You need to have the right opening with the right person. Vadandhi is one of the biggest projects in life and I am glad that it was happening through him," says the director who had earlier helmed Kolaigaran and Leelai.