Acting isn't as boring as I thought it would be: filmmaker Selvaraghavan on Saani Kaayidham

Saani Kaayidham, starring director Selvaraghavan and National-award winning actor Keerthy Suresh as the leads, is set to be released on Amazon Prime Video; on May 6. The film will also be released in Malayalam and Telugu as Chinni.

Directed by Arun Matheswaran of Rocky fame, the revenge action-drama has cinematography by Sillu Karuppatti-fame Yamini Yagnamurthy, editing by Nagooran Ramachandran, music by Sam CS, and art direction by Ramu Thangaraj.

According to a statement released by Amazon, the story follows "a heart-wrenching journey of Ponni (Keerthy) who works as a constable and lives with her five-year-old daughter Dhanna and her husband Maari, who works as a coolie in a rice mill. On one unfortunate night, she loses everything. To avenge the injustice done to her, she takes the support of Sangaiah (Selvaraghavan), with whom she shares a bitter past." Saani Kaayidham is produced by Screen Scene Media Entertainment Private Limited.

Speaking about Saani Kaayidham, Selvaraghavan says, initially, he thought acting would be boring. "I am glad, it was not that way. I got to learn something new every day. From day one I was directing films, I just had a simple principle to not look at the clock. I simply enjoy the process."

According to Selvaraghavan, Saani Kaayidham was perfect to make his debut as an actor. In an interview with DT Next, he says, "There was no plan to turn an actor as such. I instantly liked the script when Arun Matheswaran narrated it to me and agreed to be a part of it. Be it three scenes or 30 scenes, there has to be something in it for me to agree!"

Selvaraghavan adds that there was no preparation from his side to go about the role, as well. He was quoted in DT Next saying, "I went to the sets with a blank mind and did what the scene required. Arun Matheswaran was the boss there and I didn’t intervene. I just went by his vision. Apart from that, I was only asked to grow a beard for the role!"

On his experience of working with Keerthy Suresh in Saani Kaayidham, Selvaraghavan adds, “She is a brilliant actress. There were times I asked her to teach me some nuances."

Up next, Selvaraghavan has Naane Varuven, in the pipeline. The film marks the collaboration of Dhanush and Selvaraghavan after 11 years for Naane Varuven.

Starring Indhuja Ravichandran and Elli AvrRam as the female leads, Naane Varuven, produced by S Thanu, under his banner, V Creations, has Dhanush playing dual roles. The film has music by Yuvan Shankar Raja and cinematography by Om Prakash.

Speaking about the reunion with Dhanush, Selvaraghavan tells DT Next, “We have wrapped up the shoot and the film has entered the post-production stages. It was like meeting him at home. His evolution as an actor has been immense. I am amazed at his transformation at the moment the camera starts rolling. I can see the actor in him. We can work together till I see him this way and enjoy the actor in him. The day I start looking at him as my brother, I don’t think our combination would work!"