Viduthalai Part 2 (Hindi) on OTT: Manju Warrier says after emotionally charged scenes, it’s important to…

Director Vetrimaaran’s second part of his powerful duology, Viduthalai: Part 2 began streaming in Hindi on ZEE5 and OTTplay Premium. Starring Vijay Sethupathi, Soori and Manju Warrier, the gripping period action drama is about how a rookie cop, Kumaresan (Soori) is held responsible to capture a leader of people’s movement Vaathiyar/Perumal (Vijay Sethupathi), as the drama unfolds about the systematic oppression prevailing in the society for years.

Actor Manju Warrier, who joined the cast for the second part of Viduthalai, has already worked with Vetrimaaran in Asuran. In Viduthalai: Part 2, Manju played Mahalakshmi, Vaathiyar’s love interest, and a woman who comes from a privileged household but talks for the oppressed. Vetrimaaran, who has a strong sense of political ideology in his films, sculpted Mahalakshmi too in such a way.

Manju Warrier on Viduthalai Part 2: Observing strength of women who have lived through injustice and oppression helped me

Speaking about drawing real-life inspirations or references that helped her connect more deeply with Mahalakshmi, Manju says, “Viduthalai Part 2 is deeply rooted in real-life struggles and power dynamics, I wanted to bring authenticity to my character. I read about real incidents and stories of resilience from people who have been through similar socio-political conflicts. Observing the strength of women who have lived through injustice and oppression helped me shape my character’s emotional depth. Their courage, quiet strength, and ability to endure inspired my portrayal.”

Very much similar to Asuran, Viduthalai: Part 2 is also an intense drama that spoke politics very vocally. Manju Warrier mentions that is important to mentally disconnect after doing emotionally charged scenes. The actor’s go-to method to relieve herself is by listening to music or reading something that is unrelated to the film’s theme. “Music, especially, helps me shift my emotions and relax after an intense day on set. Also, spending time with the crew and sharing light-hearted moments helped balance the emotional weight of the character.”

Also read: Waiting for a Vijay Sethupathi film to release? Here are 5 films of his you can watch right now 

‘Vijay Sethupathi is one of the most effortless actors’

With Viduthalai: Part 2, Manju marked her first collaboration with Vijay Sethupathi. Calling the latter an “one of the most effortless actors” she has ever seen, Manju adds that that Vijay Sethupathi brings honesty to every scene which makes the co-star to be in the moment with him. She also says how she looks up to him for his ability to convey emotions with subtlety.

Whereas, speaking about Soori, Manju is in awe about how he has transformed himself completely for the role of Kumaresan. “The dedication and hard work he put in were visible in every frame. There was a scene where his performance left everyone on set speechless—it was so powerful that even after the director called ‘cut,’ we were all still caught in that moment,” Manju recalls.

At the same time, Manju also adds that the camaraderie on set was amazing. Despite the film's serious themes, the cast had moments of laughter and warmth that made the experience even more special.

Viduthalai is available for streaming on OTTplay Premium at discounted prices. Unlock unlimited access to exclusive shows with OTTplay Premium. [Join Now at a Discount]