The tagline ‘From the makers of Kullanari Kootam’ has done wonders in getting the theatres for Enga Kaatula Mazhai. Director Sri Balaji is back after a good seven years with the film, which released last week. He calls it a romcom narrated in a lighter vein for the family audience. The filmmaker blames the long gap between releases on producers who wanted another script on the lines of his successful debut. “I was determined to make sure that my second outing was totally different from Kullanari Kootam and so bade my time. Also, the film was ready long ago but Thenandal films (which produced the film) was busy with Mersal.”

Enga Kaatula Mazhai features a Golden Retriever that is present throughout. “The late Rama Narayanan had a penchant for animals and is known for his films featuring them. So it is fitting that my film was produced under his banner,” says Balaji.

Sticking to his faithful Appukutty, who was a scene stealer in Kullanari Kootam, Balaji also cast Mithun Maheswaran and Sruthi Ramakrishnan in the lead. “The storyline is simple: two friends come to Chennai from Madurai and lead a luxurious life despite not having any obvious source of income. How they manage this is the story.” As for the dog, the Golden Retriever plays a key role in the film and even has a pair. “Hats off to Appukutty for spending a full month with the dog before we began shooting. That went a long way towards ensuring a hassle-free shoot,”adds Balaji.