It’s hard to believe that debutant director, M Nagarajan, whose Kaalakkoothu features an impressive star cast, has not assisted any big names. The film, which hits the screens tomorrow, stars Dhanshika. For Nagarajan, signing a big name like Dhanshika was key. And once that happened, everything else fell in place, he says. “Dhansika listened to the script, and fell in love with it immediately. After she was on board, it was only a matter of time before we got Kalaiarasan, Prasanna and Shrushti Dange as well.”

The director says his feel-good script is the simple story of two good friends finding their soulmates. “In my view, two adults have the maturity to handle any issues that arise between them, and things only get aggravated by interference. That’s the crux of my film.”

Shot in and around his home town of Madurai, Nagaraj says he managed to find room for fights in his film. “How can a movie shot in Madurai be without fights? But I’ve ensured that they don’t mar the essence of the plot.” The director, who found shooting at live locations to be a challenge, believes his film will offer something special. “I’ve done my best to provide freshness in the theme and the execution,” he assures.