Location Diaries: Anandhi goes to college

While shooting for Mari Selvaraj’s Pariyerum Perumal, heroine Anandhi spent a lot of time at a college in Tirunelveli. The whole shoot proved to be an enjoyable experience for her, she says. Anandhi plays a law student in the film and many of the shots were of her and actor Kathir sitting in the classroom. “Kathir and I had to sit in the classroom with real students. The shoot was done by a handheld camera and we were askef to be very natural. I enjoyed the whole experience; I learned what life is like for a college student," she says. "Becoming an actor meant that I couldn't go to college. That has always been one of my biggest regrets. But this film helped me be a college girl.”

The shooting process was quite interesting, she says. “We sat with notebooks and pens, and pretended we were writing notes or discussing something serious. But in reality, Kathir and I were actually playing games on paper like noughts and crosses. I even taught him my favourite game, Bingo,” Anandhi says with a laugh.

Later, when shooting in the city for a montage song, Kathir and Anandhi were required to walk the streets, as a normal couple. The cameras were hidden and people had no idea a film was being shot. “Nobody recognised us either, and it was a lot of fun," she says.

But it wasn’t all fun and frivolity. For a pre-climax portion, she had to do an emotionally-charged scene. There was total silence on sets the minute she started performing. “By the time I finished my lengthy dialogue, I saw that noone had moved. Director Mari was in tears. That was the biggest compliment for me,” says Anandhi.