Location Diaries: Roped in

While shooting for the horror film, Aruvam, Catherine Tresa had a tough time managing her costume for a particular scene. She had to wear an extremely heavy outfit made of thick ropes. "It weighed around 35 kg and I needed the help of four assistants to wear and take it off each time. Moreover, it took an hour to wear and remove each time. During breaks, I could not sit down since it would not bend at the arms and legs. I had to lie down very still, that too with an assistant's help," says Catherine.

Since the scene was shot in a dilapidated factory full of old machinery, it was even more difficult for the actor to navigate her way around without bumping into something. Inside the rope suit, she wore her normal clothes, but in addition to this, to protect her from the rough ropes, there was a thin scuba suit lining as well. "Though it was lightweight, this lining trapped heat and made it agonisingly hot inside the suit. But I couldn't let any of these discomforts show in my expressions since that would show onscreen!"

For another scene, Catherine had to sit still for nearly two hours, as a Plaster of Paris prosthetic mould was put on her face. "It was pitch black inside the mould and I couldn't see anything. It was so claustrophobic that I could hardly breathe. I kept myself together by sheer will power and tried to keep myself calm," she reveals. Her assistants took a video of the filming and showed it to her later. "I felt the whole experience was quite an achievement for me!"