We need more socio-political films: Udhayanidhi Stalin

It is no secret that the fame and glitz of the film industry can be an attractive enough reason for artists to stay in cinema. Of course, there is creative satisfaction too. However, actor-politician Udhayanidhi Stalin is a rare actor who decided to call it quits at the peak of his career. For a self-proclaimed accidental actor, Udhayanidhi has a versatile filmography. Starting off with romcoms like Oru Kal Oru Kannadi (OKOK), he went on to star in social dramas like Manithan, and Nenjukku Needhi and even explored the dark psychological thriller genre with Psycho. Udhayanidhi has almost done it all during his 11-year stint as an actor before hanging his boots to concentrate on his political career.

Even if his entry into cinema was by accident, Udhayanidhi spent time learning and unlearning a lot of aspects, including script selection. “OKOK gave me the impression that a humourous friend, a good-looking heroine, age-old romantic track, four songs, was a sure-shot template for success. But falling into that image trap bored me soon enough, and I had to break out of that clutter by exploring other genres and more challenges,” says Udhayanidhi, who recalls his cousin and actor Arulnithi referring director Mu Maran (who helmed Arulnithi’s Iravukku Aayiram Kangal), who came up with the crime thriller, Kannai Nambathey, which is finally hitting screens on March 17.

“I had a line for a thriller script and within 2-3 weeks, I narrated the barebones of it to Udhayanidhi sir. I studied how police officers work, went through newspapers, and studied case records as part of my research. Being a journalist helped me in figuring out the details," says Maran, whose first film, Iravukku Aayiram Kangal, was also a thriller. However, the filmmaker is confident that Kannai Nambathey will definitely stand out from his critically acclaimed debut. In fact, Maran teases a universe being built through his two films. “Arulnithi sir lent his voice briefly for Kannai Nambathey. His character of taxi driver Bharath from Iravukku Aayiram Kangal was required here and we thought it will be a good addition.”

With the team brimming with confidence, Aathmika who plays the female lead in Kannai Nambathey is positive that the film will definitely be a milestone in her career. Similar to Udhayanidhi, Aathmika is also trying to develop quality filmography that offers her a variety of roles. “After I did Meesaya Murukku, I got bombarded with roles of college girls. I was clear about not becoming part of this industry practice of stereotyping. More than the number of films, I was more aware of choosing distinct roles to avoid being boxed," says Aathmika.

Apart from Udhayanidhi and Aathmika, Kannai Nambathey stars a stellar ensemble, including the likes of Prasanna, Srikanth, Bhumika Chawla, and Vasundhara. Interestingly, this is one of Udhayanidhi's first multi-starrers. "Working with so many established actors was an interesting and challenging experience. Although I do have scenes with the rest, I had a lot more combination scenes with Bhumika."

Udhayanidhi has made a significant mark in both cinema and politics and comes from a lineage where these two paths often converged to impactful results. But does he still think cinema has the power to have an actual impact in the real world? “Masala films should be consumed for what they are. But there are many films that talk about social justice. It has always been the case in Tamil cinema," says Udhayanidhi, adding, "Earlier, Tamil films spoke politics, but after a point, the frequency of such films became rare. Recently, we have seen filmmakers taking this genre up again. It is nice that the films become talking points. While entertainment continues to be the major pull, films are also being made with social responsibility. I have tried to do the same with Nenjukku Needhi, Kalaga Thalaivan, and Maamannan. All of them will have major points of discussion. Films are mass media that communicate to a large audience. While not all heroes do it, I think socially-conscious films should have a space in cinema."

The conversation veers back towards Aathmika whose candidness about her approach to choosing roles is refreshing. “Mostly heroines don’t get any other role other than playing the generic love interest. But in reality, everyone knows women are more than just that. It is important to understand that writing a women-centric film with strong women characters doesn't mean they should do what men have been doing onscreen for all these years.  There are many stories that happen around a woman. Honestly, it is a very good time for a woman to be in cinema," says Aathmika, who is excited about the prospect of working with many new-age directors.

Finally, Udhayanidhi opens up about what will be his last film, Maamannan. “It is a very intense film. I remember shooting a scene with Sunil Reddy sir and Vadivelu sir, and someone asked Mari Selvaraj sir how a serious filmmaker like him is working with artists known for their comic talents. Even Mari Selvaraj sir was initially skeptical about it because we were all quite jovial off the camera. However, he understood that making a serious film doesn't really mean the sets should be so too. We had a lot of fun, but make no mistake, Maamannan will be a film to look out for,” signs off Udhayanidhi.