A horror film for the family audience

Actor Narain, who won hearts as the dutiful cop in Kaithi, left a strong impact that he was flooded with many similar roles in the upcoming years. However, he turned picky and made sure he didn't repeat himself. With his upcoming film Athma, he has challenged the performer in him by playing a person with autism.

"After Kaithi and Vikram, I got very similar characters. And naturally, I craved for something new. That's when I came across the script of Athma. Other than a challenging character the film has elements of horror, mystery, and thriller. I couldn't have asked for more," shares Narain.

Athma marks the Tamil directorial debut of filmmaker Sugeeth, who has many successful Malayalam features to his credit including, Ordinary and Madhura Naranga, among others.  "Sugeeth is a friend. It was I who asked if I could fit into the role when he randomly told me the one-liner of the film's plot. I had a lot of apprehensions and doubts within me even after signing the film and many people were concerned about me doing the role. But once I started shooting, there was no going back. I took it as a challenge and gave my all for the project," shares Narain.

He goes on to reveal details of the character and the plot, "Films have rarely represented adult autistic characters. We have only seen autistic- children in South Indian cinema. The autistic spectrum is comprehensive, but we were very particular about registering the condition my character has. Aside from this, I put on weight to ensure that my portrayal was authentic.

Shedding light on the plot, Narain shares, "The story is entirely set in Dubai. It follows my character, who begins hearing strange voices in his house. As he sets out to uncover the mystery behind these voices, many enigmatic secrets come to light."

Despite the film having horror elements, Narain points out that Athma will be a film for everyone in the family, "Though the film is a thriller, my character will come across as a thoroughly adorable one, and children will love it. The film's early screening has been a testament to that. Director Susienthiran, who will be releasing the film across Tamil Nadu, and director Lokesh Kanagaraj have lauded the character and made me feel that I am on the right track."

Bankrolled by Najeeb Kadri of Kadris Entertainment UAE, Athma also stars Shritha Sivadas,  Bala Saravanan, Kaali Venkat, Kanika, and Vijay Johny, among others. Filipino actors Sheris Sheen Agad and Christine Penticico also play pivotal characters in the film.

The shooting for Athma has already been wrapped up. The film is yet to get a release date.