Actor Kayal Chandran, after his role in the 2022 film Manmadha Leelai, is set to return to theatres with Raja Durai Singam's Singha. The makers recently released the first look poster of the film. True to the poster, Chandra confirms that he is in a film centred around a dog and not the other way round. "That was the first thing that impressed me about the director," Chandran begins how Singha happened to him.
Chandran says debutant Raja Durai Singam, from the school of directors Vasanth and Sarkunam, was straightforward in his approach while pitching Singha, and that the director's honesty reminded him of how Prabu Solomon cast him for Kayal. "There are occasions when directors falsify the prominence of our character. But Raja, before even exchanging pleasantries, said that the dog is the hero of my film and the story will revolve around it. The story then was equally impressive. I immediately said yes to it."
Chandran shot to fame with Kayal, which has become a part of his identity. Calling Kumki as his favourite film with animals, he says director Prabu Solomon's outlook on nature and animals is infectious, and it had a great influence on how he viewed animals. "I actually auditioned for Prabu sir's Kumki. I didn't make the cut. After he chose me for Kayal, I told him about my Kumki audition. Prabu sir promptly responded that he had imagined the male lead in Kumki differently and I seemed perfect for Kayal. So Kumki is always special for me; I like it for the rains, the forest, and the elephant. I don't have pets currently. While I find dogs to be cute, I don't like it when they lick me because I am a cleanliness freak. I don't like the idea of leaving them outdoors; they need to have a place inside the home."
Singha isn't just about a dog, but also a baby, and shooting films with them means a lot of start-stops and convenience breaks. "In the whole 9-5 schedule, you may get them to focus for a maximum of an hour. The dogs are prone to mood swings. So it was a strenuous task to complete the shoot during the given period of time and also derive satisfactory performances from the kid and the dog," he says, adding, "Even if I reveal the slightest moment that was challenging or emotionally moving, there is a risk of giving away the story. But I can guarantee one thing, Singha will be liked by people from all walks of life, irrespective of whether they have a pet or not."
Starring alongside Chandran are Sija Rose, Meenakshi, Adhithya Kathir, and Aristo Suresh. The feel-good film has music by Manoj Chinnaswamy and cinematography by Ashok Kumar.
