The 50-second teaser of Mani Ratnam’s Kaatru Veliyidai, which stars Karthi and Aditi Rao Hydari, which was released on Republic Day opened to a terrific response. The teaser was nothing less than a visual splendour. The film also marks the 25-year collaboration of Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman from the latter’s debut in Roja.
Karthi, who started as an assistant director to Mani Ratnam speaks about acting in his mentor’s direction, ARR’s music, flying sessions (playing an air force officer) among others in an exclusive to DC.
“It’s been a huge learning curve for me,” Karthi begins. Though he has been in the industry for a long time, the actor says he felt everything new while working with Mani Ratnam. “Mani sir used to read scene by scene. Be it his characterisation, scene development or improvisation — it was something novel and fresh to me, which I haven’t gone through so far. It felt like learning to act again.”
Apparently, Mani was very particular that he did not want the usual Karthi that we have seen thus far in all the movies, when he was brought onboard. “True! Sir said that,” the actor admits.
Explaining that he underwent flying sessions for the role of an air force officer, he smiles, “I met my friends, who are air force officers, and discussed their experiences with them. They are the ones who face dangerous situations — we discussed things like how their psychology works on various occasions, etc. Besides, we had reading sessions as well.”
On working in a film, with maestro AR Rahman’s music for the first time, he quips, “I am very excited. Rahman sir’s score floored me when I watched O Kadhal Kanmani. It was a well-crafted film with music finesse and thoroughly enjoyed his amazing music. Now, coming to think of being part of his musical in Kaatru Veliyidai, gives me a high.”
For the first time, Mani, who is not a fan of foreign locales has broken his rule and has shot a few portions in Serbia. “That was mainly because the script demanded snow-clad mountains as a backdrop and we could not get permission here in India.”
