The script that lured Lara

MISS UNIVERSE 2000 Lara Dutta and Mr.India of the South, good old action king Arjun sat next to Hindi `Indian' (Sunny Deol starrer) director Maharajan and producer Dr. Murali Manohar of CEE (I) TV to talk about their latest venture, `Arasatchi'.

And naturally, there was enough room for national sentiment and patriotism at the conference hall at Chola.

``Arasatchi is about the system,'' says Arjun. ``It's a social awareness family entertainment film. A good commercial film which will appeal to the young. The message and the meaning in the film will touch you,'' says director Maharajan.

``It has nothing to do with politics. It's clean entertainment without gruesome violence or gore,'' Dr. Murali Manohar chips in.

Arjun plays a common man who fights for the right. ``A normal human being with raw emotions, not a superhero. He just does what you expect any normal person to do, without inhibitions or influence,'' the producer adds.

``It was a good script and so there was no second thought. What you need is a good script with something unique and a director with presence of mind. Plus we also had a celebrity,'' Arjun smiles, pointing towards Lara.

``I hadn't made up my mind. But I met Dr. Manohar who gave me the basic story and script. It made sense to me because the work I have been doing is though not on similar lines, on similar issues. I could empathise with the film. Probably, one of the best scripts that I have received,'' says Lara.

Lara busy with a project in New York was free only for a limited period and found the dates required very convenient. ``It was very professional. I knew my dates, the schedule dates and the release dates even before we started on the project,'' Lara adds.

What were her biggest challenges for the film? ``One, I am not extremely well-versed with the language. So it's a bigger challenge to speak, understand and emote. My role has nothing to do with the glamour industry. So as an actress, it is definitely going to be a challenge to break the mould. I got a great director and co-star. I hope they help, that's a security,'' she smiles.

``We did do a screen test on her. And found that she fits the bill,'' Dr.Murali Manohar says. Besides, Lara does have a background in ad and theatre.

Arjun, was the obvious choice for director Maharajan. It was a role written with Arjun in mind. In fact, Arjun and Maharajan have been buddies since '86 - the days of `Shankar Guru', `Sonthakaaran' and `Thaimel Aanai'.

For one and half decades? ``Now, you are giving me the feeling that we're getting old,'' laughs Arjun. We then ask the director about the title. ``It's a `mass' title. Something that would appeal to the mass,'' quips director Maharajan.

While CEE (I) TV find Harris Jeyaraj scores the music, also in the cast are Raghuvaran, Nasser, Charanraj, P. Vasu, Vivek and K.Viswanath. ``No villain. The system is the villain,'' the cat goes out of the bag for a team very guarded about their project.

By Sudhish Kamath

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Entertainment
Next     : Musical homage to a master