Third time lucky

Gayathrie has been in two films starring Vijay Sethupathi, but it’s only in Puriyadha Pudhir that she’s his heroine. chitradeepa anantharam

‘Paaah’ girl Gayathrie is waiting for her upcoming film Puriyadha Pudhir , not only because it is her third film with Vijay Sethupathi, but also because she wants to know the score that the director of the film, Ranjit Jeyakodi, would give her. Score? “Yes, after the end of every shot, I would run up to him and ask him about my performance. On a scale of one to ten, so far I have never got more than 6.5. The director has promised to give me my final score once the film releases,” she says.

Ranjit Jeyakodi had auditioned many actors for the female lead of Puriyadha Pudhir , but could not find the right actor. Upon Vijay Sethupathi’s suggestion, Gayathrie was called for an audition. “When I went to the director’s office, all that he said was that I must learn to play the violin and then meet him after a week. Within that short time, I found a teacher and just about managed to play ‘Happy birthday to you’. I was selected to play the character of Meera, a violinist, in the film,” says Gayathrie.

Working with debutant director Ranjit was a different experience altogether for Gayathrie. “Mine, being a pivotal role in the film, Ranjit expected me to give my best performance. The film is a thriller with elements of suspense and romance.” “My co-star Vijay Sethupathi is an outstanding performer. I was under immense pressure and stress, as I had to keep up with his natural acting. It took me almost two weeks to deliver what the director expected from me, and for that, I had to do my homework meticulously. I used to rehearse in front of the mirror after pack up, and go to the sets well-prepared,” she says. “But, however hard I worked, the director would give me 6 or 6.5, but Vijay Sethupathi would always score 8 or 8.5.”

Did she enjoy working with Vijay Sethupathi yet again after

Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom ? “I was happy to be associated with him once again. In Rummy , we did not meet, as we had no scenes together. The reception scene in Naduvula… was shot in a remote location, and every day after the shooting, all the artists, along with Vijay Sethupathi, used to play with the local kids. Vijay Sethupathi used to be so relaxed and cool then. But during the shooting of Puriyadha Pudhir , he was extremely busy, as he was working in a couple of projects, and was stressed out, as he was moving from one set to another. He was hard-pressed for time and used to take his bike to go to the next location in order to save time. But the crux of his personality remains the same; he has not changed a bit.”

Gayathrie is yet to watch Puriyadha Pudhir . “Ranjit has refused to let me watch the film. I’m anxious about my performance and to know the final score he would give me.”