‘Reels Akka’ Aarnika breaks down recalling film industry struggles

CHENNAI: The motion poster of Love 3.0, a romantic drama featuring Instagram personalities, was launched at a press meet in Chennai, where debutant director and lead actor Aarnika, popularly known as ‘Reels Akka’, broke down while recalling her struggles to find opportunities in the film industry.

Produced by Shivakumar under the banner of Monkey Minds Entertainment, the film explores how love is perceived across three generations, from the 1990s to the present and the future. It also explores a protagonist falling in love with an AI woman, raising questions about the future of relationships. Aarnika said the team chose to unveil a motion poster instead of screening scenes, since AI plays a central role in the story.

Aarnika has taken on multiple responsibilities in the film, including story, screenplay, dialogues, lyrics, art direction and costume design, apart from acting and directing. She has also co-produced the film. Instagram personalities Coimbatore Mappillai and KN Smiley, also known as Karthikeyan, play key roles. Vedai P Mahesh has handled cinematography, Vaikund Srinivasan has composed the music, and Aravind is the editor. Prasanna Kumar is the executive producer.

During her speech, Aarnika recalled attending numerous auditions over seven years and being told to undergo nose surgery before returning for a photoshoot. She said repeated rejections and a lack of opportunities eventually pushed her to take on several creative responsibilities herself. Thanking those who had turned her down, she said the struggles had helped her emerge as a writer, lyricist, actor and director. She also appealed to the media to support emerging talent from social media and give them opportunities in cinema.

Director R V Udayakumar, Tamil Nadu Film Directors Association treasurer Perarasu, actor Vanitha Vijayakumar and Cool Suresh attended the event as special guests.