Saala was shot in live locations with non-professional actors : Dheeran

CHENNAI: Tamil film Saala, which released on August 23, has been receiving positive response over the weekend and the team is thrilled. The hero of the film Dheeran says that the entire team had complete faith in the script since the time they listened to it. “I am basically a producer, who had no plans to act. When Saala came to me initially, we approached a few actors but the project couldn’t take off due to call-sheet issues and then came Covid-19. I asked director SD Manipaul to stay in touch with me. After things resumed, he asked if I would be interested in playing the lead role,” Dheeran told DT Next.

The actor-producer added that there were a few changes made to the storyline after he agreed to do the role. “We had to get this good story out. Hence I agreed and asked Manipaul to tweak the story. I asked him to take the romantic portions out of the film and keep it on point to the story. The story is so relevant and taking tenders of TASMAC bars and its ill effects is something that hasn’t been made into a film before. I play a guy, who acquires bars through tenders and the female lead of the film. For this I had to bulk my physique from 80 kilos to 100 kilos. Reshma Venkatesh plays someone who protests against liquor. The film has a strong message and we have brought it out,” he adds.

Saala was shot right after minor lockdown restrictions. “We shot in live locations in north Chennai, where non-professional actors too were participative and contributed for Saala,” remarked Dheeran.