Treat to see Vijay improvise on set: Producer Hema Rukmani

Producer Hema Rukmani from Sri Thenandal Films says Tamil superstar Vijay is an outstanding actor and it's a treat to see him improvise on the movie set.

Vijay is starring in Thenandal's 100th production venture "Mersal", which is being directed by Atlee. The movie's music has been composed by A R Rahman. It reunites Atlee with Vijay after their blockbuster previous outing "Theri."

"Most people look at Vijay as a 'mass actor.' But, I've seen him perform. He's an outstanding actor. I've noticed a lot of things during shooting. His sense of continuity is brilliant. He will know even the minutest details like where and how he kept his hand or leg during a particular shot.

"Whether the assistant director remembers or not, he will know. I had the great joy of watching him improvise. In the whole Europe schedule, I was there every day on set. So, I could see him improvise, and it's a treat. He has a charm of him which crosses borders and boundaries," Hema told PTI.

While a lot of production houses struggle to sustain after working on a few projects, Thenandal has successfully gained a strong foothold as a reputed banner in Kollywood, and Hema attributes it to her father-in-law's (late Rama Narayanan) continuous efforts.

"A lot of film houses fail to go on after doing some ten films. 'Mersal' is our 100th production. It's mainly because of my father-in-law's (late Rama Narayanan) continuous work throughout his life. He was a good director but a better strategist.

"And having Vijay in our 100th film is a great blessing. It's come out so well. I was quite stunned after seeing some shots. If you already love him, you will love him even more after watching the film. Three-fourths of the movie is complete."

Hema showers lavish praise on director Atlee saying he perfectly knows the strengths of Vijay and grasps the pulse of audiences more than an experienced writer.

"I think his forte is dialogues. Even an experienced Tamil writer wouldn't be able to grasp audience's pulse as he does. There's a difference between making films in a grandeur way and grandly showcasing your movie on the screen. He is good at giving a visual treat, and I think it comes from his mentor ace filmmaker Shankar."

Hema says Thenandal began the pre-production work of their next magnum-opus "Sangamithra" one and a half years back. The film to be directed by Sundar C will go on floors this October.

"The work on concept arts, weapons that are required and the types of equipment we are going to use have been underway. The artists have started training for martial arts, and the basic graphic work is done too. So, everything that a big project requires is already in place."

On Shruti Haasan opting out of the film especially after the Cannes Film Festival, Hema says, "She didn't opt out. We decided that we could not work together effectively. We have already given our statement, and now we just want to move on."