Filmmakers need to spend more money on female-led films: Tamannah Bhatia

The dubbed version of hit Tamil film ‘Aranmanai 4’, starring Tamannah Bhatia and Rashii Khanna, is set to release on May 31. The actresses, along with director Sundar C, who has also acted in the film, and producer Khushboo Sunder launched the Hindi trailer of the film. The fourth instalment of the horror-comedy franchise has already become a hit in its original Tamil version. The previous three instalments of the franchise had also done well at box office.

Speaking on the good response garnered by the Tamil film, Tamannah said, “We are celebrating today as it has earned Rs 100 crore in Tamil. It is female-led film and hence, it is a huge achievement for us. It makes us proud.”

Speaking on the director of the film, Tamannah said, “I have worked with Sundar C sir in the past. I think he is one of the top three directors in our industry who has a great sense of technology, commercial success and emotions. He has proven his mettle again and again in the South cinema industry. I am happy that I got a chance to work with him at an early stage of my career. We keep talking about female empowerment and say we need to make more female-led films. I have seen the kind of upliftment he has at home, his two daughters and Khushboo ma’am are the perfect family that everyone aspires to have. It is not limited to his family, he tries to tell such stories that you can connect with instantly. He is setting an example of how to empower women. What he is like in real life gets reflected in his work.”

Tamannah, who is playing the mother of two kids in ‘Aranmanai 4’, admits that it was not easy, “It is the fourth part of ‘Aranmanai’, which had seen great success in all its three earlier editions. So, I feel proud that I am working with such a filmmaker who has made our work so simple. To be honest, I was not sure whether I would be able to do this role when Sundar Sir offered me this character. When he narrated the story to me and told me that I will be playing a mother, who is a protector, he gave me a chance to portray every phase of a woman in this film. It was a very emotional thing for me and I could not help but take inspiration from my mother – that feeling of how a mother can provide comfort to her children in any difficult situation and how she can go to any extent to protect her children. This role will be a feather on the cap of any actress who got the role. I am so happy that I got to play the role of Selvi in the Tamil film.”

Praising the producer of the film, Khushboo Sundar, as well as her co-star Rashii Khanna, Tamannah said, “Khushboo ma’am is like the wind beneath Sundar C sir’s wing. She is such a rock solid lady and I feel so good that I am working with this team. For me, Rashii is one person in whom I find a lot of love and warmth whenever I meet her. We have worked together in Telugu films before this. I really like her as she is a very secure and talented actress. In South films there are many bubbly characters, but Rashii brings subtlety, softness and realism to her character. I am a big fan of Rashii and a bigger fan of how amazing a person she is and how beautiful she is. It is a special film for both of us.”

Adding further, she said, “For me, this entire journey is extremely rewarding because ‘Aranmanai 4’ has earned Rs 100 crore and it is a huge validation for an actor. Maybe next time filmmakers will spend more money on female-led films, bringing different stories and characters. It is being accepted by the audience and I hope we will get similar love in the Hindi version.”

Rashii, who had featured in the previous film of the ‘Aranmanai’ franchise, chose to collaborate with the director for the fourth part. Explaining her reason for doing the film, she said, “As an actor, you want to do all kinds of films. Sometimes if a role is not well written, you make the best out of whatever you get and try to create a character. Sometimes, the onus of the film falls on your shoulder, which is great. You also want to do singing and dancing as I really enjoy that in films. I enjoy commercial films and content-oriented films. Sometimes the script is great, sometimes the director is great, sometimes the co-star is great. What matters is what we are getting out of that film. When Sundar sir approached me, I accepted the film without even listening to the script because he is a master of that genre. We want to do all kinds of films; if you keep doing the same kind of film, you will get bored and even the audience will get bored.”