Reel Change: Arya-Naan Kadavul & Casanova

Tamil actor Arya makes his Malayalam film debut with Mohanlal in Casanova, directed by Roshan Andrews. KK Moidu writes
Roshan Andrews hopes to score a hat trick in the forthcoming film Casanova after the success of Udhayananu Thaaram and Notebook. The film will be scripted by Bobby and Sanjay, who penned the script for teenage love story Notebook.
Young Tamil hero Arya plays a pivotal role in the film, where superstar Mohanlal dons a Casanova's role. The big budget film will be produced by Confident Group. Lal is a businessman, who makes huge profits from the flower business based in Vienna. The protagonist believes that love can cure crime.
Casanova will be one of the costliest Malayalam films ever made and the estimated budget is 10 crores. Arya had enough luck to make his debut in a Malayalam film with a leading actor like Mohanlal.
This is not the first time a Tamil hero is trying his luck in Malayalam cinema. Young heroes like Jeeva and Bala earlier tasted success by playing important roles along with superstars like Mohanlal and Mammootty in Keerthichakra and Big B respectively. Jeeva disappeared from the Malayalam industry but Bala continued his career. His latest release Chempada is doing well at the box office.
Like Bala, Arya, one of the sought-after young heroes of the Tamil industry will not be a regular in Malayalam films, even after the success of Casanova.
Lakshmi Rai is the heroine of the film, Priyanka and five other super models will play important roles. The romantic thriller is an Onam release and most of the film is shot in foreign locations in Europe, mainly Vienna.
However, the top notch performance of Arya in recently released Tamil film Naan Kadavul won him praise and reached his career into new heights. The film directed by Bala not only sky rocketed the career of Arya but also put him in the big league of actors.
Naan Kadavul is the critically acclaimed director Bala's fourth film after Sethu, Pithamagan and Nanda. It is in the making for more than three years and the film is noticed by the novel theme and the innovative storyline, which has attracted the audience attention.
Arya played an entirely different role in the film, which portrays the life of Aghori, the long lost tribe of Sadhus. The ardent devotees live a challenging life against all odds of the real world. Powdering themselves with ashes and consuming drugs are a part of their rituals. The film also goes deep into the miserable life of beggars and mentally challenged people controlled by drug mafia.
Bala's previous films have been path breaking and haunted the audience. Superstar Vikram won the Best Actor National Award for his performance in Pithamagan directed by Bala and Nandha took Surya's career into greater heights.
Bala himself pens the script of Naan Kadavul and Jayamohan writes the dialogue. This is the first time someone else is writing the dialogue for his film and also some small character has been adapted from the novel Ezhaam Ulagam written by Jayamohan.
Pooja Umashankar, who made her debut along with Arya in Ullam Ketkumae is the heroine of the film. She plays a visually-impaired poor girl role as Amsavalli, who is forced to beg in the pilgrim centres. Her role in the film is very different from her earlier glamour roles and proved that she can easily handle all kinds of characters with equal ease.

Ace director Bala is making a big leap in the Tamil industry and has done enough homework to bring out details for the film. It is evident in the film showing Arya powdered with ashes, wandering in the crematory grounds. Naan Kadavul set in the backdrop of the temple town of Varanasi is the touching story of a father, who forsakes his little son for spiritual and astrological reasons. The boy reaches Kasi as a refugee and grows up as a Sadhu with dreadlocks and disorderly looks. But the father is shocked to see his son in such a state and decides to bring him back home.
The problems he encounters in Tamil Nadu after leaving Varanasi is the crux of the story.
Music maestro Ilayaraja tunes for the lyrics of Vaali. Among the six songs, five of them are penned by Vaali except Pitchai Paathiram, which has been penned by Ilayaraja himself. Uttam Singh scores the background music and Arthur Wilson is the cinematographer.
Arya was born on Dec.11, 1980 as Jamshad in Trikarippur, Kerala. After completing his schooling, he secured an engineering degree from Crescent Engineering College at Vandalur, Chennai under University of Madras. His passion for filming brought the young computer engineer to modelling.
Arya made his debut in late Jeeva's Ullam Ketkumae. The film was also the launching vehicle of Asin Thottumkal and Pooja Umashankar. It got delayed and the second film, Arinthum Ariyamalum, released earlier. But both the films were hits at the box office. He played a critically acclaimed role as Prakash Raj's son in Arinthum Ariyamalum. Arya won the Filmfare Best Debut Award South and Best New Male Face Award at the Filmfare Awards. The box office success of Oru Kalluriyin Kadhal made him a sought-after hero of the Tamil industry.
However, his low budget film Kalabha Kadhalan, directed by debutante Igore, was only an average hit at the box office. His next release Pattiyal, as a henchman Kosi, along with Bharath, was a money spinner. Pattiyal created collection records in B and C centres. His pairing opposite Pooja as an expert auto racer in Oram Po and a gun leader Burma in Vattaram were also hits at the box office. Oram Po was directed by India's first husband-wife duo Pushkar and Gayathri.
Arya had no release last year and recently completed Sarvam directed by Vishnu Vardhan. Arya-Vishnu Vardhan duo earlier created hits like Arindhum Ariyamalum and Pattiyal.
Trisha Krishnan is the love interest of Arya in Sarvam. Telugu actor JD Chakravarthy plays an antagonist role in the film, which was rejected by Arjun Sarja because of an image fear. Malayalam actor Indrajith plays a prominent role in the film shot in Chennai, Goa and Munnar. Yuvan Shankar Raja, who always rendered hit numbers for Vishnu's films, tunes music and Neerav is the cinematographer.
According to report Arya will play the lead in a period film Madarasa Patinam directed by Vijay of Kireedom and Poi Solla Porom fame. A foreigner will play the heroine role in the film set in the year of 1945. Other important roles of the film will be played by Nasser, VMC Haneefa and Bala Singh.
Arya, still under 30, has never tasted failure in his career has come upto the expectations of audience in his latest release Naan Kadavul. His performance and body language as a rough and tough Rudhran in is unique. His frightening looks and rustic performance, especially in the second half of the film, will never be forgotten by the audience.