Nayanthara’s ‘Nee Enge En Anbe’ a different ‘Kahaani’

Chennai: Vidya Balan’s Kahaani earned the actress her fifth Filmfare award and was a box office hit. Now, a similar kahaani (the word is Hindi for “story”) is being made in Tamil and Telugu.

Titled Nee Enge En Anbe, this bilingual is directed by Telugu filmmaker Sekar Kammula with co-director Uma Mahesh.

At a press meet held in Chennai, Kammula, known for hits such as Anand and Happy Days, said: “Adapting a screenplay from the original is always a challenge as there are inevitable comparisons. This movie has been shot with an expansive canvas and was originally intended only for Tamil audiences. The treatment of the movie has been nothing short of grand.”

Like the original, this too is a thriller, centred on Anamika, a Tamilian woman who goes to Hyderabad in search of her husband. However, from the trailers, it is clear that Anamika is not pregnant in the story, as Balan’s character famously was. When questioned if he had changed the script, Kammula said: “Yes, I have made changes because I believe that women should be respected at all stages of their lives and not just sympathised during the pregnancy phase. Women are vulnerable at all stages.”

Talking about the lead actress, he said: “Nayanthara has done a fantastic job. Our effort throughout the making of Nee Enge En Anbe has been to make a distinctive, original thriller for Tamil audience as well as create a whole new experience for a market who that appreciated the original movie. I hope we have achieved our goal.”

For Nayanthara, playing the lead role in this film has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “It’s very rare for an actress to be the hero of the film, which is an opportunity that I have got with Nee Enge En Anbe,” she said.

“For me, the challenge was to give Nee Enge En Anbe an identity of its own. Working with Sekhar and bringing his vision of the character to life has been a fulfilling experience.”

Other members of the cast include Harshavardhan Rane, Pashupathy and Vaibhav. Produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures in association with Endemol Pictures, Nee Enge En Anbe has music scored by noted music director M.M. Keervani.

Will Nayanthara’s kahaani make a mark in her career like it did for Balan?

We can’t wait for this story — sorry, kahaani — to pan out.