Life often inspires art, and when it comes to a movie about siblings, G. Srinivasan did not have to venture far for inspiration.
Annadurai is about brothers Annadurai and Thambidurai and the bond they share. Annadurai is the older sibling who managed a textile business, while Thambidurai works as a physical trainer. While Annadurai believes in controlling life, Thambidurai goes with the flow. However, Annadurai has an addiction problem.
“How much does an older brother sacrifice for his twin forms the story,” says Srinivasan, who quit college for cinema.
Srinivasan, who has an older twin, says that his film is not autobiographical but contains emotional moments borrowed from his life.
“This is a story of family bonding and values,” says lead actor Vijay Antony, who last explored dual roles in Yaman.
Antony’s journey into films is interesting. A composer with no formal training, he entered Tamil cinema with music for Sukran in 2006. After working in more than 20 films, Antony brought out the actor in him with Naan in 2012.
Antony’s performance was appreciated and there was no stopping him. Exploring different characters with each film, he showed potential that earned him a place as an action hero to watch out for. Always ready for new experiments, Antony turned editor with Annadurai. He has also scored the music.
“It’s the trust of people in me that drives me ahead,” said the musician who was the first Indian to win the Cannes Golden Lion (2009) for the NakkaMukka commercial. The song was played at the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
Malayalam actress Jewel Mary makes her Tamil cinema debut. She plays Annadurai’s lover, Chitra, a beautician.
Srinivasan said that the role required someone who could deliver emotions and having been impressed with her performance in Malayalam films, Mary was his first choice.
Newcomer Diana Champakika plays Thambidurai’s lover. Sreenivasan declines to talk about Telugu actress Mahima’s role in the film. It’s for viewers to find out.
Annadurai releases in the UAE on December 1. The Telugu version is titled Indrasena.
