A Tamil film that puts actors to sleep

Dozing off to sleep during an interview could cost you a new job, and falling asleep while pillion riding on a friend’s two-wheeler doesn’t bear thinking about. But if you are a narcoleptic, this is something you can’t help doing, as is apparent from the trailers of Vishal’s upcoming Tamil film, Naan Sigappu Manithan.

Until the promos of this Thiru directed film emerged, narcolepsy was a little known word, at least not heard before in Indian cinema, or for that matter in Tamil cinema.

By now, most of us in the media seem to have understood that this neurological disorder causes drowsiness and excessive daytime sleepiness in the affected person. Those affected, despite adequate night-time sleep, are prone to falling asleep during the day, often at inappropriate times and places.

Thiru, who has written the story, reveals that it was inspired from a friend’s life, who suffered from narcolepsy. “I saw how this disorder affected his life,” said the director, who started his career in 2010 with Theeradha Vilaiyattu Pillai. “We researched online besides consulting doctors on the subject. This is a thriller and you can expect a fast-paced screenplay.”

Naan Sigappu Manithan is Vishal’s third film with Thiru. Their last outing together was the slick and fast-paced Tamil film Samar. Vishal has also co-produced the film under his banner Vishal Film Factory, in association with UTV Motion Pictures.

Vishal and Lakshmi Menon are paired together after their last successful Tamil film, Pandiya Naadu, and they have grabbed attention with a kissing scene.

Menon plays Meera, a girl next door. Her role takes the story forward. Supporting the story is Iniya in a role that she has not explored before.

Keeping it under wraps, she tells us that she plays Vishal’s friend Kavita. “This role is certainly different and I was given to understand that some actresses had declined the role,” says Iniya.

“I took it up since it is performance-oriented. However, I am not romantically linked with Vishal’s character. Although I have few scenes in the film, Kavita etches a place for herself in the second half of the story.”

Other members of the cast are Saranya Ponvannan, Jaya Prakash, Sunder Ramu and Jagan. Richard M.Nathan is the cinematographer and G.V. Prakash has scored music.

Naan Sigappu Manithan releases in the UAE on Thursday.