Dream of working in sports film fulfilled, says actor Arya
What's the story
South actor Arya, whose real name is Jamshad Cethirakath, says working on acclaimed director Pa Ranjith's 1970s-set boxing drama Sarpatta Parambarai was like fulfilling a long-cherished dream of starring in a sports movie.
The Tamil-language period drama revolves around two rival clans -- Idiyappa Parambarai and Sarpatta Parambarai -- in North Chennai and the boxing culture of the region.
Sports drama
Sports movies aren't commonly made in the South: Arya
"I was an athlete in school and college. When I saw Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, I was in love and wanted to do a film like this," Arya said.
"But I didn't have the opportunity to do that in the south because not many sports movies were made here. When I was offered this film, I was very happy," Arya added.
Career
Arya has trained in boxing for six years
Arya, who is best known for his roles in Vettai, Naan Kadavul, Madrasapattinam, Boss Engira Bhaskaran, Atlee's family film Raja Rani, action-thriller Arrambam, is a sports enthusiast in real life. He is an avid cyclist and has also trained in boxing for six years.
When he was offered Sarpatta Parambarai, the 40-year-old actor said his training in boxing came in handy.
Training
We learned the precise dialect of North Madras of 1970s
The highlight of the Sarpatta Parambarai's trailer is the high-octane boxing matches which Arya said that cast members trained rigorously for close to four months under national-level players. They also did a workshop to get the precise dialect of North Madras of the 1970s.
Before the filming, the team would train for scenes in the morning and do boxing in the evening.
Sarpatta Parambarai
'Sarpatta Parambarai' will release on July 22
Describing director Ranjith, known for Rajinikanth-starrer Kabali and Kaala, as a perfectionist, the actor said the filmmaker wanted the fights to look as real as possible.
Produced by Ranjith's Neelam Productions and K9 Studios, Sarpatta Parambarai will be released on Amazon Prime Video on July 22. The film also stars Dushara Vijayan, Pasupathy, and Kalaiyarasan in key roles.