Asin's Screening Policy

Rediff has an interview with Asin, the current darling of Kodambakkam, and one of the things she said during the interview really caught my eye - “First, I look at the story, then my character, the director and the banner. The last criterion is the hero.” Having seen Sivakasi, Asin’s seemingly strict screening policy led me to imagine how the conversation would’ve gone when she was approached by Perarasu for Sivakasi.

Perarasu: Asin, I’ve come to see if you want to be heroine in my next movie Sivakasi.

Asin: Welcome sir. I would love to do the film but I have a few rules about the movies I accept. Most important to me is the story. What is the story of your movie?

Perarasu: The hero is an orphan but we reveal later that he has a family back in his village. So he goes back to his village to set things right.

Asin: Thats such an original story. And though you never mentioned a heroine, it sounds like a story where the heroine has a lot of scope.

Perarasu: It does?! *makes mental note to reduce heroine's 'scope', whatever that may be*

Asin: Now how about my character?

Perarasu: Initially you wear modern dresses but after the chauvinistic hero rudely and vulgarly tells you that your dressing is responsible for perverts brushing against you, you start wearing sarees and fall in love with him.

Asin: Such an interesting and sensible character. I’m sure Ramadoss and the Dalit Panthers would be happy with it too. Tell me more…

Perarasu: You also agree to sleep with the hero to prove your love though you don’t know if he loves you and you get slapped when you ask him some practical questions.

Asin: What a wonderful role! I’ve been waiting to play a character like this. Who’s the genius director who came up with this role?

Perarasu: Me!

Asin: Great! But I only take on movies with good directors. How many movies have you directed so far?

Perarasu: I’ve directed only 1 movie Tiruppaachi.

Asin: Tiruppaachi? That movie didn’t have any heroine, right?

Perarasu: Sure it did. Remember Trisha? She came in a couple of scenes in the first half and danced in the duets?

Asin: Oh, those were duets? I thought they were item numbers... Anyway, which banner is producing the film?

Perarasu: A.M.Rathnam’s Sri Surya Movies.

Asin: Oh my God! So is Ravikrishna going to be the hero then?

Perarasu: No, its Vijay.

Asin: Whew! OK, I'm convinced. Where do I sign?

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And while on the topic of interviews, here are a couple of other statements that made me laugh…

Perarasu – “Sivakasi is not a typical Vijay film”

Nayanthara – “Doing glamour roles is no harm as long as it doesn't portray me in a obscene way”