Makers of Jayalalithaa biopic to join Kangana Ranaut in her hometown as she begins prep and look tests ahead of September shoot
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 26, 2019)

Having seen Judgementall Hai Kya reach its finish line, leading lady Kangana Ranaut intends to head to Manali next month. However, work will follow the actor to her hometown. mid-day has learnt that the makers and creative team of Thalaivi, the biopic on the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, will join her in Himachal Pradesh in early August to kick off look tests and workshops with the actor. Director A L Vijay hopes to take the trilingual — titled Jaya in Hindi, and Thalaivi in Tamil and Telugu — on floors by September-end.

Producer Shaailesh R Singh, who also backed Judgementall Hai Kya, reveals that the groundwork on the biopic has been underway, with writers Vijayendra Prasad and Rajat Arora working dedicatedly on the cinematic retelling of the inspiring journey of India's Iron Lady. Now, it is Ranaut's turn to begin the process of becoming Jayalalithaa for the big screen. "Kangana has already started her Tamil classes for the biopic. Now, she will head to Manali to kickstart her prep that will include studying Jayalalithaa's body language and doing look tests. My team, including the writers, and I will travel there, too," says Singh.

On the agenda are sessions with the prosthetics team since Ranaut, 32, will have to age for the role. The biopic opens during Jayalalithaa's student days at Stella Maris College when she had to discontinue her studies to become an actor, and progresses to chart her rise as a force to reckon with in the world of politics.

Singh adds, "We are in talks with the makeup and prosthetics teams of Gary Oldman's Darkest Hour (2017). We intend to get the best team on board, and lots of international technicians will be involved. We will begin shoot in Mysore, and then move to Chennai and Mumbai."