Meet Amritha Aiyer who thrilled as Thendral in Vijay's Bigil

Vijay starrer Bigil has been running to packed theaters, garnering positive reviews from the audience and the critics alike. Those who watched the movie were all praises for the character called Thendral, the captain of the women’s football team that Vijay trains. It is actress Amritha Aiyer who effortlessly pulled off the role which demanded great physical fitness. Amritha had made her onscreen debut through the movie Theri, another blockbuster from Vijay – Atlee combination.

She then went on to play the female lead in Vijay Yesudas starrer Padaiveeran and essayed a small character in Vijay Antony’s Kali. Amritha is overwhelmed that she got her big break through Bigil.

“Neither I nor my fellow actors had any idea that I would be donning the role of the football team captain. I don’t know why Atlee sir has taken such a decision. When I asked him why he chose me, he said ‘You play football very well, that why I made you the captain’,” recalls Amritha.

It was director Atlee’s manager who called Amritha and informed that the film maker would like meet her in person. “Atlee sir told me that there were five prominent female characters in Vijay sir’s movie and that I should play one of them. However, he didn’t explain much about the character. He had only revealed that it was a sports movie. It was only during a photo shoot session that I realized it was a movie about football,” says the young actress.

Also read: Bigil movie review

Amritha admits that though she used to play basketball in school she was never interested in football. She credits her friends for teaching her how to play football, after she was cast in the movie. Amritha had started training in football, on her own, even before she joined the film’s work shop. She admits that it had greatly helped her while performing for Bigil. 

“I had shot for Theri for just ten days. Then, I couldn’t meet Vijay sir or talk to him. However, in this movie, I could do all of that. The first scene that I shot was the one in the hospital where I scold Vijay sir. But I didn’t have the heart to do that. That shot had even gone for quite a few takes. Vijay sir understood my situation and kept his eyes closed. I could act in that scene only after that. There are more scenes in which I talk arrogantly to him, than what is shown in the film. Luckily, all those scenes didn’t make it to the final cut,” notes Amritha.

She applauded Vijay's down to earth nature and how he takes care of each of his team members. Vijay had gifted gold rings to 400 crew members.

It was during the filming of Bigil that Amritha celebrated her birthday. She excitedly says that Nayanthara, who plays the female lead, had gifted a beautiful watch on her birthday. 

“When Vijay sir came for the shooting that morning, Induja told him that it was my birthday. You should have seen how happy Vijay sir was. He immediately called his manager and bought a big cake. Atlee sir too had brought a cake for me. So, I happily celebrated my birthday with Vijay sir and Atlee sir,” smiles Amritha.