Director Nag Ashwin says actor Nani took a giant leap in terms of performance in forthcoming Telugu film "Yevade Subramanyam", which is not an easy film to accept as the story has no point of reference.
"Actors usually go a step or two further for any project in terms of performance. But Nani literally took a giant leap with my film. The story is such that there's no point of reference. I don't think any other established actor would've even expressed interest to work," Ashwin told IANS.
Unable to place "Yevade Subramanyam" in a single genre, Ashwin calls it a "happy movie".
"It's tough to attach one genre to it. It's an existential comedy with a hint of philosophy. But the content is not intense. It's about a highly successful and ambitious guy called Subramanyam, who finds answers to questions he asks himself on a journey," he said.
But it's not even a road film, clarifies Ashwin, who shot for nearly a month in the Himalayas.
"We were reasonably a small crew and since there were no roads, all of us had to trek to reach the shooting spot. And this whole experience, maybe it was because of the oxygen level, it made us feel closer to the gods," Ashwin said.
"Not many would be willing to put themselves through this kind of a rigorous shoot. We were living in small inns and were completely disconnected from the outside world because there was no phone or internet connectivity. In a way, it was a sort of self-discovery for all of us," he added.
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Talking about the experience, Ashwin said: "After a while, all of us started peeling off things which we thought were important in life. When you're thrown in such a place, you don't belong to the category of people who define themselves by their jobs, bank balance and realise who they truly are."
He added that they even braved a typhoon to complete shooting in the mountains.
The film, which is slated to release in cinemas on Saturday, also features Malavika Nair, Ritu Varma, Vijay Deverakonda and Sowcar Janaki in important roles.
Initially, Ashwin wasn't sure if Malavika could pull off her role. But he was proven wrong.
"I thought there was something very special about this girl; something unique unlike other heroines. When I initially met her and spoke to her, I didn't know if she had it in her. But the way she transformed on the screen is unbelievable," he said.
"When I was watching the film, I realised that she just lights up on screen. It's once in a lifetime that you get actresses with the rare combination of beauty and talent. Malavika is one such actress and she reminds me so much of veteran artist Shobana," he added.
Ashwin believes "Yevade Subramanyam" truly deserves big screen viewing for the overall experience.
"There are few films that are worth experiencing on the big screen. And some films are good watching with your family even at home, but 'Yevade Subramanyam' deserves theatrical viewing, for the Himalayan experience can't be enjoyed on your television or computer screen," he said.