Original subtitles

[Vignesh] Yeah.

- Hi! - Hi!

This is my friend.

Say hi!

Hi!

[whimsical music playing]

He doesn't talk much. He's shy.

Yeah.

- Little. [chuckles] - Not little.

Show me!

Huh?

- [Nayanthara scats, chuckling] - [laughs]

You're my best friend!

[mellow music playing]

[Tina] Guys, what's gonna happen now?

Now, that Tirupati is fully off the charts.

Ooh! I don't know.

But what exactly happened? Why did we lose out on Tirupati?

[Vignesh] At Tirupati, there are a lot of issues logistically for us.

And the permissions haven't come still.

So, Tirupati won't work out. We'll have to look at something else.

Guys, I have a question.

What if we push the date a little? Do you think that'll…

[Vignesh] Pushing the date is not an option.

[Saurabh] All right, let's see this…

[Tina] And how many events? Like, we also had, like…

Are we having the other events that we planned?

[woman] What if we push the date?

[overlapping chatter]

[Tina] That itself, there's no time.

[woman] Anyway, let's start with the wedding. And then, see where...

[music cuts off abruptly]

[footsteps receding]

[interviewer] You rarely give interviews.

[in Tamil] But what made you think of making a docu-series with Netflix?

What made you decide?

[Nayanthara in English] I just want everyone to have a little bit of hope.

And I just want everyone to feel a little bit of happiness

when they see other people's happiness.

[in Tamil] We never think from this perspective.

[in English] Why not now?

[uplifting music playing]

[fireworks squealing]

[music swelling]

[audience cheering]

[Nayanthara, in Tamil] Greetings to all!

Alias, Lady Superstar Nayanthara!

She asked us not to call her by that name.

[in English] Nayan is still Nayan

because there is nothing that can intimidate her.

Whoever it is!

[hostess 1] Lady Superstar!

[hostess 2] Lady Superstar!

[in Tamil] Her acting has set a standard.

Lady Superstar does not need validation.

[in English] The fact that she's loved and respected so much,

whichever industry it is across South India,

her name will always have a page for her, written.

[fan 1] The girl power she carries is very inspiring.

We love that!

And everybody calls her "Lady Superstar." She's an angel. [laughs]

[in Tamil] She never gives up.

[fan 2] She doesn't pay heed to nonsense. She knows her way.

[fan 3] People quote, "Without a man, a woman can't succeed."

But she proved it wrong.

[in English] If she likes somebody, she will just…

Whether it's a partner or a friend or anything,

she just gives all.

There's no holding back. That's what makes her so special.

Every single rule written in the book for a female actor

has been proven wrong by her.

[in Tamil] Earning the name "Lady Superstar" is a proud feeling.

[fan 4] As a woman in the industry and…

[in English] …the way she carries herself,

the movies she chooses to act, the way she is unique.

She's, like, ruling the industry.

I don't think anybody should even take credit for her growth.

She's my... After my parents, she's everything for me.

And I just thought… [sighs] I can't say anything.

[students] We love Nayanthara!

[music concludes]

I don't know what to say, like…

It's just the love that I have been receiving for so long.

I think it's been 18 years and… I only believe in working.

And that's what I have been doing.

And I think that's the only thing that I understand.

I don't understand the tags, I don't understand the titles.

It's nice. It's definitely nice to know that you have so much love around.

[gentle music playing]

My childhood was, like, pretty basic but very interesting.

Dad was an Air Force officer.

And we got to, um, stay in… in the defense places and, you know.

During my childhood, I've only heard about how…

how good my dad is at work.

His juniors and the people who have worked with him for so long.

They'll only talk about how good a person he is

and how good he is at work.

The way he dresses, and...

He wanted a certain fit and it has to be prim and proper.

And when it comes to my amma, she's a housewife.

She has that very teacher-principal kind of a vibe.

You can't push anything for tomorrow. It has to be done today.

They are fully responsible for… [chuckles] …for the discipline

that's there in my life or, you know, the way I am.

Uh, I'm like a… like a 50-50, uh, perfect mix of my mom and my dad.

[in Tamil] No matter what, we should never let go of honesty.

We should be true to ourselves.

Also, we should be true to the God we worship.

A value my parents…

[in English] …something that they… they truly believe in.

Very disciplined, I would say. Like, in the way they brought us up.

I have two nieces and my sister-in-law. This is a very close-knit family.

[in Malayalam] While pursuing a degree, she wanted to pursue Charted Accountant.

And we got her admission in CMS college, Kottayam.

Her father and I used to take her to classes on Saturday and Sunday.

We'd drop her off for classes and wait outside till 5:00 p.m.

We used to buy her lunch.

We got into a situation like this when she was pursuing her course.

[in English] This whole acting thing, it just happened.

There are a lot of kids who want to become,

you know, a movie star. Or they want to…

They want to get into acting because they like it.

I have no...

Like, my parents never took me for, uh, films also.

Like, the only time that I have, uh, probably seen films

are because, um, when our cousins and all come in,

or some family friends come in…

[in Tamil] …they'd take me along with them. And when I go out with them…

[in English] …for that also, I have to get permission.

Once in a while, they'll send. So that's the only thing.

[in Malayalam] A few decisions are made by humans.

A few other, by some energy. Sometimes, we call it God or fate.

I feel Nayanthara's entry to cinema,

uh, was fate or some god's decision.

When you look back about 10 to 20 years ago,

her journey since then has been incredible.

While I was doing the film Manassinakkare, it was actress Sheela's comeback.

She was someone who left the Malayalam film industry 22 years ago.

And the highlight of the film was her comeback.

Because of this, we wanted to cast a newcomer.

But if, at all, we couldn't find anyone new,

we thought we'd cast someone already in the industry.

One day, I saw a jewelry ad in Vanitha magazine,

and there was this beautiful, confident woman.

We hadn't seen her before anywhere.

Later, I got in touch with the editor of the magazine.

He said, "She's from Thiruvalla. We selected her for the cover photo."

And that day, I called her for the first time.

She was Diana Kurien then.

I still remember the day before we got that call.

She was sitting down at the coffee table

and writing her assignments.

I think Diana was shocked. I told her, "I'm Sathyan Anthikad."

"Are you interested in acting in films?"

She said, "I will call you back, sir."

We were extremely worried.

I was afraid of what our relatives would say.

I received a call at 3:00 a.m. in the morning.

I was in deep sleep.

She said, "Sir, I'm Diana."

I told her, "I want to cast you for my film,"

and asked her if she would come to set the next day.

She said, "Sorry, sir."

"My cousins are not keen on me working in films."

"That's why I can't do the film now."

I told her, "You are making two mistakes now."

"One is waking me up at 3:00 a.m."

[chuckles] "And second is saying that you are not doing the film."

I asked her if she was interested in doing the film and she said, "Yes."

I asked her if her parents were okay with it and she said, "Yes."

I said, "Just come and see if you like shooting."

"We'll make a decision later."

Nayan, her dad, and I kept thinking until morning.

We decided to go for the shoot and went to Parumala Church.

[Nayanthara, in English] I loved my first film and the second film,

shooting set and all that because it was a family film.

The first one was a full-fledged family film

with all the, you know, senior actors and my director Sathyan sir.

And he made sure that, you know, he makes me feel at home.

And it was all... And my mom, dad, everyone was there.

So, I never felt that I'm going for some work

or, you know, I… I was quite young also, so…

[in Malayalam] The first few days, I didn't make her act.

When I went to the shooting, I asked her to tag along.

She started observing Sheela and Jayaram acting.

She used to sit behind me while I was on the monitor.

Within a few days, she got comfortable with the team.

And one day, she asked me, "When should I start acting?"

That's when I told her to act.

And that was when Diana started her career.

[quirky music playing]

[in Tamil] Isn't that small needle pointing 100 grams?

Yes. My hands are hurting.

Please, make a decision fast.

Okay, tie it up and give it to me.

I don't get it…

[Omana, in Malayalam] After one film, the plan was to continue her studies.

But that didn't happen. [chuckles]

This happened 16 to 17 years back.

I had called Sathyan about Diana.

But Sathyan had changed her name to Nayanthara.

One day, she came to meet me

with her mom and dad in a saree.

- I cast her as soon as I saw her. - [gentle music playing]

She walked in with a beautiful smile and confidence.

I realized, she'd be a perfect pair for Mohanlal.

That's how I cast her for my movie Vismayathumbathu with Mohanlal.

That was her second movie.

I knew she had a very bright future.

Right after Vismayathumbathu was done,

she already started getting a lot of offers.

I liked the film she did for Fazil sir.

God has plans for us, and only that happens, right?

God always wants only good things for us.

[mellow music playing]

[Pushpa, in English] We are used to casting new faces, right?

It's been my father, K. Balachandar's legacy,

or that has been his practice to discover talent and mold them, right?

So, the same mission, actually,

has been communicated to his company, Kavithalayaa.

The first time I saw her was, in fact, in Nungambakkam, Set Studio,

where we were doing a makeup test and…

In fact, the first meeting itself,

you know, she was so warm and she hugged me, right?

So, normally, I don't expect that from… [chuckles] …heroines

because, always, the relationship is very transactional, right?

"You are my producer

"so I have to be the best of my behavior," and all that.

But something in her, you know, made me look at her

apart from casting her as a heroine, you know, something very humane.

And till today, that impression has not gone from me, you know.

So, I really feel very special.

- ["Oru Vartha Kekka" playing] - [singing in Tamil]

[in English] Before she could finish that film itself,

she got a call for Chandramukhi from Sivaji Films, right?

That was the very icing on the cake really.

To act opposite Rajini sir means it is a big thing in the industry.

[in Tamil] Durga!

- Oh damn! - What did you say?

- [in English] Uh, sweet name. - Thank you.

Hmm!

[in Tamil] Arrogant girl. I'll handle her later.

[in English] Yeah. It just made me feel like

that the Tamil audience, they came and gave me a big hug.

And they were like, "Welcome home!" You know, that kind of a feel it was.

[in Tamil] It was very overwhelming.

[in English] But I was too young

to even understand that, you know, it's so big.

When I think about it now…

[in Tamil] Only now, do I realize… [clicks tongue]

…the gravity of the opportunity I was given.

[in Malayalam] Her dad was with her throughout shooting,

even for Rajini sir's movie.

After two to three Tamil films,

when her dad returned home,

we realized he was not able to eat properly.

When we took him to hospital…

they said

he has a health condition. But we never knew it would be so serious.

[in English] My dad has been unwell for, like, some 13, 14 years now.

[somber music playing]

[Nayanthara, in Tamil] After I stepped into the industry,

Dad was a little okay for about two, three years.

Slowly, it got worse by the day,

and his health started deteriorating.

He would not remember anything or know what was happening.

[in English] He has some neurological issues.

And he has 100 other issues. You name it and he has it.

[in Tamil] So, I will be shooting...

[in English] My brother is in, uh, Dubai. He is settled in Dubai.

[in Tamil] So, he can't travel at the drop of the hat.

Even if it's an emergency, he can't make it.

So, all these years, my mother took care of my father.

Suddenly, if I called her,

she'd say, "I'm taking him to the hospital."

[in English] So, this has been her life…

for so many years now.

We have been taking care of him like a baby.

We have proper ICU in our house.

And my mom really, really, really takes care of him like a baby.

You know, that's how my mom is.

And my dad has always been

our hero, you know?

For my... For me and for my anna. Both of us.

To kind of lose him in this whole process,

and when we were doing

a little better in our life. Like, he doesn't know

that we are actually... His kids are doing good.

[in Tamil] In the papers, there would be a piece of news about me,

and I wouldn't even be aware of what happened.

Most of the time, that's the case.

[in English] And every day, for my mom and my dad

to see that and to go through

that whole thing was extremely difficult.

And I'll sit, and cry, and cry, and cry the whole day. I won't eat.

I'll just be in my room. I'll just sit and cry.

So, obviously, it was like, very difficult for my mom to take it.

[Omana sobs]

[in Malayalam] No one in this world will get a daughter like mine.

[sniffles] However busy she is,

she makes sure she calls and checks on us at least thrice in a day

and asks, "Amma, are you okay? Did you eat? Where is Accha?" [sniffles]

She looks after her dad so well.

I can't explain. That's how she takes care of us.

We are very lucky to have a daughter like her.

That's the best thing.

[in Tamil] Even now, when there's a problem,

or if there's a joyous moment, regardless of what it is…

[in English] …I always call my mom.

[in Tamil] No matter how big the problem is, she'll be like,

"Don't worry."

[in Malayalam] Thinking of how she's alone,

she's a girl working late nights, I get more concerned about her.

[Pushpa, in English] A girl from Kerala,

leaving her parents there, coming here.

It's a very, very dynamic and a dangerous world, if you can call.

If you're alone and if you're trying to prove yourself more than that,

how many people will be there to exploit?

Once you have money, people will start exploiting you.

And in that, to maintain your, you know, physique,

you do so many things to remain beautiful,

to impress your audience and to be professional.

It's very tough, very tough.

[in Malayalam] Don't be upset for something that's not worth it.

Smile even in difficult situations.

Hereafter, it's enough you smile. Wipe your tears.

[pensive music playing]

When there's no one, there's God.

[in English] The lowest point was the film Ghajini.

There were days when I used to, uh, see all these comments

and people were like,

"Oh, why is she even acting? Why is she even there in the film?"

Like, "She's so… she's so fat!"

You can't say such things, you know?

You can talk about the performance part of it.

- Maybe, I was not good. - [somber music playing]

But I was doing exactly what my director told me to do.

And I was wearing exactly what he wanted me to wear.

So… I mean, I was a newcomer, so I never had a say in it.

So that's when, you know,

all the body shaming and everything happened.

I've always been a loner.

And, especially, when you're going through a low phase,

no one really stands by you. For me, no one did.

Like, there was not even one person who came and said, um, "It's okay."

I kind of became stronger and stronger every day

because that's the only option I had. I had no choice.

[camera shutter clicks]

[dramatic music playing]

[Nayanthara] Everyone probably thought that I can only do

pavadai dhavani and saree and, you know, be…

be comfortable in homely clothes.

No one thought that I could pull this off. But I think, uh, Vishnu saw that in me.

When they said, you know, "You might be,

you know, you might be nice for this role."

So, I was like, "Yeah, I mean, I would be good in it."

Actually, you know, the truth is,

I think we were all supposed to meet during the film.

And our journey was just supposed to begin.

[Billa theme music playing]

I wanted to just get somebody really new for pairing with Ajith sir.

[in Tamil] Moreover, it was my first film too.

Uh, first of all, I did not know what to do.

[in English] 'Cause everybody's literally mocking on, "Why are you doing that film?"

Because Amitabh had done it, and Shahrukh had done it,

and Rajini sir had done it.

I got to know that there was some transformation happening with her.

And irrespective of it, uh, I felt that she'd be really good.

You know, sometimes, it's just a feeling.

[in Tamil] There's no logic. You prep yourself this way or that.

[in English] There's no logic as such. Sometimes, certain things just happen.

[suspenseful rock music playing]

The whole drama was about the bikini scene that I did,

which was like an issue for everyone.

But I thought that's… that's how everything changes, right?

I did it not because I wanted to prove a point,

I did it because my director told me that that's the scene.

It was necessary, so I did it.

And I think that kind of… It kind of worked for me.

[dramatic rock music playing]

[Vishnu] I wanted to show Nayan in a different light.

It was quite exciting, actually, for us.

It was unusual to find somebody trying not to be the heroine,

but somebody with shades of gray and running with it.

You can't cast a very meek-looking actress,

uh, in that kind of a role, you know?

That person has to have that power.

It is not that, you know, I had to give her confidence.

Because she's one strong woman.

[in Tamil] No matter what, she'll fight her way through it.

[in English] She's like that.

I think both of us treat each film like our first film.

There's a lot of thought process behind it.

I have known her for around 20 years.

Touch wood, till now we are… we're really good friends, yeah.

[mellow music playing]

[Anu] So it's like when you're going on a holiday…

So, you're going with this actress. So, what do people think?

She's gonna be all fancy. She's gonna be doing this.

No, she's the one who is doing all my workload.

So, she's arranging my clothes, she's arranging my stuff.

It's very spontaneous.

'Causer we've never planned on a holiday, or we have to do this or do that.

[laughs] I did it! I did it!

[Anu] She goes on a holiday two weeks

and then she gets… she starts getting panicky.

She's like, "Oh, my God, what if I lose work?"

She starts missing work. So, she needs to get back to work.

So, she can never just relax and chill, and…

That's not her.

When you slow down a little bit, and you kind of, um…

When you chill,

someone better would come and take your place.

That's always there.

And, uh, I don't think I'm gonna give up no matter what.

No matter what life throws onto me

and no matter what people say, no matter what happens,

I'm still gonna run.

That's what I've always been doing and that's what I'm gonna do.

She projects power on screen.

If she's playing a queen, she really looks it

because there's that... There's a power she has, you know.

She's like... There's strength in, you know, in her face.

[serene music playing]

Stars and actors, they're two different things.

Actors, they really perform.

Stars, there's something which is very unique about them.

That's why they become stars.

[dramatic hip-hop music playing]

See, we always understood she had a…

a personal journey which made her like a warrior.

She was like... you knew she was a thug when she walked in.

It's not a girl who's just trying

to figure out the world or anything like that.

So she was... walked in as a thug and she stayed a thug.

[chuckles] And that's what I like about her.

[Krish] She's a great method actor.

At the same time, she has the nuances of the classical acting also.

She's a mix of both, method and, uh, classical acting.

So, I really find it amazing with Nayan.

And when Nayan walked into the set, uh, of course, she's very beautiful.

Leaving that aside, there was this aura of royalty walking in.

[chuckles] You know I felt that.

[in Telugu] I saw it in reality.

[in English] And the warmth she spoke with, and that genuine smile.

I don't know, it just was an instant connection I had with her.

This is a person I would like to be friends with.

[in Telugu] What's this?

- My resignation. - Arrogance.

[dramatic music playing]

[in English] Self-respect.

She was brilliant in the film.

She actually played my secretary in the film.

- ["Andagadu Muttukunte" playing] - [singing in Telugu]

[singing]

[in English] I remember we had to go to Switzerland for a shoot.

I think she was going through a very turbulent times of a relationship

at that time. Uh, and…

And we would all dread whenever the phone would ring.

And if the phone rang… [chuckles] …this girl's mood would just come down.

Or there would be some… something that happens.

And she would turn off and, uh…

And many times, I would say, "What are you doing to yourself?"

"Why are you going… You're such an accomplished lady."

"Why are you putting yourself through all these things?"

When... When it was my first relationship, I…

It was, again, it was just based on trust

and that's what… that's what makes a relationship, no?

More than love, it's about the trust.

So, you just believe that, you know, the other person is also in love with you.

And, you know, that's how it's been showcased.

So, probably, that's how it is, and you have to give it your all.

And that's how I've always been.

I have never spoken about my past relationships,

- or I have never even addressed it. - [melancholy music playing]

People just assume a lot of things. And they just go ahead and…

they just go ahead with those stories that they want to believe in. You know?

And they have all been, I think, pretty bad.

The only thing that... That kind of broke me

was when people started assuming stories about me.

They never went and asked...

Even till today, no one has ever asked any of the boys

on, "Why did you do this?" Or, "What happened?"

They always ask the girls. That's so not fair.

If you're asking me, ask the other person also.

Even today, after so many years, they have to write from the beginning.

As if, it's like...

As if I'm the only one who's had relationships,

or I'm the only one who was in love, or, you know…

That's so not fair.

When I was figuring out the industry,

when I was quite new or maybe, somewhere in the middle,

I… I think I trusted people very easily, you know.

If you're nice to me, I'll just blindly trust you.

[wind howling]

[Radhika] It's not easy, okay? Being where she is.

It's not easy. Uh, I don't think her journey has been easy.

It's not every day that somebody who is…

have a… who has a very successful career

to throw it away for an emotion.

You know, succumb to the whole situation.

[dramatic music playing]

[Raju, in Tamil] There was strong opposition to her

playing the role during that film.

There were many protests staged in both the Tamil and Telugu industries.

They were dead against her playing the role of Goddess Sita.

She overcame all of it to build that character.

Right from the beginning till the end of the shooting,

she was staying at Taj Krishna, a non-vegetarian hotel.

But she never ate or drank water from that hotel.

Until we completed the shoot for the film,

we used to bring her vegetarian food from outside.

It was a penance for her.

- [Dasari] Nayanthara! - [audience cheering]

[Dasari, in Telugu] I know that you're not well-versed in Telugu.

[in English] Can you follow Telugu?

[in Telugu] This is your last movie,

and you are going to get married, you're going to quit cinema.

[in English] Don't do that!

[in Telugu] Even married actors have become stars!

Take actor Gemini and Anjali as examples.

- And many more are to follow! - [audience cheering]

[Dasari, in English] You continue it!

And the last day of shoot was like... It's something that I can never forget,

and that emotion is something that, uh, I can never explain.

[in Tamil] Uh, it was a different feeling.

During the last shot,

without my knowledge, I broke down.

I loved it the most and it was something that I liked doing a lot,

and when a situation came where I had to give it up my profession…

[in English] It's like the...

It can't… it can't go… [sniffs] …uh, lower than that.

[melancholic music playing]

[Nayanthara] I left the industry because the man told me to leave the industry.

It was never my choice. It was never… it was never an option.

I was not given an option.

It was just told that, you know, "You can't work anymore."

So, I didn't have a choice.

When I think about it, I also feel I was not…

I was not mature enough to understand what life is.

You will realize a lot of things,

and you realize what kind of people you are around.

Wha… what… what are you actually doing,

you will realize only when you go through a low phase,

when you… when you actually go through that pain.

So, I think, yeah, that's what kind of broke me,

tore me completely.

And I thought, "Okay, probably, there will come a day

when they understand that the problem was not me."

[in Malayalam] There's a Chettikulangara temple here.

I pray to the Chettikulangara Goddess

every morning.

I pray to Jesus also.

The Chettikulangara Goddess

gave back my daughter to me.

There are moments when we feel things don't go right at all.

[sniffles] I used to pray a lot during those difficult times.

I used to tell the goddess that I just wanted my daughter back

and nothing else.

[in English] There were so many people who used to call my mom and say that, uh,

"Yeah, I think, you know, you should do something about your daughter."

"You should get her married."

"You should, you know, you should figure out her life

because it's all done. It's finished."

[in Tamil] "Take care of her properly. Make sure she does not get into trouble."

[in Malayalam] I know my daughter. After God, I know her very well.

I know her.

She told me about her break for two years.

God has given us the courage and the hope to live.

[in English] It's okay to make mistakes.

And it's okay to have that regret in your life.

That, "Oh, at this point of time, if I had not believed this person",

I would have saved a few years in my life."

But I feel that's okay.

[in Malayalam] One day, she called me while I was having tea, around 4:00 p.m.

Uh, she was talking to me until almost 9:00 p.m..

In between, some calls got disconnected.

She shared her sadness and troubles with me

since we have known each other for a long time.

Sometimes, we just need someone to hear our problems,

someone who is ready to listen.

They don't expect advice.

[in English] Very vulnerable moment. Uh…

But it also defined her when she came back.

- [uplifting music playing] - Your downfalls will make who you are

and not your success, because success can be a very lousy teacher.

It's the failures that make you hard. It's the things that put you down.

There are only two options. Either you lose it,

you completely destroy your life and just sit and just cry about it.

That will be your story.

Or you have another option, which is a better option.

Just get up. Make sure that

the people who kind of treated you bad

look at you every single day

and feel so terrible about themselves

that they have been so bad to you.

Every person has to do that. If they go through something like this,

there's no other way but to get up and

just rise above all.

[sparks crackling]

- [dramatic hip-hop song playing] - [female vocalist rapping in Tamil]

[camera shutters clicking]

[song continues playing]

[song fades]

[in English] The thing is, when everyone thought that

I'm done, I'm finished, when I decided that, you know,

I don't want to go through this pain anymore

and this is not what I deserve.

I don't know from where, all of a sudden, Nagarjuna sir called.

"Listen, Nayan, I know that you're not working."

"But I would really want you to do this film."

"Can you probably think about it, and if you're…"

if you're comfortable, we'll do it and we'll make sure

"that you're very comfortable working with us."

And all that. I said,

"Sir, it's always very, very comfortable working with you."

"Yeah, I was thinking of, you know, working again."

So, he was like, "Really?"

I don't know. Something... Something said she's ready.

It's been a while.

The Nayan I know is not gonna sit down and put her head inside the earth and die.

She's not that kind of person.

Something made me, you know…

"Why don't I call her and tell her, 'Are you ready to work again?'"

I think God, you know, plays a major part.

There was a Telugu film that I was, you know, asked for.

There was a Tamil film that I was asked for.

Everything just fell in place.

- ["Chillena" playing] - [male vocalist singing in Tamil]

[in English] Everything in my life, I just feel that every moment,

there'll be a turning point, and I call it as a blessing.

So, I went to Hyderabad to narrate at Hotel Krishna.

Uh, Taj Krishna.

So, I was waiting in the lobby. Raju anna, was caretaker of ma'am.

So, he was there, he called me up, "So, you come to the lounge."

So, I went to the lounge, she came.

She heard the entire narration. She said, uh,

"I heard the first half. I don't see the hero."

"Only the heroine has more role."

"Are you sure Arya wants to do this?" I said, "Yes."

Then I narrated the entire second half and she said,

"The script looks very fresh and fab."

"Uh, I would like to give it a try. But I need two days' time."

Then I went back. In the two days, she said, "Okay."

And that's where the film started.

From there, my film got bigger, and Fox came into it.

And it was like a blessing.

After Nayan ma'am's yes, it becomes a blessing.

That's why I call her as "Darling."

- ["Hayyoda (Tamil)" playing] - [female vocalist singing in Tamil]

[in English] She started doing roles like, you know, that Kolamaavu Kokila

where usually the male, the hero only does all those roles.

You know, there was no guarantee that something like

Kolamaavu Kokila was gonna work the way it did.

We want all our films to be "family friendly."

Uh, and here's the drug peddling.

There's… You know, that whole thing is treated in a very comic way.

[dramatic music playing]

[in Tamil] Nayan ma'am is the main reason Kolamaavu Kokila was a success.

[Tamannaah, in English] A female actor's presence was more

how popular she is was determined by which hero she's acting with.

But I think to kind of hold your own ground,

I think Nayan definitely did a lot of different characters.

When you want to break a pattern in a certain industry,

you have to be a part of that pattern.

[in Tamil] When the subject is women-centric,

- it should also have commercial value. - [thunder rumbling]

We needed someone like Nayan ma'am to achieve it.

As far as Tamil cinema is concerned, business depends on the hero.

If Nayanthara is the heroine of that film, the business increases by 80 to 90 crores.

She'll try to understand

how the director is trying to conceive the scene.

She also knows what will be captured in the frame.

She knows how actors are projected.

[Radhika, in English] In today's industry,

where the females are never recognized

like the men…

[in Tamil] Regardless of which industry it is,

male actors are given importance. It's an ill fate that remains unchanged.

[in English] I like the way where she has positioned herself.

You know, saying, "You have to take notice of me."

Right now, having a female tribe is a cool thing.

Being a feminist is a cool thing.

Right, knowing your value is a cool thing. You know, girl boss. Boss, babe, bitch.

[chuckles] You know, all that. These are cool things.

But she did that at a time when all that was like akin to witchcraft.

I don't know how she cracked it.

And for me to say, "You did it and you did it alone."

[music concludes]

[waves crashing]

- ["Naan Pizhai" playing] - [chuckles]

[in Tamil] When it comes to us, nothing is easy.

Huh?

[in Tamil] Even if we have to step out for a meal, do you think we can do it?

No, right? This is a wedding. [chuckles]

Did you think getting married in Tirupati would be so easy?

If it were that easy…

There's always a challenge for us that keeps testing us.

[in English] We don't have time left.

[in Tamil] Look, we'll handle it.

We'll handle it.

We'll handle it. Come on, let's go.

- [song continues] - [male vocalist singing in Tamil]

[inaudible]

[song fades]

[in English] He is that person,

I think, whom I was always looking for.

- You know, he is that person whom I was… - [pleasant music playing]

My heart or my soul was searching for, you know.

Uh, over the years, I kind of realized that there is no one else that,

you know, can be like how he is. Because everything is just perfect.

[mellow pop song playing]

[Radhika] Wikki, yes.

[chuckles] He's a sweet, sweet guy. He's very balanced.

He's a family man

who believes in the values of family. Very grounded.

And accepts the truth very easily.

Like, if you tell him something, say…

[in Tamil] "Hey, Wikki, you're spinning stories."

He'll immediately agree with you.

[song continues playing]

Wikki has a great sense of humor.

I was told, "The director is arriving. Please, wait outside."

After seeing him, "He looks so young. How is he a director?"

[Nelson] Wikki is very keen on food.

He will add sugar to curd rice. He experiments with food.

He will research and eat like a scientist.

I thought, for sure, if she saw him eat once,

they would break up. [laughs]

The funny part was he took us on a drive to grab dinner.

What would one think?

Even when you're dating someone, you go to a decent place to eat.

And he's dating Nayanthara. I thought he was taking us to a fancy place.

He brought us to one place.

[chuckles] We see it's a pushcart shop.

"Have you eaten here before?" He justified it with a logic.

She must've eaten everywhere but not here.

[song continues playing]

No matter how difficult something is, he'll tackle and handle it.

Even if he's low, it'll only be for a short while.

He's a different character.

[song concludes]

According to me, Vignesh Shivan, as a director,

only if he executes it, do we get a grasp of his thoughts.

I've watched him write. He writes in a flow.

In the film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan,

"When you try to hit on the same girl as I do,

it's what a lowlife does."

He wrote that dialogue on set.

He will put in total effort to make it right

and to reach the audience in the proper sense.

He thinks in all possible scenarios. That is how he delivers.

[Nayanthara] Don't worry.

[in English] No, it doesn't pain when you take it off.

[in Tamil] My parents worked in the police department.

My mother is a police inspector, Meena Kumari.

In Naanum Rowdy Dhaan… [chuckles] …I used her as a reference.

My father is a police officer too.

[in English] But I lost my father when I was in my twelfth standard.

So at the time, already it was like an early setback in life.

[in Tamil] When I was in the twelfth grade, I lost my father.

[in English] But before that, he was a cancer patient, so…

[in Tamil] From then on…

[in English] …I had to figure out my life,

like me, my mom, my sister.

[in Tamil] Just the three of us. When I was 17, 18 years old…

[in English] …I had a lot of responsibilities to face.

And so many things to do in life and so many dreams.

[in Tamil] My life could've changed.

[in English] Once I lost my father, my life could've changed.

[in Tamil] I would've had to work. I had a younger sister to take care of.

[chuckles] It could have turned into a dramatic family drama.

But at that point in life, my mother did not put pressure on me.

[in English] "See, now that your father is not there",

you have to go immediately for work."

"And you have to make sure the family…

[in Tamil] …does not dip down by a level."

But my mother did not let that happen.

[in English] She knew that I always wanted to become a filmmaker.

[in Tamil] I wanted to become a director.

- [Vignesh, in English] Sound! - [crew] Rolling!

Action!

[gentle music playing]

[inaudible]

[in Tamil] On the first day of the shoot, I wanted to ask for a retake.

She was like, uh…

Every actor has a template. They stick to it.

No matter what scene it is, they will perform it effortlessly.

When I was narrating a particular sequence,

she diligently followed and it was good.

But I had something else in my mind.

I did not know how to communicate with her.

I was looking at the monitor and said, "Okay, let's move on."

But she noticed my reaction

and realized that I was not happy with the take.

She came to me and said,

"Wikki, would you like to go for another take?"

"Please tell me and we'll go for another take."

"No, ma'am, the take is okay," is what I said.

At that time, she spoke out loudly. "See, you're the director of the film."

"It is my job to perform whatever you ask of me."

"And of others too. So, please speak your mind."

"Whether it's once or 100 times, it's my job to honor it."

"Just because we're experienced doesn't make us experts."

"We may be oblivious to many things. For God's sake, tell me, Wikki…

[in English] …because you are the director."

I just felt like she wanted everyone to hear it

because I was not that confident on set.

[Vignesh, in Tamil] During the first and second day

of the shoot, I was worried about how everyone was looking at me.

"Do they believe in me?"

"I'm shooting but do they trust me?"

I was very conscious of myself.

After that moment, I felt very confident on set.

[in English] Every time she came on set, I'd feel like, "Okay."

[in Tamil] "The main player of the team has arrived."

[in English] I had the confidence. "Okay, I have someone to back me up."

One day, all of a sudden,

uh, we were just doing one... One scene on the roads of Pondicherry.

Since the roads and all were cleared and all that,

I was just sitting on the road waiting for my shot,

and Wikki was doing a shot with, I think, Vijay Sethupathi sir.

And, you know, he was just doing his shots and all that.

I don't know, for some strange reason, I just, all of a sudden, I looked at him,

and I looked at him differently.

- [romantic music playing] - The first thing that I thought was,

"He's a cute guy."

So, I found him cute, and then the way he was explaining things.

And the way he was, uh, just functioning as a director.

That's when I noticed him.

[in Tamil] After she wrapped up her portions,

she said, "I miss being on set."

I said, "I also miss you being on set."

I'm not going to lie. Any guy will check out a good-looking girl

and compliment her in our minds,

but I never saw Nayan ma'am in that way.

This is the first time I'm actually, uh, you know, taking a step forward.

And we kind of understood that, uh, we can talk…

[chuckles] …you know, in a different way.

[in Tamil] I could not process it.

I thought she was playing a prank on me. [chuckles]

Later, one day, we had a serious phone conversation.

But it was way lot of pressure and it was too much a stress for us too,

even to start thinking about a relationship.

[in Tamil] No one in the crew knew

about our relationship until the last schedule.

It was Dhanush, actually, who called me and said…

[in Tamil] … "Sister, do you have any shame at all?"

I was like, "What are you saying?"

"Sister, aren't you aware of what's happening?"

"Please tell me what's happening."

"Don't you know that Wikki and Nayan are going out together?"

[in English] I said, "What the hell are you saying?" [laughs]

I was so… I knew nothing.

[in Tamil] "As the director and I are in a relationship",

I can afford to come to the set a bit late or I can change the scenes."

Not one day did we let our relationship hinder our work.

[in English] I don't know if a lot of people know about it.

Wikki actually refused to meet me, like, for a very, very long time.

I kept telling him, "I'm shooting here, so I can't come to Chennai and see you."

"But, uh, can you just come to Cochin and, you know,

can we meet? Can we sit and talk?"

"And understand that... Do... If you really see me that way,

and if I really see you that way…" You know?

Uh, but yeah, he didn't come for a month. [chuckles]

[in Tamil] I could not wrap my head around if she was telling the truth.

[in English] "Why are you, like, avoiding?"

So, he was like, "No, I'm not avoiding."

"It's just that, um, uh… Yeah, I'll… I'll come."

You know? [chuckles]

[in Tamil] Something was happening organically.

But I was more focused on my film.

I wanted to complete the film properly.

I did not want to deviate myself with other matters.

What if something goes wrong? It may affect the output of the film.

I had this fear that held me back.

[in English] Finally, when he came to meet me in Cochin, I…

I think the second we saw each other, we just knew.

We just knew that we were already in love.

[in Tamil] It was an out-of-this-world feeling.

I can't put it into words.

[in English] I can never explain what I was feeling

because it was, like, too much for me to take.

[in Tamil] Her name, Nayanthara, defines her beauty.

[Vignesh, in English] Twist!

[in Tamil] "Sweetheart, I love you more than…" [chuckles]

[indistinct chatter]

[Nayanthara, in English] "Kids, if we have any plans."

"Biryani and Chicken 65," which is our favorite.

"Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Aniston," which is his favorite and my favorite.

"You can ever feel love in any of your next births."

[indistinct chatter]

"All the love that's available on this Earth."

"All the songs that I've written for you." Yes!

And all of them are major hits. "And how much your mom loves…" [chuckles]

How much ever my mom loves me, you love me at least 1% more than that.

Happy birthday to me. Thank you!

Amma always says that, "He's that guy, uh",

who has come into your life not because you have wanted it,

"because I wanted it for my daughter."

[in Malayalam] I prayed to God a lot

and asked for nothing else but a good boy for my daughter.

I swear my prayers were heard.

I have saved her name as "Amma."

[in English] And she always says, "Chakara Umma." [chuckles]

"Sweet kisses."

[in Tamil] She says, "Chakara umma, son."

So, I have saved her as "Amma, Chakara Umma." [chuckles]

It's inspiring when human beings are pure.

[in English] She's that actually.

I think she's one of the purest human beings I know.

[in Tamil] She has a pure heart with no negative thoughts.

- An uncorrupted human being. - [pleasant music playing]

[in Malayalam] Even though I have not given birth to Wikki,

I see him as my own son.

[in English] I always say that

no one can take care of me like how my mom does.

But today, I can confidently say that, you know, he takes care of me

and he loves me way more than

anyone else in this whole world.

Even my amma says that.

[indistinct chatter]

[in Tamil] In Cochin,

like how we sneak in and romance during our college days. Like that…

[in English] …I used to go and see her.

She had made food for me. Biryani. Chicken curry.

[in Tamil] On top of all that, she made some cake for me.

[in English] Mom was like, uh…

[in Tamil] "Why are you cooking today?"

I said, "I just wanted to cook for myself."

"I'm here for you. Let me know, I'll make whatever you want."

[in English] I'm shooting, no? I'm like… I never do that.

[in Tamil] On the day of the shoot,

I'm leaving early in the morning at 6:00 a.m.

I woke up way earlier, cooked, and packed food to go.

And my mom was like, "I'll send across the food."

But I told her, "I'd like to eat what I cooked."

[all laughing]

[in Tamil] At that moment, I believed she truly loves me.

And I need to figure out who to share this news with.

I have to share it with someone.

Look, until yesterday, it was, "Nayanthara ma'am."

But even now, I can't put it into words.

[interviewer] Why Nayanthara?

[in English] Angelina Jolie also asked,

but then she's not a person from South India.

[in Tamil] Sir, the question doesn't make sense.

[both laugh]

[in Tamil] When our relationship first became public,

the first famous meme that came out was,

"No one can stop it if the beauty chose the beast."

The meme had both our pictures on it.

Why can't the beast land the beauty?

[in English] It's okay.

[in Tamil] What's wrong if the beauty chooses the beast?

Life is uncertain.

A midge of dust caused the inception of the world.

We may look back and ponder about it.

Uh, life is where a bus conductor becomes a superstar.

[in English] No matter what you… what you do to me or what you say to me,

I… I feel I'm quite strong enough to, you know,

come out of any kind of a situation that you… that you throw me under.

If I get upset, I know how to come out of it.

But when it comes to him, if someone hurts him,

and if someone says something wrong about him, or if he's upset,

that's the only thing that kind of weakens me.

And I think when I say that he's my biggest strength,

I also have to admit that he's the biggest weakness.

That's something that I don't like. [chuckles]

[in Tamil] Reaching a certain place in life is not something

which happens easily.

You have to pay a price for it. And we have to pay it on a monthly basis.

Or sometimes, we pay it on a weekly basis. [chuckles]

[in English] Sometimes, I feel very guilty that,

you know, if I was not a part of his life,

probably, his life would have been a little more easier and…

maybe happier and better.

[in Tamil] I don't agree. Not a chance.

[in English] After Nayan came in, only my life started.

Every good thing that happened in my life. Whatever I am, wherever I am. Today, like…

My life got defined only after Nayan came.

- [overlapping chatter] - [lively music playing in background]

- [woman, in Tamil] Oh no, Mummy. - [overlapping chatter continues]

[in English] She and her son always crying.

- [man] Why? - No. I don't know why.

[in Tamil] We haven't experienced love like this.

- [overlapping chatter] - We're just experiencing it now.

Oh! You're wearing the perfume.

- Yeah! - Wow!

- [overlapping chatter continues] - [mellow music playing]

[Vignesh] Like a sudden sunrise on a gloomy day…

[in English] …she just came into my life

and lit up everything and made it bright and beautiful.

[in Tamil] I don't get angry very often.

I don't like to get angry.

[in English] I'm very… I'm very lazy to be angry.

When we have disagreements,

the only way to solve it is to go with what she says.

- [quirky music playing] - I'm the more extreme one,

or I don't know what's the right word for it. Uh…

I'm the one who can… who can just all of a sudden, I can get angry

and I can explode, and I can just go into one…

one different zone and I'll be like, "I don't want anything."

"I just don't want anything."

[in Tamil] When I see her, I don't get angry.

Even when I see her scream in anger.

I'd feel she did something similar in one of her movies.

[in English] He just knows that I'm mad. It's just so obvious, so evident.

Like, you know, the whole house kind of goes upside down when I'm mad.

So, it's not…

I don't… I don't do, like, different things when I'm mad.

I'm just mad, you know?

[in Tamil] If we dig in, we'll know it's Wikki's mistake.

According to her, everything should be correct.

That's her behavior. It's similar to the coffee cup issue.

She turns it in a different direction than we do.

And he would've kept it upside down, elsewhere.

[chuckles] That leads to a fight. They get into a fight,

then he'll call and say he's angry and is leaving.

"Wikki, one-sided scolding isn't a fight. It has to be from both sides."

He'd say, "Please speak and make her understand."

"She knows how much I like her." I'd be like, "I don't know, man."

She does not have many friends.

At least I have a few friends, whom I can call and talk to.

Like I call Nelson.

But she doesn't have that big of a circle of friends.

I send her a message, "Hello, ma'am." And she replies, "Yes, Nelson."

I'll check what she's up to and ask if I can call her.

She'll say, "Okay."

I call and inquire about her and her family's well-being.

When I mention Wikki, she will say, "Don't speak about him, Nelson."

"Why don't we talk about something else?"

"He feels very bad about it."

"Oh, does he?"

No matter what happens, before he has his meal,

he'll feed me the first bite.

Only after I take a bite, will he eat. If not, he will not eat. If we fight…

[in English] …my way of showing that I'm mad

is by not taking that first bite.

[in Tamil] When there's a difference of opinion,

going with her opinion is best, not just for me,

but for everyone's safety and security,

and that's my prosperity. [chuckles]

[in English] Sometimes, it just gets solved,

you know, within… within one, two hours.

Sometimes, it just takes probably a day. [chuckles]

[in Tamil] They'll fight and patch up on the same day.

The only thing wasted is the time they spent speaking about it.

Only my time is wasted.

[chuckles] They'll patch up and get back to normal.

After that, they'll invite me for a meal. You guys eat well and be a happy family.

She loves food and she eats more than me.

No one knows about it.

I eat around three to four small chapatis. She'll have seven or eight.

[in English] She eats really well.

I am a big foodie, like, really, for real. If you… if you see me eating…

I eat a lot.

[in Tamil] One masala and one normal kalakki for her.

How many kalakkis do you want?

[waiter] Should I add shallots?

Sure, add them and get us two each.

Bring her two.

- Sure, you can bring it. She will have it. - [overlapping chatter]

She gives an impression that she's on a diet.

[in English] She eats a lot. She eats really well.

[Nayanthara] I kind of found that everything is okay

and you can eat a moderate amount of, you know, everything.

So, I follow all that when I'm working.

But when I'm with him, I mean…

If I was a vegetarian, I don't think he would've been in love with me.

[chuckles] You know?

[indistinct chatter]

I'm going to follow a diet after this meal.

- [in Tamil] You mean V? - [in English] V-shape.

[all laugh]

[in Tamil] I will work out.

- [in English] And make a V-shape here. - [in English] Okay.

So, my name will be I-C-K-Y.

[in Tamil] When people ask about the V,

- I'll come and stand. - [all laughing]

[soft music playing]

[interviewer, in English] Who makes most of the decisions at home?

Do you share responsibilities equally?

- [in English] Can I point at you? - You should be.

[in Tamil] See, I take that decision only after consulting with her.

Nayan was super into,

uh, you know, the florals bit, the design bit, the colors bit.

She also kept telling us about her own aesthetics

and what she usually likes, which was kind of super important.

[in Tamil] What is this called?

- I'm not sure. - [in English] No, what is this called?

- Chair or… Ah! Bench. - [in English] Bench.

- Why? - No, no.

I wouldn't have bought this bench. But it looks very stylish.

[in Tamil] To be honest, it hurts my back.

[both chuckle]

- You get what I mean... - [in English] It's so comfortable!

[in Tamil] You're simply complaining for no reason.

- [in English] So comfortable… - [both chuckle]

- [in Tamil] Where are the cushions? - There are no cushions.

[in English] In the… in the latter part, which then it came down to production,

and actually bringing things on site, I think he was key

'cause he obviously understood how… how things work.

How cost of things work. How timings work.

Why it was important for us to even get the kind of place

when we were asking for it.

Both played their roles in different parts,

all in all, to come together.

[interviewer] Who between the two of you is particular

about how the house is designed and how the house looks?

[in Tamil] Me.

[both laugh]

[in English] How shamelessly.

[in Tamil] I know absolutely nothing.

[in English] So, I just leave it to her.

[in Tamil] I know she'll do the right thing. After everything is done…

[in English] …my contribution is not to get anything dirty.

[in Tamil] As soon as I get home, you see, there's a white couch over here.

- Usually, we sit with our legs up. - Okay.

You saw what she did. Me not making it dirty is my contribution.

[in English] Why this house looks clean is because of this.

[in Tamil] I maintain it, I keep it clean. When I come in, I'll sit...

[in English] Is this how you sit

- in the office? - No, I'm saying.

[in Tamil] Not in the office. But when she arrives…

- [in Tamil] What about the house? - You…

- [chuckles] Mosquito? - Yeah!

- It was a mosquito! - There was nothing.

- [chuckles] - There was a mosquito.

[in English] I showed it to you.

So, this is a new technique that she follows to hit me.

[in Tamil] There's no mosquito. The entire house is mosquito-proof.

But she will hit me for no reason and blame it on a mosquito.

[in English] And I made a script out of this.

[in Tamil] Based on her new behavior, I've written a story.

- [in English] It's fully from my heart. - [chuckles]

[in Tamil] It's inspired from my experience.

[soft music playing]

- Go ahead, hit me! - [in English] What nonsense?

- [in Tamil] There's a mosquito! - There's nothing!

[Nayanthara, in English] Getting married was the first thing that we thought of.

Like, as soon as we understood and we realized that,

uh, we are actually in love and this is it,

and this is how we want to be.

Uh, probably, we just… I think we were probably married in our heads.

But it was always, uh, the first thing in our mind, you know?

And it was the most easiest decision to make because we just…

We really just wanted to get married.

I'm Tina.

I'm Saurabh.

And we have a boutique wedding planning company

called Shaadi Squad.

Tina was like a part of my family for the past four years.

Like, whenever I call her with random decisions and random planning,

she would always be like so, so, so nice to me.

And she'll be, "Okay, is this what you want to do?"

"Okay, let's try that. Let's try that and do it."

She would never say no.

The day we got a call that it's not happening,

Tirupati is not happening,

I clearly remember, we were at a wedding at that day

and that wedding was ending.

So, instead of going back to Bombay, we had flown down to Chennai.

Tirupati wasn't happening being they didn't want to change the date.

We shifted with bags and baggages to Chennai

because we knew that

if we are not settled here, things will not happen.

There were about 5,000, 7,000 people working overnight.

Eighty to 100…

And on the day of the event, it went up to 180 people

and 200 security personnel just manning the structure.

Nobody's phone was allowed at the venue.

I was quite unsure if we can, you know, if we could pull it off by that time.

Ten days, uh, doing all these things was... It seemed to be impossible.

[in Tamil] During this time,

a person like me, who does everything at the last minute,

won't panic in the chaos.

Because I have done this many times.

I never panic. I don't panic at all.

Okay, even when it came down to the last ten days.

I was like, "I have ten more days."

[in English] Because I'm a born Christian, my amma always wanted me to, um…

She always wanted to see me in that Christian attire.

You know? That wedding gown kind of a thing.

But since I've become a Hindu

and we have to do a Hindu wedding and all that,

uh, I just thought it should be like a…

In my head, I just wanted it to be like a beautiful mix of, uh,

a Christian and a Hindu wedding. But it will be a Hindu wedding.

Orig... Just a little bit of that English touch to it, you know?

A beautiful mix. On recall, I think I just wanted that.

A wedding attire is something that is so close to your heart.

Every part, we wanted to have an intricate detail

which was very personal to her.

So we hand-embroidered the Goddess Lakshmi on her arms.

The saree back had Kalis that we had joined

because we wanted a grand look.

And then we did the Hoysala Temple motifs all around.

She wanted her date written, her name, Vignesh's name.

We incorporated the fourth phera, handcrafted it on the saree.

And that was something I thought, for Nayan, would be absolutely perfect

because she wanted it to be rooted in her tradition.

[gentle music playing]

[in Tamil] Okay, the costumes have arrived.

[in English] Oh, it's come. It's here.

[in Tamil] You shouldn't see it 'cause I haven't seen it yet.

- [in English] Wow! - Hi!

Oh, my God. It's very nice.

The dress is for you. The box is for me.

[music continues playing]

- Do you like it? - Superb.

[Nayanthara] I chose red because Wikki loves red.

I was very specific about that vermillion red.

Wow!

[both chuckle]

- Do you like it? - Yeah.

I didn't want to go the Kanchivaram saree route because…

first of all, I have done it so much in my films that it just...

I would just feel that, you know,

I'm enacting another scene from another film.

So, for me, I didn't want to do that. I said, "I want to do saree for sure."

Uh… "But I want something"

that is different and the texture has to be different."

"The way it's draped has to be different."

So when can we see all put together? Only during the wedding or we'll do a...

- [Monica] No, no, we will now. - [Nayanthara] We have to do it today.

- Today? - [Monica] Yeah, very important,

because I would want to see her in every outfit, full jewelry.

- Okay. - [Monica] Yeah.

Oh, you thought…

[in Tamil] No, I thought it'll be on the wedding...

[in English] You don't see.

[Monica] Yeah, that's a surprise for you. It's just between us.

- [laughs] - How will I not see? [chuckles]

For me, everything has to be done perfectly.

If it's only one thing, uh, that's okay.

But I want that one thing to be done properly.

But I was not prepared to have fun and all of that.

So, everyone around me was like, "Can you, at least, organize a mehendi?"

So, I was like, "Uh, no, so if we organize a mehendi,"

we'll have to… it'll be considered as one more event."

Then Wikki was like, "It's our wedding, you know."

"We have to start off the celebration."

"And we have to... You don't have to do like an elaborate mehendi."

"You just have fun. You put your mehendi."

"Let's call our friends, let's call our people,"

who have always been with us,

"and, you know, let's just start the celebration."

"It can't start on the day of wedding."

Which made sense.

So, we decided to do the mehendi

one day before? Actually, not one day before.

More twelve hours before.

So, we gave them exactly 12 hours to get the mehendi organized.

I just told Saurabh to take care of it.

- [chuckles] He can start. - [chuckles]

I was like, "That's now your problem."

Tina and Anisha and all came in and they told us, uh,

"Listen, we'll tell you when to come out."

"Can you guys just be here for five minutes?"

So, like, "Ah, okay."

"Probably, they're arranging for something and it's taking a little time."

But when we got out of the room…

to see our entire support system in front of us,

which is our family, our friends, friends who are like family…

[mellow music playing]

[Nayanthara] And we cried so much that, uh, I think… [chuckles]

…it was like… [sniffles]

I don't know. All sorts of emotions

and all the pressure and all the stress that we were actually keeping in our head

and whatever was there, it just… it just poured out.

[music continues playing]

[Nayanthara] More than us, I feel

people who have been with us for a very long time,

and our families, uh, all of them have wanted to see this day.

They've always wanted this wedding to happen.

And they've always wanted to be a part of the wedding.

You know, it was very important for them.

We have been together for so many years,

and, you know, we have always been waiting for this day,

and when that day actually happens, you…

- [inaudible] - [music continues playing]

[Nayanthara] The mehendi was actually good.

We had fun with our… with our people.

[lively dance music playing]

[Vignesh, in English] She had a dream of…

[in Tamil] …having it in a glass house. We will do an English wedding.

An English wedding mixed with our tradition.

[in English] She had the vision.

[in Tamil] It was in her mind all along.

[in English] Everyone there were, like, the best of people together.

[Nayanthara, in Tamil] Until 3:00 a.m…

[in English] …we were pretty busy organizing everything.

And we were doing… We checked the entire glass house.

And we checked the structure. We checked the ACs.

From flowers to everything. We checked on everything.

And then, finally, and it was just Wikki and me,

uh, on the ground.

We just looked at each other and we were like, um,

"So it's really happening, you know? Tomorrow is the day."

[serene music playing]

[Vignesh] The setting itself was very dreamy.

It was very larger than life.

[in Tamil] In my life, I have never attended a wedding like it.

And I'm having a grand wedding like it.

[music continues playing]

[Nayanthara, in English] So, when I was getting ready,

I don't know what I had in mind. I was just, uh,

only checking and organizing and, you know, doing all those things.

Scheduling, "Oh, who has left? Who's coming?"

Um, "Who all have come?"

She was like, "Chill, relax, don't worry. We'll tell you. We'll keep you updated."

[inaudible]

[rousing music playing]

[Vignesh, in Tamil] I didn't know where to look, or who to look at.

[in English] I went blank actually.

[in Tamil] My brain was not able to focus on one thought.

It was like all over the place.

[indistinct chatter]

And after I put the veil, it just, you know, like,

a wave of emotion just hit me so…

so hard that I didn't even know… Like, I couldn't breathe.

I really couldn't breathe.

[“Maangalyam” playing]

[male vocalist singing in Malayalam]

[female vocalist singing]

[male vocalist singing]

[female vocalist singing]

[vocalists singing]

[female vocalist singing]

[song fades]

[Nayanthara, in English] I was just extremely happy.

And after that moment, I think my life just changed.

[song continues playing]

[Nayanthara] I'm changed as a person.

I feel I don't need anything anymore.

It's that… it's that extreme Zen mode that you can go to.

He is just there whenever I need him.

He's always there to take care of me.

If you ask me what I like the most about him,

just the way he is, you know? He's so secure as a man

that he just lets me be the way I want to be.

[vocalists singing in Malayalam]

[in English] Finding someone who's so right for you,

finding something that is so true,

right now, in this generation, in this world,

that's the most difficult thing.

Finding true love is the most difficult thing ever.

[song concludes]

["Kannaana Kanne" playing]

[male vocalist singing in Tamil]

- [scats] - [giggles]

[indistinct chatter]

[scatting]

- [giggles] - [chuckles]

- [squeals] - [laughs]

[song continues]

[song concludes]

[soft music playing]

[music concludes]