Baala recruits real beggars

By: Settu Shankar
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Sometimes searching for the right people to play the right roles can prove gruesome and sometimes impossible. Instead of actually going through the process of finding the right actor, it is better to get someone who plays that role in real life. Naan Kadavul director Baala has tried the same and has been very successful at making it work.

He engaged a hundred beggars to come and act in his film thus filling the vacancy. He and the beggars have come to an agreement. He will pay them Rs. 2500 per month as long as they are shooting for the film. It works out cheaper for the director because a junior artiste would cost the director Rs. 300 per day with conveyance fee.

The shooting of the film is on at the Kumbakarai Falls near Theni. Because the probability of a Naxalite attack near the Balasubramaniyam Temple in Thenkarai, they shifted location to Kumbakarai Falls. In some of the scenes that were to be shot here, a large number of beggars were needed.

Since the director found it difficult to use junior artistes for this scene, he decided to go in for the real thing. The director’s assistants hunted for beggars around the temple and got all the street and the temple beggars that he could. He proposed his offer and they agreed. He agreed to pay them Rs. 2500 per month as fees.

As extras on the set, they will be given their share of snack, tea and coffee. A few days back, there was lots of Tamilnadu Special task Force around in order to step the chase against the Naxalites in the area. Due to the Naxalite scare, tourists stopped visiting the area and it had a deserted look. Now since Baala and crew are shooting there, people have been returning to the area. It seems that the beggars are very grateful to Baala and wish him well every time he passes their way.