Aishwarya Rajinikanth, the director behind the recent release “Lal Salaam,” has opened up about the challenges faced during the making of the film. In a candid interview, she revealed a major setback the team encountered: the loss of 21 days worth of footage.
“It is true that we lost a lot of footage. We were shocked that something like this could even happen,” Aishwarya expressed. The lost footage included crucial scenes, particularly a cricket match sequence shot with a ten-camera setup. “We wanted to shoot it like it was a real cricket match. We missed the footage of all the twenty cameras. We didn’t know what to do,” she explained.
Despite the willingness of the actors, including Vishnu Vishal and other cast members, to reshoot the lost scenes, logistical challenges made it impossible. “The problem was everyone, including Vishnu, Senthil, and Appa, had changed their appearance. So, we couldn’t reshoot it,” Aishwarya lamented.
The team faced a difficult decision, ultimately opting to re-edit the film with the surviving footage. “In the end, we re-edited the film with whatever was left. It was challenging,” she shared. Despite the cooperative spirit of the cast, reshooting was not feasible due to the changes in appearance and the complexity of recreating the original setup.
Reflecting on the experience, Aishwarya acknowledged the compromise made to salvage the project. “Though Vishnu and Appa were cooperative and ready to do it again, we couldn’t shoot all of it again. It was a huge compromise,” she admitted.
“Lal Salaam,” a sports drama featuring Rajinikanth in an extended cameo alongside Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth in lead roles, faced challenges both during production and upon its release. Despite the setback, Aishwarya Rajinikanth remains proud of the film and grateful for the dedication of the cast and crew in overcoming obstacles to bring the project to fruition.