The 1980 film 'Billa' directed by R. Krishnamurthy is a hit film starring Rajinikanth in a dual role opposite Sripriya as the heroine.

But, actress Jayalalithaa was first approached to pair up with Rajini in the film. At the time, Jayalalithaa was actively involved in politics. A tabloid claimed that Jayalalithaa ventured into politics as her film offers started declining.

Responding to the news, Jayalalithaa wrote a letter in which she said, "I'm not striving to act in cinema again. I was getting good film opportunities. The producer first approached me to play the heroine in Billa.

It was because I refused, Sripriya played the heroine. Tamil cinema's superstar Rajinikanth was the hero, yet I refused to act. If I had struggled for cinema opportunities, I would have accepted it and acted. But I lost interest in acting," she explained in the letter.