The highly anticipated conclusion of Iravu Vannangal is just a day away. And, we wouldn’t deny that the suspense surrounding the climactic finale has us all eagerly awaiting its outcome.

With that, we spoke to the director of the series and its actors to find out the inspiration and aspirations for the series.

Directed by an award-winning local director, Ravindas Aridas – we had a quick chat with the gem himself.

What is your inspiration behind directing Iravu Vannangal?

My biggest inspiration behind directing Iravu Vannangal and writing a story based on a curse was my family who shared their experience visiting Rameswaram and knowing their past life through ‘Olaichuvadi’ (sacred palm leaves that consisted of astrology predictions).


Please share your significant memories while directing Iravu Vannangal?

A significant memory will be definitely working with a cat which was indeed a new experience for me and I learned valuable lessons.


Cast Members: Yuvaraj Krishnasamy & Nivaa Shiyni

Please tell us about the role you play in Iravu Vannangal.

Yuvaraj: I played the lead character known as Karna who is affected by the generational curse and is required to ensure 5 soulmates get together to get rid of the curse that affects the marital relationship of his elders in the family. This is my first time playing such a character as it encompasses peculiar emotions throughout the series. It was challenging to play this character due to the plot designed for the story. However, the character was memorable to me due to the communication with one of the most important characters in this series, the “CAT”! Although I’m unable to relate to my real life, Karna has taught me many perspectives on handling situations on a personal level.

Nivaa: I played Renuka, Karna’s childhood friend. They are foe to best friends at the beginning of the series. Renuka is an extrovert by nature due to her work nature as a radio jockey. She is also an immense empath who thinks with her heart and reacts very practically. Karna and Renuka’s bond are the foundation of a lot of decisions she makes. She loves “love” and he hates “love” - which makes them somewhat like an inverted yin and yang. Despite their differences, both Karna and Renuka understand each other on a different dimension altogether. In real life, I’m quite an introvert. Although, I grew up wanting to be a radio jockey, at one point I didn’t pursue it as I realised that I didn’t have the gift of the gab. One similarity between Renuka and I is the fact that both of us are very empathetic people. I feel a lot, understand people without them saying a word and sense emotions. This is a blessing and an advantage for me as an actor because it allows me to play a character with a lot of intensity and conviction.


What was your experience like, acting in Iravu Vannangal?

Yuvaraj: First and foremost, it was enticing to me to play Karna right when it was narrated to me by the director and producer because of the depth of the character and how it influences the story overall. The prospect of acting alongside a cat excites me as well besides acting with a pool of amazing actors in this series from the likes of Nivaa Shiyni, Navin Ho, BGW, Subaashini, Punitah Shanmugam, Shamini, Govind Singh, Dharshamini and others. In a nutshell, the entire shoot experience was a memorable one as we shot scenes in many interesting locations, the tough time handling the cat in the shooting spot, and the spooky moments crafted by director, Ravindas.

Nivaa: This is my first time acting in a Malaysian Tamil series and it has been a joyful journey with the Iravu Vannangal team. A very memorable moment for me would be the first time Ravindas sir and Jesu sir came to meet me for a narration of the story during my trip to Kuala Lumpur for a concert. We had a very intense session in a coffee house at Berjaya Times Square. Ravindas sir was in his element, telling me the entire story, everything was in so much detail. Mind you, I did not know what role I was going to be assigned, but I got goosebumps just listening to the story. I was greatly entertained, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I instantly agreed and told them to give me the audition script and I will work on it. Ravindas sir pulls out a monologue script and tells me to read it out loud. It was one of the RJ scenes with numbers in Tamil that I didn’t know, and I started to struggle there. They sent me off and I thought I lost this project. However, they contacted me again and told me to do an audition taping for the role of Renuka! I did it and the rest is history.


Ravindas sir is a visionary and the type of director who has it all set in his imaginative mind. It was super cool working with him. Besides that, working with Yuvaraj was enlightening and a lot of fun. Him being an award-winning actor, director and scriptwriter made me a little nervous, but he was very kind and nurturing during shoots. I had my space to work, and both our characters gelled well. He wore multiple hats and sometimes you would catch him in his ‘Director’ avatar, calling the shots on set alongside Ravindas sir. It is lovely to see everyone collaborating for the greater good! Apart from that, I met Navin Ho for the first time, and I was very intimidated. Both Yuvaraj and him had a strong rapport already. To break into it and be a part of this trio when all 3 of us are playing super close-knit characters was a challenge but it happened in the blink of an eye. Navin is a gem of a truly talented person. I am very lucky to have gotten this opportunity to audition for the Renuka role and glad to play this role which will always be close to my heart. I hope and pray that the Malaysian audience will appreciate this series. The team has put countless of hours and so much of themselves into this project. We hope you will love and enjoy this series with your loved ones.


Catch the last two episodes of Iravu Vannangal at 9 PM on Astro Vinmeen (Ch 202) via TV, Astro GO, On Demand and sooka.