How did Arya persuade Santhanam to demolish his house?

Chennai, May 6 (NationPress) Actor Santhanam recently shared how his close companion, actor Arya, persuaded him to demolish a house he had acquired for renovation.

During the audio launch of director S Prem Anand’s eagerly anticipated horror comedy ‘Devil's Double Next Level’, where he plays the lead role, Santhanam humorously reflected on his bond with Arya, describing it as exceptionally strong.

In a light-hearted manner, Santhanam recounted several instances where he found himself in predicaments thanks to Arya, yet emphasized that their friendship remained robust and that both had never shied away from challenges. He mentioned that both he and Arya don’t dwell on potential outcomes, focusing instead on leading fulfilling lives.

“Arya and I forged a deep friendship while acting in ‘Oru Kalloriyin Kadhai’…” Santhanam began, sharing a series of amusing anecdotes involving Arya.

Eventually, he stated, “We began working on ‘Devil's Double’. Director Anand approached Arya with a brief outline, and Arya was immediately onboard to produce the film. Six months later, after completing other projects, I had purchased a plot with a house, intending to renovate and move in. My mother and wife visited the house every Friday to light a lamp, and everyone in my family had decided this would be our new home.

“That was when Arya, after hearing the complete storyline, called me one Sunday. I informed him about my recent house purchase. He arrived shortly and, after expressing his willingness to produce the film without concern for the budget, he inspected the house.

“He disapproved of the structure and insisted I demolish it. I was taken aback. I explained that I had told my family I was renovating. Plus, starting from scratch would be costly,” Santhanam recounted.

“Arya dismissed my worries. ‘You’ll complain later if you don’t do this right,’ he said, and before I knew it, he had called another friend who contacted a third person to arrange the demolition,” Santhanam explained, noting that the building was completely razed in just four days, leaving no trace behind.

“I was so startled that I didn’t inform my family about the demolition. When my mother and wife arrived the following Friday to light the lamp, my mother was shocked to find the house gone. She searched neighboring streets in disbelief,” he added, eliciting laughter from the audience.

In the end, Santhanam shared how he revealed the truth to his mother, who was astonished by the turn of events. “I told her Arya believed it would be better to build from the ground up. I said, ‘When Arya speaks, he’s usually right.’ My mother asked, ‘I thought such things were only done in movies. You do this in real life too?’”

Using this experience to highlight his deep friendship with Arya, Santhanam concluded, “What I want to emphasize is that since we became friends during ‘Kallooriyin Kadhai’, both of us have never feared trying new things in cinema. We face challenges boldly, focusing on happiness and seeing where life takes us. That spirit has propelled Arya to his current success as a producer. Arya told me, ‘Don’t take on any other films until this one is completed. I’ll handle everything else; your job is to excel in this film.’ I’ve dedicated myself to this project and intend to deliver a triumphant return to Arya.”