Rajinikanth’s upcoming political drama Kaala is going to have a strong Marathi influence, if the latest reports are anything to go. The film is set in Dharavi, a slum in Mumbai, and it follows the journey of a character named Kaala, played by Rajinikanth, and his tussle with a Mahashtrian played by Nana Patekar.

Speaking about the film, Anjali Patil, who played a key role in the film, said, “The film has a strong Marathi influence especially in the storytelling. Nana Patekar has quite a few lines in Marathi, and my role is that of a Tamil-speaking Marathi woman who’s born and brought up in Dharavi. Pa Ranjith has ensured that the film feels authentic and true to its setting, and several actors including myself and Huma Qureshi were roped in to reflect this style of authenticity.”

Apparently, it was Rajinikanth himself who suggested that Pa Ranjith should cast Anjali Patil to play a crucial role after Ranjith was impressed with her performance in a Sri Lankan film Oba Nathuwa Oba Ekka. “Rajini sir is really humble and genuine like people say he is. It was an absolute pleasure working with him,” Anjali Patil said.