90 ML director Anita Udeep on dealing with trolls, criticism from film fraternity, and Simbu, Oviya's response

Oviya’s women-centric adult entertainer  90 ML  has been the talk of the tinsel town ever since it hit the cinemas on 1 March, alongside Arun Vijay’s investigative thriller Thadam. While critics majorly embraced Thadam, 90ML directed by Anita Udeep has been heavily censured by a section of reviewers. The film’s bold, no-holds-barred content on women’s freedom of choice and expression has led to polarised views on the Internet. [caption id=“attachment_6213891” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Oviya in a poster for 90 ML[/caption] In this exclusive chat with Firstpost, Anita Udeep talks about battling the avalanche of trolls on the internet, harsh criticisms, personal attacks from the reviewers and film fraternity, Simbu and Oviya’s response to reviews and more. “I’m having both my feet on the ground and treating both positive and negative comments alike. Though I expected some disapproval after the release, the sheer degree of bashing appalled me. I announced the film as an A certified one, released trailers along the same lines but still I faced the prejudice some people hold against women. Some men couldn’t relate to the movie because they wouldn’t have had friends in opposite gender or had the exposure. Some thrashed the film even without watching it. Not everyone can realise that 90 ML also talks about a woman’s space, her choice and what she expects in a marriage,” Anita told FirstPost. While Anita anticipated the negative reaction from a section of reviewers, she didn’t expect the hypocritical, holier-than-thou remarks from people in the industry. “The film fraternity knows and consumes cinema from various parts of the world, yet some can’t accept my film. I was ready to take any criticism about my work in terms of the technology or concept or story-telling but what I can’t take easy is the moral policing some indulge in. Some were chauvinistic and even reviewed who I am instead of what I’ve made. Some reviews were extremely abusive. After I confronted some replies head-on and retorted to some tweets, people stopped moral policing and ran away,” said Anita, who was actually surprised by the overwhelming support she received from a lot of men on the internet. One of the highlights of 90 ML is Simbu’s background score and music. STR has been long-known for his straightforward speeches at various events, and he has been vocal about defending Anita in his recent interactions. “Simbu is someone who will agree to do something only if his heart goes for it. When I narrated him the script, he believed that 90 ML would be a new genre to our industry since our story doesn’t talk about empowerment or feminism. Neither have we shown men in a bad light. Though films of this kind were made in the past on a serious note, I wanted to do something light-hearted, a film that reflects a normal life in real. I see theatre as a place where you can relax and unwind after being worked up. Simbu asked me not to worry about what every person has to say but sit back and relax,” she said. [caption id=“attachment_6213911” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] 90 ML director Anita Udeep. Image via Twitter[/caption] There are a few instances where popular personalities from the industry started tagging Anita’s husband Udeep to the negative reviews of the film. “I’d told my family to be prepared for this. I can’t preach what I don’t follow right? I have explored my creative freedom, and I expected some admonishing for that. We couldn’t have done the film if the artists and I were not on the same page. I have conveyed certain things women go through very subtly. Unlike some regressive people, the rest will see 90 ML as a light-weight entertainer.” There’s also a lot of hue and cry about Anita using the pseudonym Azhagiya Asura in the title credits instead of her real name. Clarifying on the same, she explains, “In this Internet age, is it even possible to hide behind the pseudonym Azhagiya Asura? Why did I make announcement after announcement, give multiple interviews before the release? I just liked the phrase because it’s my first song as a singer though I gradually drifted towards film direction. I’m a multi-faceted personality, and I want to explore a bevy of creative endeavours in the future. Next, I’m working on an independent album. I want to foray into music direction, pop albums, fashion designing and a lot more. So, I wanted to use a pseudonym and make it my brand. I just want to use the name to expand my creative arena.” There are already reports that Anita is planning to make a sequel to 90 ML. She clarifies: “Honestly, I don’t have any idea now. I don’t want to stick to any particular genre. I tried to make an entertainer about the unexplored feelings women have, and I have succeeded in it. I’m not always going to make adult films or women-centric films. I definitely need a break and try out different genres of movies.” On a concluding note, Anita revealed that Oviya is quite chilled-out and is unfazed by all the negative reactions. “People would have seen her true self in the reality show, Bigg Boss. She knows what she portrays on screen and what she is in real life. She absolutely wanted to try a new genre, break stereotypes and she believed her fans would back her always for what she is in real life. Oviya Army loved her for her real-life personality and not for who she’s on screen. Next, she will be seen in Kalavaani 2 and she would get into the skin of a village girl’s role.”