Mumbai, “Saala Khadoos” actor-producer R. Madhavan expected a woman to come up with a relationship-based or women’s liberation script but was surprised when Sudha Kongara Prasad came up with one on boxing.

“I knew Sudha because she has been an assistant to Mani Ratnam and we have worked together numerous times where she was the assistant director and I was the ‘star’. When I was told that Sudha would be narrating a script to me, I thought it would be a film on relationships because usually women give you this kind of scripts – relationship-based film or about women’s lib (liberation),” he said at a media interaction for the film.

“So when she said boxing, I felt strange and thought so you will make a film on boxing?” he added.

But Madhavan said he was impressed with her effort.

“The kind of research that she had done – she had interviewed boxers from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and presented to me all the information about why people take up boxing, what type of parents want to send their girls for boxing and why.

“And considering all these facts, when I heard the story, I felt I couldn’t do a script more brilliant than this. So I just took this script from her and bought it,” he added.

Prasad, who has directed two films – “Andhra Andagadu” (Telugu) and “Drohi” (Tamil) – had started out assisting veteran director Mani Ratnam in numerous films such as “Guru” where Madhavan had also played an important role.

The film is drawing comparisons to “Mary Kom” but Madhavan said there were differences.

“Boxing is a background to the film. It is about boxing but it is also about the relationship between two individuals. It’s a feel good film.. perhaps I haven’t done a film more commercial than this.”

“Saala Khadoos” will be releasing as “Irudhi Suttru” in Tamil.