As Jayaram and Urvashi's much-anticipated reunion film Parimala and Co heads into its promotional stretch ahead of release, director Pandiraaj has been opening up about how the project came together — and his casting journey makes for a fascinating read.

In a candid chat with Behindwoods, Pandiraaj revealed that he had originally envisioned the film with Rajinikanth in mind. He then considered Kamal Haasan, feeling he would bring a Papanasam-like gravitas to the role, before eventually landing on Jayaram as the perfect fit. When it came to the female lead however, there was never any deliberation — Urvashi was his first and only choice. Drawing a parallel to Nithya Menen's irreplaceable turn in Thalaivan Thalaivii, Pandiraaj said he simply could not picture anyone else as Parimala.

The film's teaser, released earlier this month alongside the title reveal, offered an entertaining peek at the family dynamics at play — Jayaram, Urvashi, Sanjana Krishnamoorthy, and Ananthika Sanilkumar squabbling over their househelp's wages in classic family-comedy fashion. The twist, however, lands hard — the very same family, it turns out, has blood on their hands. Parimala and Co appears to wrap its dark secret in layers of humour, a signature Pandiraaj touch following his previous outing Thalaivan Thalaivii with Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen.

The ensemble also includes Mysskin, Yogi Babu, Sandy, Santosh Sobhan, and Tamilkumaran. Behind the camera, George C Williams handles cinematography, Foxn scores the music, Pradeep E Ragav edits, and Kalai Kingson choreographs the stunts.