Sellamuthu, a film Institute student and former assistant to directors like Kayaar and P.Vasu, turns independent with the film Sooriya Nagaram.

The movie has Rahul Ravindhran who debuted in Moscowin Kaveri and Meera Nandhan of Valmiki fame as the lead pair.

A poetic love story set against the backdrop of Madurai, Sellamuthu has based his film on a real-life incident involving an ex-convict who was released on compassionate grounds. Meera, who is returning to the Tamil screen after a gap, says, "I play a village belle and it's a meaty role." Ask her why she has not been seen in Tamil films for quite some time and she is quick to respond, "I am busy with a handful of flicks in Malayalam and Kannada. I give priority to characters that offer scope for acting and don't want to be a mere glam-doll heroine."

Music by the 20-year-old newbie Fen Viyalee, a trained pianist and a student of London's Trinity College of Music, is the talking point of Sooriya Nagaram.

Vairamuthu has penned the lyrics for all the numbers. Though the national award-winning lyricist had initial apprehensions about Fen's talents, apparently after hearing the compositions, Vairamuthu complimented him saying, "It looks as if you have composed for 30 films earlier."