Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menen, celebrated for their effortless on-screen chemistry in films like ‘OK Kanmani’ and ‘100 Days of Love’, continue to win hearts, even years after their last collaboration. The duo, who rose to pan-Indian stardom, are once again in the spotlight after filmmaker and actress Suhasini Mani Ratnam recalled moments from their time on set.

During a candid chat with Nithya on her show Something Special with Suhasini (Cineulagam), Suhasini spoke about how the two actors shared a vibrant and competitive rapport while filming Mani Ratnam’s romantic hit ‘OK Kanmani’. “You two were like a cat and a mouse on the set. Like classmates competing with each other,” she recalled.

She further revealed that her husband Mani Ratnam had been impressed with Nithya’s performance in the song ‘Malargal Kaettaen’, telling her how naturally the actress captured the emotional tone of the track. “He always used to tell me that Nithya is an excellent actress,” Suhasini added.

Reflecting on the shoot, Nithya Menen described the experience as light-hearted and filled with camaraderie. “Dulquer and I were like buddies. He used to call me ‘dude’. That was the kind of relationship we had,” she shared. Comparing Mani Ratnam’s sets to a classroom, she said working with the ace director felt like going back to school.

In a more personal segment, Nithya revealed that she had never received a memorable proposal and expressed her curiosity about Dulquer’s early aspirations. “If I ever get the chance, I would like to ask Dulquer whether acting was always his dream,” she said.

Despite their popularity, the fan-favourite pair has not teamed up for any new projects in recent years. Both actors have branched out into multilingual ventures, cementing their positions as pan-Indian stars.

Nithya Menen was most recently seen in ‘Thalaivan Thalaivii’, a Tamil-Telugu bilingual that explores the dynamics of a couple navigating post-marriage life. While Vijay Sethupathi brought comic relief to the film, Nithya played a grounded, emotionally driven role. Directed by Pandiraj and featuring music by Santhosh Narayanan, the film, which also stars Yogi Babu, Saravanan, RK Suresh and Deepa, hit cinemas on 25 July.