Shanaya Kapoor's Tu Yaa Main is a remake of Thai film ‘The Pool’, director Bijoy Nambiar says, ‘its an official adaption’

Shanaya Kapoor's Tu Yaa Main is a remake of Thai film ‘The Pool’, director Bijoy Nambiar says, ‘its an official adaption’

• Tu Yaa Main is an official adaptation of the Thai film The Pool.
• Director Bejoy Nambiar used a real crocodile, animatronics, and VFX for filming
• Shanaya Kapoor avoided watching The Pool to keep her performance original

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Bejoy Nambiar’s upcoming survival thriller Tu Yaa Main, starring Shanaya Kapoor and Adarsh Gourav, has found itself at the centre of remake speculation even before its theatrical release. The film, which is scheduled to hit cinemas on February 13, has drawn comparisons to the 2018 Thai film The Pool, prompting the director to address the chatter head-on.

The buzz around Tu Yaa Main intensified after reports suggested that the film was inspired by The Pool, a survival thriller that revolves around characters trapped with a deadly predator. While some online discussions branded the project a remake, Nambiar clarified that the film is an official adaptation and not an uncredited copy. Speaking about the controversy, the director expressed his frustration with assumptions being made without context.

“It is an official adaptation. We have mentioned it in the credits in the trailer and also in the film. I am just annoyed how people just assume that we are copying and remaking,” Nambiar said. He further added that since this was his first time adapting another film, he chose not to watch the original. “Since it’s the first time I am adapting another film, I made it a point not to watch the original.”

Shanaya Kapoor, who plays the lead role in the film, echoed a similar approach to preparation. In a conversation with Bollywood Hungama, the actor revealed that she deliberately avoided watching The Pool before stepping into her role. According to her, this decision was taken to ensure originality in her performance and to avoid being subconsciously influenced by the earlier film. She felt that approaching the character with a fresh lens helped her remain authentic to the script crafted for Tu Yaa Main.

Beyond adaptation debates, Tu Yaa Main has also drawn attention for its ambitious and risky shoot involving a crocodile. Quoted by Mid-day, Bejoy Nambiar shared detailed insights into how the team handled filming with a real animal. He explained that the shoot was divided into three parts: using a real crocodile, an animatronic version, and VFX.

“We broke the shoot into three parts — real crocodile, animatronic crocodile, and VFX. Everyone told me not to shoot with a real crocodile. But I felt that even if I got one authentic shot, it would be worth it,” Nambiar said. He added that extensive safety measures were put in place, including four wranglers, a local safety team, and a small, controlled crew.

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The director also revealed that the crocodile was first filmed alone to let it acclimatise to the surroundings. “We first shot the crocodile alone for half a shift, letting it get used to the environment. Only after that did we bring the actors in,” he said, noting that the animal eventually became comfortable enough that the process felt almost routine. “There was never a moment of aggression.”

The trailer of Tu Yaa Main promises an intense survival drama, opening with a nod to the 1980s classic Khoon Bhari Maang and quickly spiralling into a dark, high-stakes narrative. The story follows two content creators whose social media collaboration turns into a nightmare when they discover a crocodile trapped in a villa’s swimming pool.

With its February 13 release setting up a box office clash with Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri’s O Romeo, Tu Yaa Main is shaping up to be one of the more talked-about releases of the season, fuelled by both its premise and the conversations surrounding it.