Revathy, who plays a hospital grief counsellor in the upcoming film Aye Zindagi, was already sensitised to the profession that requires both empathy and awareness, the film’s director Anirban Bose said in a statement on Monday.

The upcoming medical drama, written and directed by Anirban, is based on a true story. It revolves around a 26-year-old liver cirrhosis patient, Vinay Chawla, whose unlikely bond with a grief counsellor (Revathy) rekindles his hope and faith in life.

“As a physician, I am always amazed by a grief counsellor’s job. A grief counsellor goes and talks to the families who have lost a loved one. The counsellor tells the family how the loved one who is brain dead can become an organ donor,” said Anirban, known for projects like Bombay Rains, Bombay Girls, Mice in Men and The Death of Mitali Dutto.

As a grief counsellor, one has to talk to a stranger who is going through a crisis and is grieving after the loss of a loved one, which requires expertise in understanding human emotions, said Anirban.

“You are trying to convince them that somebody else will benefit. In India, the success rate is about 70 to 80 per cent. The job is so difficult and that is the beauty of organ transplantation,” he added.

According to Anirban, grief counsellors need to have composure and nerves of steel.

“I remember one grief counsellor saying that she approached a man who was a migrant labourer from north India and was working in Chennai,” he recalled.

The labourer's son died when a concrete slab fell on top of his head. “Imagine this guy has nothing. He lives on streets. He has lost everything yet in this moment of grief, when he is approached by a stranger, he finds compassion within him for somebody else's suffering. This is the best of humanity,” said Anirban.

Talking about the film's lead actress, Anirban said he had a discussion with Revathy and she immediately got it. “She understands organ donation. Revathy is the first person in India to sign up for an organ donor card. She’s seen the families suffering and seen benefits, so she knows what organ transplantation does and she got it so beautifully. I was blessed that she is somebody who was already sensitised to grief counselling.”

Aye Zindagi also features Satyajeet Dubey, Mrinmayee Godbole and Hemant Kher among others. It will be released across India and North America on October 14.