Three national awards and now an Oscar entry!
I didn’t expect this. I’ve been only looking at the campaign and we are fully occupied with that.
How did you come across Lock-Up?
A friend gave me that book (The film is based on Lock-up, a novel by Coimbatore-based autorickshaw driver M. Chandrakumar).
Was it unusual that you started shooting without a full script?
I generally go with my gut feeling. I’m intuitive when it comes to shots, selection of actors.
Was Visaranai an experimental film?
No, it is a ‘quickie’. The challenge was with (depicting) emotions.
How was the buzz on the festival circuit for Visaranai and Manikandan’s Kaaka Muttai (which you co-produced)?
Kaaka Muttai was an instant hit. And Toronto is a family gathering.... For Visaranai, Venice was the right festival to open. The ovation we got after the screening...They clapped for eight minutes.
How was the film at the BO?
We recouped whatever we spent. Profits were made on the overseas market and all that stuff. It’s a hit.
Is there a defining aspect to the burst of creativity in regional films, especially Tamil?
It has to be attributed to indie filmmakers/producers who are making films in small budgets where they can afford risks.
How have producers responded?
Producers are sensible, they will want to do whatever is successful.
What would you say about the Tamil audience?
If Tamil viewers are able to appreciate a film like Visaranai, we must say that they are the most refined mainstream viewer in the world.
What are you working on currently?
I’m shooting Vada Chennai with Dhanush.
