Sundar C’s workplace is decked with images of his household, framed commencement certificates of his daughters, and pictures of his spouse, actor Khushbu, together with her colleagues from the 80s and 90s. The significance of the phrase ‘family’ extends to his target market as nicely, one thing he considers to be paramount for his 30-year-old profession as a filmmaker. “Aranmanai worked as a franchise because it catered to the family audience,” says Sundar as we sit down to talk about the fourth movie from the franchise.
Excerpts from an interview:
Two Tamil franchises with probably the most variety of movies are ‘Aranmanai’ and ‘Kanchana’ (Muni) sequence. What provides the style this longevity?
It’s a package deal; should you take Aranmanai, it’s not simply horror and humour. There is emotional bonding, good visuals, an ensemble solid and divine intervention on the finish. I like how all of the movies within the franchise — negating the flashback sequence — unravel inside three to 4 days, with the climax taking place in only a day. The problem is to provide you with a compelling finish to that story throughout the timeframe. I imagine all of this, together with good music and CG, make the franchise what it’s.
Tamannaah in a nonetheless from ‘Aranmanai 4’
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Special Arrangement
The current entries of the franchise noticed negative evaluations and but grew to become box-office hits. How do you see this dichotomy?
When you’re a industrial filmmaker, you should be prepared for negative evaluations. Critics charge industrial movies decrease than different types of movies; I don’t thoughts it and imagine industrial movies aren’t their cup of tea. My target market is households and youngsters. You can’t watch Aranmanai with the identical mentality as watching Schindler’s List. But think about watching it such as you’re seeing Lion King. I really like animated movies; my all-time favorite is Finding Nemo. That’s the standpoint from which I take my movies and I can’t anticipate critics to share the identical perspective. If you discover a clothes retailer or a resort, you’ll have prospects selecting a variety of things from regardless of the store has to supply. But within the movie business alone, it’s important to make one product to fulfill all types of audiences.
Unlike the earlier movies on this franchise, you may have taken an idea this time: the Assamese folklore of Baak, fairly much like the Jinn idea from ‘Iruttu’ which you starred in. Where did that concept come from?
Iruttu is an underrated movie directed by VZ Dorai sir, nevertheless it did nicely commercially. We had been planning on doing Iruttu 2 and I used to be researching on my very own for a knot, which is when my writers instructed me concerning the Baak folklore which I discovered to be attention-grabbing. Like Ilaiyaraaja sir’s music, folklore can also be part of our upbringing and this story took form. Dorai sir was busy with Thalainagaram 2, so I assumed I might make an Aranmanai movie out of it.
I used to be not eager on appearing this time. Directing, dealing with manufacturing and appearing concurrently is simply too troublesome. I made certain there wasn’t a necessity for a second lead (which he performed within the first three movies) whereas scripting. But, ultimately, the scenario made me take up that function as nicely.
All the ‘Aranmanai’ movies, regardless of not taking place in the identical universe, characteristic you in a personality named Ravi…
Ravi and Saravanan are two names that I usually use in my movies; it’s good to see that you simply’ve observed it. Saravanan is the title of my cousin with whom I shared a cordial relationship, and solely after he handed away did I realise how a lot I missed him. Using his title is extra of a tribute. There’s no such motive behind Ravi; I want quick names for each my leads and it’s often names like Ravi, Maya or Indhu. During the scripting stage, we denote them as hero, heroine and villain, and it’s solely through the shoot we provide you with one thing.
Raashii Khanna in a nonetheless from ‘Aranmanai 4’
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Special Arrangement
Your casting decisions for supporting roles have all the time been attention-grabbing and this franchise, specifically, has two movies every starring Hansika Motwani, Andrea Jeremiah and Raashii Khanna. How do you go about it?
Aranmanai movies are all female-fronted ones with sturdy ladies characters. Star energy is required to drag it off, particularly within the flashback sequences the place now we have to make an impression inside a 15-minute window. The viewers should additionally join with the character and sympathise together with her. That’s why these roles all the time characteristic heroines like Trisha, Hansika, Andrea, Tamannaah and Raashii.
All my movies have an ensemble solid. The energy of a banyan tree is in its roots and the supporting solid varieties the core energy of the story. I additionally solid a comic as a major character in order that the intense sequences are attention-grabbing. Usually, if a heroine has a maternal uncle, the choices are the likes of Prakash Raj, Pasupathy or Kishore. But I roped in Santhanam for a movie like Kalakalappu… he did all the pieces a villain does, however the viewers discovered his sequences to be hilarious.
You have labored with a number of legendary comedians, from Goundamani and Senthil to Vadivelu and Vivek, and now with Santhanam, Soori and Yogi Babu. How do you choose your comedians?
My movies will all the time have the perfect comedians of that interval. The script isn’t made conserving a comic in thoughts, however as soon as we choose an actor, we improvise it to go well with their type. I can’t write a scene considering of Santhanam and anticipate Yogi Babu to drag it off. Thankfully it has labored and even on this movie, now we have Yogi Babu, VTV Ganesh and Kovai Sarala amma. Manobala sir is part of all of the Aranmanai movies, however earlier than the shoot of this movie, he was hospitalised. Three days earlier than the shoot, we bought Seshu, who did such a wonderful job that I wrote an essential function for him in my subsequent movie, however we misplaced him as nicely. Makkal-ah sandhoshapaduravanga nammala vittu seekiram poidranga… like Vivek sir, Manobala sir, SPB sir and now Seshu.
(L-R) Sundar C, Kovai Sarala, Yogi Babu and VTV Ganesh
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Special Arrangement
Your movies have been criticised at instances for the glamour quotient in them… is that this notably essential?
Until 2010, glamour was part of movies. Now, it’s not essential and even the track now we have shot for Aranmanai 4 (‘Achacho’) is for promotions alone. But I really feel solely I’m being questioned about this although all the most important stars’ movies have such songs. There’s a distinction between glamour and vulgarity. My movie gained’t have mistaken digital camera pictures or vulgar dance strikes and the glamour in it’s made for all of the sections of the viewers. Enna mattum thappu solladheenga! (laughs).
You are getting into your 30th 12 months as a director and in addition your 18th as an actor. How has it been for the skilled filmmaker and the reluctant actor?
I’m nonetheless a reluctant actor (smiles). When I acted in my first movie (Thalai Nagaram), I didn’t suppose I’d be answering such a query. I assumed everybody would ask why I made such a transfer, and that it could be my first and final movie. I used to be used to getting into a set excited about what I used to be going to shoot and profusely sweating as I labored behind the digital camera. As an actor, sitting for hours for make-up was tiring. It was traumatic to direct myself, however appearing beneath one other director’s supervision was far simpler.
Director Sundar C
| Photo Credit:
Johan Sathya Das
As a director, I don’t know what bought me up to now. I really feel that my judgment is much like that of the viewers. I watch numerous movies and I used to learn lots earlier than getting hooked on streaming content material. I’m not into social media as negative feedback have an effect on me. I do the form of movies I like primarily based on my intestine feeling.
When I need to go in opposition to the grain, the outcomes are completely different. Action was a troublesome movie to drag off, nevertheless it didn’t do too nicely, and so was the case with Coffee With Kadhal. I get feedback like how my movies really feel too related… however after I strive one thing out of the field, I get requested why it doesn’t really feel like my movie! Between these two faculties of thought, industrial success is what I look for whereas catering to my target market. That really made me need to take on Kalakalappu 3 as my subsequent movie, because it’s been some time since I did a full-length comedy characteristic.
Aranmanai 4is slated to launch in theatres on May 3