CAST SASI INTERVIEW

Producer

When I finished narrating the story to him, Vijay Antony said, “Let’s do this like a Korean film”. As a producer Vijay Antony was ready to do anything, spend any amount of money. But I was very keen on one thing.  I don’t want my producer to incur loss because of me. It’s ok if I don’t get my salary. The reason I am saying this, if I had shot the film like a Korean film as per Vijay’s wish, it would have taken around 150 days of shooting. He might have said this as a producer but as a conscientious director, it was my duty to spell out the details to him. I am completely aware of the business for me and Vijay Antony in the industry. I chose my path and completed the shoot in 67 days and Vijay was always supportive.

Actor

There were many scenes in the film that required Vijay Antony to move around in busy, crowded places and beg for money from people, which he did without hesitation. People in fact booed him saying that why can’t he go, earn a  decent living when he actually looked fit and healthy. For a background shot, he slept in a platform along with many beggars for more than forty minutes. These are just a few examples of his dedication.

Music Director

Vijay Antony was introduced as a music director in my film Dishoom. That’s our first combination where we chose five from thirteen songs that he had composed.  In this film, I told the situation and he composed; after I okayed it, he completed and showed it to me. This was a new experience. Since I had okayed in the beginning, there were not any major correction. I was satisfied on that count too.

Usually I take a 2.5 to 3 years gap, but for Pichaikkaran, it is a shorter break I should say. I am afraid and apprehensive that I might lose the name that I had earned so far by making a mistake with my film. Therefore, I take time to conceive a story that transcends time. I am not saying I am successful in it, but I am trying with every film of mine.

My first raw material is the story. I keep analyzing what would be different in it and  how would it attract the audience. I am not someone who will go with a big hero, heroine and a music director and cook up some story. I have not got that kind of a life. As a believer in a good story,  I need to get attracted towards it, I need to work on it and then bring it to shape. This takes time. After this, when I wait for the hero, it takes some more time.

Whatever I know, I am teaching and I am learning a lot from the students. I am discovering from them, what should be narrated and to what an extent something has to be communicated for the current audience. Their thought processes are in unimaginative terrains. This is new to me. I am someone who has learnt from the books but they have equipped themselves from the digital media. That perspective is new and useful to me.  

But whatever be the time period or the audience, one thing that will always remain permanent is –heart touching stories alone will succeed. Value for that will always be high as we are all human beings and can relate to such stories. People who work with heart touching stories need not get scared. Only people who rely on grandeur should be on tenterhooks as to what they are going to do next.