DIRECTOR PONRAM INTERVIEW

Rajini Murugan is a family entertainer. Though I didn’t aim it towards the Pongal release period, my films have a special energy which is not time bound. But I am happy that it is releasing during this festive time.

No. We announced the title only after getting an approval from Rajini Sir. It was well within his knowledge and we have Rajini Sir’s full support.

A director first needs a hero to get involved in the character, present his story and carry it forward. For that, the director and the hero must have a good understanding. Working with Siva in VVS, the understanding was impeccable. I had too much fun working with him in VVS, so we wanted to recreate the spark in ‘Rajini Murugan’.

VVS team was known for its fun elements more than action because we wanted the script to be believable. That is why we had a very small action sequence. In Rajini Murugan, though we don’t want to get caught doing things people don’t expect, the action scenes will be something new.

After VVS, I have a challenge and a risk to face. The challenge is people will ask me why I made a film like VVS, at the same time, I risk the fact that they will expect a film like VVS. So Rajini Murugan will start with a continuation with similar flavours but will take off on its own.

Rajkiran

It was very new for me to work with such a senior actor. He just needs to come on frame and the screen presence is unbelievable. At the same time, I need to take more care in setting the shot as he shouldn’t dominate the hero. So, it was a very different experience for me.

Samuthirakani

To get Samuthirakani anna on board was a difficult task. He was skeptical about playing a villain as he’d been doing only the goodie, either a father or policeman role. I had to convince him saying he can’t keep saying the same dialogue and audiences need to see his other face. But I definitely wanted only him for the role mainly for his Madurai slang as in Rajini Murugan, he is more of a character than a villain, mainly in the climax.

Keerthi

Compared to Sri Divya it was so much more easier working with Keerthi Suresh as she knew tamil. I didn’t have to translate, make her understand or anything. And Keerthi’s mom was a heroine so they all know cinema and how it works which made it perfectly comfortable.

Soori

Soori is someone who understands me automatically. Specially if Siva, Soori and I are on set together, then the whole place will be lively. I just have to give them the screen paper and they both will instantly be ready to shoot. I just have to keep shooting and finishing the scenes.

Overall, Siva is friendly, Rajkiran sir is respectable, Soori is my brother, Samuthirakani is more of an elder brother, while Keerthi is the one stuck between all of us.

A music director is very important not just for the songs but also for the re-recording of the movie as the audio side is equally important to lift the narration. I pay keen attention to my movie’s songs even before the shoot because scoring a hit album is my priority, that creates a benchmark for the film before its release. Imman was sweet enough to compose extra songs for ‘Rajini Murugan’ and the audience will be surprised with the two special songs we have included. I would say Imman is a gift for my film.

Generally, for a song we need some current news or connect to make it more relevant, enjoyable and relatable. And when we had a situation where the lover confronts his girlfriend and tries to ask her why she is doing this to him, we thought ‘Yennama Ipdi Panreengalae ma’ would be perfect.

Yes, they might stereotype me saying ‘you should only go down this road’, but there is a limit for my commercial cinema too. Maybe three films because you will end up running out on scenes and scenarios and it will get boring. I definitely want to make a film for myself, not for money but just for cinema. Producers for that film will be difficult to convince, nobody will support me, people might think I am not capable also. But that film will be a story with a message, just for me.

I have the script ready but have not planned it yet, I want to wait for the release of Rajini Murugan. But this time it will be without Shiva.