Selvaraghavan: Survival of the fittest

Kaadhal Konden's enormous success has catapulted you to the front rank of directors. makes me feel a little scared. It was an experiment I tried that seemed to have worked. It's a nice feeling that the film has earned critical acclaim and commercial success. What's the best compliment you received for 'Kaadhal Konden'? The encouraging reviews from papers and magazines I read did elate me. Bharatiraja told me that after 'Nayakan' this film was the most emotional experience for him. Balu Mahendra said that he'd seen a film with a new concept after a long time. I'm touched!

• Was Pudupettai the most difficult film for you so far? The subject matter was a completely new area -- the underworld.

Yes, the milieu is completely alien to me, the dark side of society. When I want to write a court scene, I don't know anything about how a court functions. I have never been to a court. I have never been inside a police station. Everything about the film is alien to me.

• Why choose a subject you are not familiar with?

For how long can I do films about people I know? I have already made three films on love. Because of my age, I am familiar with that emotion. I felt I needed to explore the unexplored. But when I began Pudupettai¸ I did not expect it to be so though.

• How did YARADI NEE MOHINI project materialize?

The producers approached me when I was directing Kadal Kondein. I could not do a film immediately with them because of the prior commitment I had given to AM Ratnam to direct 7/G Brindavan Colony.

• Your characterization of heroes in earlier film is radically different from that of YARADI NEE MOHINI?

Yes. I made audiences cry with my earlier films. I want them all to laugh while watching AMAV, though there is a bit of crying scenes in the film.

• The characterization and plot seem to have some resemblance to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)?

If I wanted to remake DDLJ, I would have done it officially. When we select a story of certain pattern, it is inevitable to have some resemblances to certain films. I do agree that the characterization of Colors Swathi’s character is very similar to Mandira Bedi in DDLJ. Other than that I do not see any similarities. If you observe closely there are certain scenes and patterns that resemble ‘when harry met sally’ and ‘walk in the clouds’ too. During the process of filmmaking, one would somewhere fall into that trap I guess.

• The entire family members deserting K Viswanath during marriage seem to be done in a hurry without proper explanation?

We had canned a scene in which grandmother rationalizes with K Viswanath before leaving. But we felt that it becomes more melodramatic with lectures. Hence we edited the dialogue version during the final cut.

The ending of film has shown K Viswanath as disapprover of Venky. Why is it like that?

I think most of the people did not watch it closely. I froze the frame of K Viswanath who is smiling. It means that he approved Venky. I think lot of people did not notice it.

• You are an expert at getting the best of emotions in death scenes?

I think it is due to the fact that death comes unexpected in my films.

• What is the contribution of hero and heroine for AMAV (telugu YARADI NEE MOHINI)?

I was amazed by the performances of Venkatesh and Trisha. I learned so many things while making this film. Venky contributed a lot to the script. Deep inside him, there is a filmmaker in Venkatesh. I hope he directs films one day.

• Did you use any real life experiences in 7G?

The final part of the film is fictional. But the remaining part is the one I can relate to.

• Did you face any criticism that youth are being spoiled because of the negative attitude you have shown though hero characters in your films?

I think one should watch movie as a movie. They should not take it to the heart. They should leave the memories at theater and should not take them to their home.

• Who are your favorite directors?

Francis Ford Coppola is my all time favorite director. I like his insight and deep knowledge of filmmaking. He is the best example for how a filmmaker should know everything. I also like the Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore a lot. I loved his Cinema Paradiso. After watching his 1998 film Leggenda del pianista sull'oceano, La (The Legend of 1900), I felt so inferior about my work. May be one day I will make a perfect film like that.

• What are your suggestions for our film industry?

It is time for adapting literary works. We should improve our screenplay sense. The existing commercial filmmaking format should change. We do not have the habit of doing rehearsals before the shoot. We should practice and rehearsal with the actors before going to shoot.

• Which one is your favorite film among the films you directed?

Pudhu Pettai (Dhool Pet in Telugu). It worked in Tamilnadu. I wanted the producer to sell it for reasonable prices. But he sold it at a price that equivalent Vijay’s films. It made money in places like Chennai. On the script side, I think I made a mistake in second half. I think that chapter wise narration in the second half did not go well with the crowds.

• Except for 7G, all the films made by you earlier were dubbed or remade in Telugu. And they failed here. What do you think is the reason?

Sensibilities. 7G was a success, because it is a true bilingual. For each and every scene I shot it twice - one for Tamil and another one for Telugu. If I had dubbed it in Telugu without shooting again, it would have been a flop. I am sure that if I directed all those films in Telugu separately, they would have become hits because I would have changed the plot and narration to suit Telugu sensibilities.

• You always take good care of the background music in your films?

The western classical music has lot of depth. I am trying to indianize it. I have been working with Yuan Shankar Raja for the past 7 years. We stay at the same place. I want to have better music in my future films.

• What do you think of filmmakers blatantly copying from Hollywood films?

To each his own! But I wouldn't be comfortable doing it. Maybe we can borrow their technology, but not blatantly copy their films. Shouldn't we do doing something on our own?

• What type of films do you watch?

that's good, it can be a comedy too. Anything that touches you in some way, makes you feel good, makes you feel like flying.

• you name an Indian actor you'd like to direct?

Aamir Khan

• Apart from films what are your other interests?

Reading, travelling, movies. I've travelled all over India. I would love to visit Venice.

• Finally, will you take the responsibility for setting the anti-hero trend?

I take the responsibility for it, and would like to share it with my Cameraman (Arvind Krishna) and music director (Yuvan Shanker Raja) who've contributed immensely towards creating the right ambience! But seriously, it's like walking on a tight rope or on the edge of a knife. For, if the actor is not capable of doing such roles, the whole effort will backfire!

• What your final goal as a director?

I want to make a perfect film. Something like K Viswanath’s Sagara Sangamam. I watched it for 60 times. I want to make a film which I will watch for 61 times.

• Do you have any suggestions for the director wannabes?

You can’t balance everything. If you want to be a filmmaker, leave everything and join films.