If Mani Ratnam took up direction because he felt he could make better stuff than was being churned out, Sashikanth started ‘Y Not Studios’ for the same reason. A sought after architect who’s built dream houses for stars like Suriya, Sashi is keen on bringing the corporate culture to film production. He was in the eye of a storm recently when he shot off an angry letter accusing the Government of corruption and handling the GST issue in a ham handed manner. His much awaited, edgy thriller ‘Vikaram Vedha’ starring Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi is hitting the theatres today. In a few hours people will decide if the film delivers what the trailers promised. Sashi is cool as he speaks about the unnecessary imbroglio and his film.
Your film ‘Vikram Vedha’ was due for release a few weeks back but had to be postponed because of the theatre shutdown. You also shot off an angry letter accusing the Government of corruption. Most people in the industry feel you were lucky because your film was not yet released.
That’s a matter of consequence but the truth remains the same. I was not worried about the release of my film but the basis on which the conversations were being held was my concern. There were talks with the governing council for four-five days. The whole world knows that any loss of revenue because of GST for a state Government will be compensated for the next five years. Second 92 per cent of revenue the State was getting from films released in TN had tax exemption. In effect they were getting only around eight percent of the revenue. Now they’re getting 14 per cent from every film released. The net revenue is going to be manifold. In this scenario where is the place for negotiation? Every other state government had understood the principle and nuances but TN. It seems like they were more worried about losing the money they earned by doling out tax exemption depending on the title and content.
Are you also blaming the film industry for this lack of clarity?
The film industry was only a recipient of communication and we didn’t receive any till the last moment. The Producer’s Council was reacting only in retrospect.
Now is this about the Government earning more or the producers getting less from the sale of a ticket?
This is very complicated. The point of sale should be governed by the producer. Why should someone who’s spent 300 crores to make a film like ‘Bahubali’ be forced to sell tickets at the same price as a film with a shoe-string budget? It’s meaningless. The experience that you get at a multiplex cannot be equated with an ill-maintained single screen. We have to fight this legally. We should be able to have dynamic pricing.
Why would someone who designs beautiful houses want to dabble in film production which is chaotic?
(Laughs) Who said building a house is hassle free? I have the same feeling when I look at an empty plot or read a script. I read the future. I can visualise the end product. The vision is the same. It needs the same creative drive.
You always talk of bringing a little order. Is it possible to make a film production run like a well-oiled machine?
You have control as far as buying a good car but not on the quality of roads. There are some things I cannot control. There’s no course that teaches you to become a good producer. I’ve learnt the hard way. I can only clear the garbage around me.
Your choice of content has been out of the box. Your first film was a parody about the film industry and your second had someone craving for a drink post midnight.
I wanted a USP for the company right from the name. I wanted a brand name which would pick the content. That’s why we called it Y Not Productions. I’m still trying to figure out what entertainment is. I’m trying to bridge the gap between art and commerce.
Is that also why you avoid stars even though many are your friends?
Stars are like resources. Vijay Sethupathi and Madhavan sharing screen space in ‘Vikram Vedha’ is a big star vehicle. I can see the expectations this has created compared to my previous ventures. The impact is different. There’s a buzz. We wanted to do a commercial film that we would be proud of. The content should dictate the cast. My brand is bigger than any hero and I will not compromise on that. We are trying to work with big stars on our terms. None of our previous films could afford a bigger hero.
You have wanted to make a Kannada film for a long time. Is it still in your scheme of things?
We have been looking for opportunities. Directors like Pawan Kumar have been on our radar. Kannada cinema is in that cusp of a change. Small films are working. It’s not the makers but the distributors who’re still hesitant to back such projects. I studied in Bengaluru for six years and the people are ahead of times, culturally. The films they’re fed is way behind. That’s an issue which is changing.
