Be it scripts or beliefs, director Suseenthiran likes to keep it simple. At least, that’s the impression you get when you first meet him.
“I believe that whatever God has earmarked for me will be mine, and no one, no matter how hard they try, can take it away from me. By the same logic, I do not aspire for what’s not mine,” begins the director, who first shot into the limelight with his debut film, Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu .
Now, after Naan Mahaan Alla, Azhagarsamiyin Kuthirai and Rajapaatai, Suseenthiran is directing Aadhalaal Kadhal Seiveer .
“After Rajapaatai , which was based on a script by a friend, I went back to my own scripts and chose Aadhalaal Kadhal Seiveer as I was certain it would be a winner. This is a story that has never been explored before in Tamil cinema. You cannot classify this film as mainstream. The enormous impact of the script will be felt in the film’s second half,” says Suseenthiran confidently.
But what is Aadhalaal Kadhal Seiveer about? Reluctant to reveal too much, the director says, “It is a love story. Santhosh, a second year Loyola College student, plays the hero, while Manisha, who played one of the leads in the critically-acclaimed Vazhakku En 18/9 , the heroine. I have got some students from both Loyola and MOP Vaishnav colleges to act. Actor Poornima Bhagyaraj makes a comeback with this film. Apart from her, actors Jayaprakash and Arjun, who played a commendable role in Kadhalil Sodhappuvadu Eppadi, are the other two familiar faces in the cast. The rest are newcomers.”
At a time when most directors are keen on working with established stars, Suseenthiran has no qualms about engaging newcomers. This quality has not only earned him respect in the industry but also the love of actors such as Vishnu, Suri and Appu Kutty, who got their break in films thanks to him.
“I don’t have any problems working with newcomers; if the script requires new faces, I hire them. If you cast an established artiste in a role suitable for a newcomer, you will not be able to create an impact on the viewer who will be seeing the star and not the character he is playing,” says Suseenthiran.
Rehearsals for the cast
The director also informs that he conducts rehearsals for his cast to ensure that they do not struggle when the actual scenes are shot. These sessions also help them narrow the advantage established artistes may have over them.
“I conducted a four-month rehearsal for my artistes while making Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu . For Aadhalaal… , all my artistes attended a two-month rehearsal,” says the director, who is known to prefer scripts based on real-life incidents.
“ Vennila ’s story was based on incidents that happened in my life, but I came up with the script of Aadhalaal… while chatting with a friend. He was talking about one of his relatives, a college girl, who had fallen in love. As he discussed her story, several issues one would normally not associate with a couple in love emerged. The impact was such that I was prompted to make a movie out of the story,” says Suseenthiran.
Audio release
“The audio of the film will be released shortly. There are six songs and Yuvan has done a fantastic job. But only four will be featured in the album. I am not releasing the other two songs as their lyrics might give away the plot. These songs will only be part of the film,” he says with a smile.
The film’s title seems to urge people to fall in love. Ask Suseenthiran about this, and he says, “A lot depends on intonation. Every phrase and clause can be put across in so many ways that each time it conveys a different meaning. How this title will have to be enunciated is something you know only after watching the movie. Unlike most other films, this film’s title will not be showcased at the beginning but at the end,” he signs off.
