'Kutrame Thandanai is about the conscience'

'Kaaka Muttai' director Manikandan tells us that his upcoming 'Kutrame Thandanai' has not been made with an eye on awards.

July 23, 2016 04:26 pm | Updated July 24, 2016 10:03 am IST

After the acclaimed Kaaka Muttai , Manikandan is ready with his second directorial venture, Kutrame Thandana i. It’s a total departure, a murder mystery with just five characters. Nearing the release date, Manikandan is tense and is waiting for the audience’s verdict. He dismisses speculations that the film is an edge-of-the-seat thriller...

What does the title Kutrame Thandana i (Crime is Punishment) signify?

I don’t want to reveal too much. Inevitably, you find the proverbial curses of women wishing a cruel ending for their enemies. But that does not always happen. This is something I have touched upon. Even a bad man can have a good ending. The film is something about the conscience, which is the greatest punishment for an individual.

Is this an edge-of-the-seat thriller?

When we think of murder mysteries, we usually think of a fast pace. But this film is different. The pace is very slow, but it will involve the audience. They will find it interesting to travel with the film.

This seems diametrically different from Kaaka Muttai. ..

I had decided on the script even before Kaaka Mutta i was released. As a young filmmaker, I have to keep experimenting and not become predictable. You will find a dark tone, a different kind of pace to ensure that the audience does not miss out on the little factors in the build-up. There are no police officers to unravel the mystery. The movie is about the journey of five characters in the plot.

Your first film was somewhat commercial. Are you trying to restore the balance with this one?

There is a combination of art and commercial cinema, which I have used to add colour to Anand Annamalai’s script. I have done the screenplay and dialogues, and the necessary punches are well-stacked.

There is no big name in Kutrame.. . save for Nasser and to a lesser extent, Aishwarya Rajessh...

I never felt the need. The story was the winner and the key factor was how I brought out its various facets in the limited resources I had. Vidharth and theatre artiste Pooja Devariya handled their roles beautifully. Aishwarya had apprehensions about doing a character with dark shades. But in the end, the solving of the mystery is a joint effort, and everyone has a part to play.

What are the other interesting aspects of the movie?

It has to be Ilaiyaraaja sir’s music. There are no songs in the film. But the background music is very important. Raja sir had one long look at the movie and said that it was an abstract style of filmmaking, and so he has to come out with something out of the ordinary. When Raja sir complimented me, I became more confident. I could smell a winner then and there.

The movie has already had international releases.

It came in for great appreciation in the New York, Mumbai and Kerala film festivals. The applause wasn’t just a formality. The pitch was very different. It was intense and lasted for a few minutes.

Not too many South Indian films make it to international festivals.

The onus is on the producer to send the film. Since my Kaaka Muttai had a great run at many festivals, my films naturally find a place there. There’s also the added pressure of living up to the expectations.

In an interview, you mentioned that the commercial success of Kaaka Muttai meant more to you than its success at film festivals.

Getting rave reviews is a fine thing, but it’s important that films also be commercially viable.

You have already moved on with your next project, Aandavan Kattalai.

It is complete, in fact. Dubbing work is going on. The movie is about the travails of people who are desperate to go abroad, even with fake passports. But it’s not a very heavy film. I’ve talked about the issue in a lighter vein. All my movies are in a lighter vein. I want to present my stories in a simple way, so that the audiences can easily relate. I have yet another film in the pipeline. That one is about the plight of farmers.

As a cinematographer and director, are you able to do justice to both aspects in your films?

My first love is cinematography. I started out as a still photographer and I think in images. When I look through the lens, I am able to visualise things. I get a lot of ideas. I then try to translate these ideas as a director. So many things run through my mind when I look through the lens. This helps me a lot as a director. So both cinematography and direction are interlinked in my head.

Kaaka Muttai narrowly missed going to the Oscars.

It lost out on a single vote to Court . I think there was little to choose between both films. I am not heartbroken; it has only spurred me to come out with that little extra. Also, I never make films with an eye on the awards. I think that’s selfish of a filmmaker, and will burden my conscience. Which in a way is the theme of Kutrame. ..

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.