C.V. Kumar
Producer ( Pizza, Pizza II: The Villa, Soodhu Kavvum)
I think the audiences here are not attuned to the film franchise model. Viewers come to watch the second part of a series expecting a continuation from where the first film ended. In my own case, when I made Pizza 2: The Villa, audiences came in expecting a film with a similar twist in the end. So when it was different, they were disappointed.
As a producer, building a film franchise is a lucrative proposition. It is an exercise in brand building. When I listen to a script, I always think of the possibility of developing it into a franchise. Of course, I would strive to retain the same crew and cast for the series, but if it proves difficult, I would also consider moving forward with a different team. Currently, I am planning Soodhu Kavvum II, while talks are on for a sequel to Indru Netru Nalai as well. I’m also working on making Thegidi into a franchise, given how suitable its detective theme is for a series.
Hari
Director ( Singam, Singam II, Saamy)
Sequels guarantee a big opening as they bring with it the goodwill of the original. As a result, we needn’t spend a lot promoting them. But that doesn't mean the film would work out cheaper. Audiences come in to watch a sequel expecting something much bigger. It should be like a new and improved version of the original. A sequel also allows the director the luxury of time. He needn't spend time to introduce characters as the audiences are already familiar with them.
When I was writing Singham, I felt the story had scope for a sequel. That’s why I shot a scene for the end credits, where we show the home minister asking Duraisingam to take up an under-cover assignment in Thoothukudi. So we started from there in Singam 2. After the success of that, we're now working on Singam 3. But it is not just Singam...I had even ended Saamy with a title card that read ‘Saamiyin vettai thodarum’, suggesting a sequel. But that project never took off. It is perhaps the bond I develop with the characters I create that makes me want to keep making sequels. I still have many police episodes for Aarusaamy (Vikram’s character in Saamy) and Duraisingam (Suriya in Singam).
Parthiban
Actor-director (Pudhiya Paadhai, Kadhai Thiraikadhai Vasanam Iyakkam)
Very rarely do we see Tamil films with a sequel possibility. Most films here are written like stories and do not leave any provision to be developed into a series. Moreover, it is the success of the film that determines whether a film deserves a franchise or not. For someone like me, whose films survive on the novelty of how different they are, there’s little scope for sequels.
I’m currently in the process of finding a producer for the sequel of Kadhai Thiraikadhai Vasanam Iyakkam. Despite the success of the first part, I’m finding it difficult to find a producer because it will require a bigger budget. It's proof that all kinds of films cannot be made into a franchise. Producers ask me if I would be interested in a sequel for Pudhiya Paadhai, but only a contemporary take would be possible for that script…not a continuation.
G.Dhananjayan
Producer (Naan Sigappu Manithan, Sigaram Thodu, Mugamoodi)
A franchise works best when it is based on a larger-than-life character. But in Tamil Nadu, audiences come to watch a film based on the star and not necessarily because of the character he plays in it. That’s why audiences in the West continue to flock to theatres every time a Superman, Spider Man or Batman movie releases. It doesn’t matter who plays the superhero. These franchises remain valuable assets to the studios, with demands for a reboot every decade or so.
It is also important to choose a subject that is ‘franchisable’. Films such as Billa and Naan Avanillai were hits because of how their particular stories played out. But they’re not concepts that can be franchised. If producers want a franchise, they must have a long-term plan for the subject. First of all, the script should have enough material to require newer versions. When the creative team itself is confident about the future, producers can back them to create an invaluable asset. I myself attempted to create a franchise with Mugamoodi. It was planned as a series from the beginning and we could have made many sequels. Unfortunately, the first part didn’t do well, so we didn’t go ahead with it.
Magizh Thirumeni
Director of action films (Meaghamann, Thadayara Thaakka)
In Hollywood, sequels and franchises started becoming popular in the 1970s. The Godfather, for instance, is the story of a family and it required three films to trace their lives. But there were also those franchises that were as much business decisions as the desire to a create work of art.
In Tamil, I feel younger directors and producers will bring forward more multi-movie franchises. Even Gautham Menon worked on the Yohan series with Vijay, which would have been a pure franchise. As a writer of action films, I understand why action films are easier to develop into a series, but that doesn’t mean the audiences will accept the same story in a different package.
