A father’s love

Actor-director Samuthirakani on why his production, Appa, is close to his heart

Samuthirakani in Appa Photo: Special Arrangement

“You like your father? How important is he to you?” asks actor-director Samuthirakani, when speaking about his latest venture that hits screens today.

“ Appa is about these emotions. The father has rarely been celebrated on screen. Every time a child is born, a thyagi is created. But, no one has recognised that. He worries about the child, whether it eats, sleeps… He seeks new meaning in life after a child is born. But, he rarely speaks about these things to the child or its mother.”

Sometimes, the relationship is fraught with tension and misunderstanding. “Till he’s five, a son dotes on his father; at 10, the father represents torture; at 15, he’s a pain; at 20, he means nothing; at 25, there’s a yawning gap in the bond. But, the 20 years of non-relationship disappear once the child becomes a father. He realises what he’s missed out on, what it means to be a father. Sometimes, it’s too late,” says Samuthirakani, who lost his father when he was 15. “Today, I miss him deeply. But, I’m glad I listened to him and earned well… earned good friends,” he smiles.

The film, produced by Samuthirakani and narrated from the perspective of three fathers, is not just about the father-son bond but about “parenting, a term not many understand”. “It’s about how we create tomorrow’s citizens…” It is a throwback to Samuthirakani’s relationship with his 14-year-old son too. “I wanted to share what I experience with him.”

Plans are afoot to remake the film in other languages too. “In Kannada, I’m in talks with Shivarajkumar, in Telugu with Venkatesh. Priyadarshan has promised to explore opportunities in Hindi. And yes, I’ll be directing those remakes too.” This is the first time that Samuthirakani directs himself, and he says that the first week was very difficult. “I kept yelling at everyone. I fought with the cameraman, wondering why everyone was wrong. Then, I realised I was at fault. I was taking on too much. After that, it was a breeze.”

The film was originally meant to be directed by Anbazhagan, but he got busy and Samuthirakani took on the role. It has a clutch of National Award winners besides Samuthirakani; there’s Thambi Ramaiah, Ilaiyaraaja and Vignesh of

Kaaka Muttai fame. “The film needed them. This is different cinema; it speaks about the truths I’ve seen and experienced,” he says.

The film will have its share of laughs too. “Only, people will laugh, without knowing they are actually being derided. And then, they will discuss it at home, go through some thought-churning and finally decide what they want to take from the film,” he says.

So, what kind of father does he play in the movie? “The kind that my son likes,” he laughs. And then, his voice drifts away... “It’s a different kind of joy to find out what your child likes, and do it without letting him know.”