The title of director Pandiraj’s forthcoming film is misleading. Kathakali has been so named to evoke interest, the director says. “Kathakali, the Kerala dance form, is all about facial expressions and hand gestures that effectively convey the background narrative rendered in musical format. The story of my film is about the various emotions and reactions of the protagonist, as he grapples with one life-changing incident after another. In everyone’s life, there are instances when a phone call, a chance meeting or an incident can change his/her entire life. Kathakali is about one such event that changes the hero’s life decisively,” says Pandiraj. “It is an action thriller, but is quite different from any film that Vishal has ever done. There are no unrealistic stunts or fights; it is all kept very real. I think audiences will be able to relate a lot to what happens to the protagonist,” he says.
Pandiraj has worked with many eminent directors in the industry, including K. Bhagyaraj, and Cheran. “I have learned a lot from all my mentors. For instance, Bhagyaraj still handwrites his scripts, allowing time for his thoughts to flow to the paper. I follow the same practice. Cheran and Thangar Bachan are great observers of life around them, and this helps them create lifelike characters and incidences. Thangar Bachan, a writer himself, pens his scripts with flawless sentences that are complete with perfect punctuation. I follow this style, and it really helps the reader invest emotionally in the story,” he says. Kathakali is a marked shift from the offbeat films that he’s done so far: Pasanga, Vamsam, Marina and Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga. “The budget is bigger than any of my previous films, and I needed an understanding producer who would not balk at re-shooting some scenes or attempting something new. Vishal, the co-producer, was completely understanding of this. Due to him, the film has come out better than I expected.”
The director says that there is not even one frivolous scene in the film. “In fact, I’ve cut out whole comedy sequences to make the film tighter. The romance is also an integral part of the screenplay. As I aim to please family audiences, there are no double entendres or needless obscene dialogues,” says Pandiraj.
Pandiraj remembers how difficult it was to get his first film, Pasanga, made. “There was tremendous pressure on me from my family and others in my village to return, as I couldn’t find a firm footing in the industry. Pasanga changed all that. In a way, Kathakali is about that. How just one incident can totally change a person’s life.”
Published - January 09, 2016 06:39 pm IST
