What happens after distraught people jump off cliffs to their death? Do you know who retrieves their remains? Do you know about their loves and lives? That's what Kazhugoo , releasing on March 9, seeks to throw the spotlight on. And playing a role seldom seen on celluloid is Kreshna ( Ali Baba and Katradhu Kalavu ) as Sei.
Kreshna has come a long way since his days as a child artiste. Remember him in Anjali, Iruvar and The Terrorist ? Then, he took a break to study, pursuing an MBA in Ohio. “My mom's only wish was that I do my post-graduation.”
While his films as hero have garnered some critical acclaim, commercial success has eluded him. “Yes, but possibly that very fact allowed me to experiment. I've not been slotted,” says the actor, the brother of hot-shot director Vishnuvardhan.
“When Sathyasiva narrated the script, I immediately agreed to do it. Then, fear kicked in, because there was no reference material to fall back on. I headed to Kodaikanal and met Arumugam. He is one of the eight people in the hill station involved in gathering the remains of the dead from the valley. It was an eye-opener. I picked up some mannerisms; we included their lingo in the film. They never look for a ‘body', but a ‘piece'. They put away food, alcohol and a radio in a secret spot in the valley to keep them going during the lonely nights. They always look ahead because the howling wind lashes their face if they look sideways. They keenly listen to any eerie noises that the wind carries. Invariably, the ‘piece' lies in that direction,” says Kreshna.
All this was incorporated into the film. “For instance, none of them look shocked when they see a body. It's matter-of-fact. They are immune to grief. They told us that the hands of the dead are clenched tightly. When they open them, they find leaves and bits of bark — a futile attempt to hold on to life after they've decided to take it. That helped us in the aesthetics of the film,” he adds.
However, he hastens to add, it's not all macabre. “The issue is serious, but the treatment is not. Look out for the humour, dialogues and cinematography by Sathya too.” There's also a love track with Bindu Madhavi. “I go down to retrieve her sister's body. The place and time of our first meeting is unique. But will a girl who lost her sister to a love affair fall in love?”
The film has music by Yuvan Shankar Raja. “We are buddies from school. I felt a film like this needed great music. And, he gave us just that.”
Kazhugoo was long in the making. “Yes, it took us a year-and-a-half. We approached four to five producers before my dad decided to take over production under our Talking Times banner. He wondered why we did not go to him before!” says Kreshna, who admits he's hoping this film propels him into people's hearts. “It's disappointing I'm still known only by my first film.”
Considering three in the family are into films (his father is producer Pattiyal Shekar), what's the conversation at the dining table like? “We don't discuss films. There's so much of other gossip to catch up on,” he laughs. “We stay clear of each other's careers. But, Vishnu gives constructive feedback that I take very seriously. My family — dad, brother, sister-in-law and my nephew Karan — are my best critics.
However, later this year, after Vishnuvardhan wraps up his film with Ajith, Kreshna hopes to team up with his brother. His hopes? More interesting films and an acceptance from the masses.
