The cast was perfect; two acclaimed filmmakers in Tamil cinema, an actress of calibre and a Tamil writer. The storyline was in-depth — new narratives or new ways of narration, with respect to Kollywood? The answer, much to the delight of the cinema-crazy audience at The Hindu Lit for Life 2015, played out much like Akira Kurosawa’s classic Rashomon — with different points of view.
The session kick-started with a dialogue on world cinema and how its influence is being felt in scripts in Tamil too. Thanks to audiences watching films from all over the world, the expectations from directors here have increased. “Before, every producer used to give us reference points — make your film like that one. But now, they want original ideas. They want us to take away unnecessary songs and are open to making a film for less than a couple of hours as well,” said director Vetrimaaran.
Even as commercial cinema rakes in the moolah, it’s these young directors with fresh ideas that keep the audiences hooked. Elaborating, actress Rohini said, “Today, there’s a certain amount of daringness among filmmakers; take, for instance, films like Aaranya Kaandam, Soodhu Kavvum and Madras .” She urged younger directors to take up fresh themes. “Just like how they select new faces, they should go for new thoughts… why stick to showcasing love and friendship? Can’t we look beyond that? Audiences are prepared to watch a film if you give them a daring subject.”
The highlight of the session was undoubtedly when director Vasanthabalan took centre stage and spoke about some of the difficulties he faced while pitching his scripts. “I had to meet several producers with the script; it took me three years,” he recalled, “Wherever I went, they said, ‘This is a film about failure! We all want to see success’.” Fortunately for him, director Shankar picked it up. “Convincing people that Pasupathy was the apt choice for the lead role was difficult,” he said. After the acclaim that Veyyil got, Vasanthabalan’s career took off — but he still faced challenges while pitching scripts like Angaadi Theru subsequently.
Making a movie is a challenge for many directors but getting them released is equally an challenge. For this, one has to explore alternative platforms as well, opined the speakers. “Film festivals are a business platform for interesting movies,” explained Vetrimaaran, whose upcoming production Kaaka Muttai has already been screened at a couple of international fests. “The Tamil film industry should explore that option too.”
The absence of a separate parallel movement is a blessing in disguise, he felt. “That’s Tamil cinema’s special quality,” he said at the session that was moderated by writer A. Ramaswamy. “We can do whatever we want within the given constraints in the industry. It’s a great space to make films.”
