Director Balaji Tharaneetharan took a real-life incident of a young man who suffered temporary amnesia and made his first film Naduvula Konjam PakkathaKaanom. The film scripted a new chapter in dark humour and continues to be much-discussed. “Anything that is new and refreshing is always welcomed by the audience. What is perhaps the best feedback for the film came from a group of devotees, when I was on a padayatra to Tirupati. They ran up to me and congratulated me for making Naduvula …. I want my films to have that connect with the common people,” says the director.
He is making his second film Oru Pakka Kathai after a gap of two years. “Though there are many reasons for the delay, I used that time to work on my scripts. I wrote two scripts; one is on theatre artist Seethakathi that is on hold because of casting, and this is very crucial for the film. And the second is Oru Pakka Kathai ,” he says.
Balaji has completed almost 50 per cent of the filming, mostly in Chennai. “I decide to tell a story only when it appeals to me as an audience. It has to be entertaining. Though Oru Pakka Kathai is a drama, it is realistic and rooted. It is about how people react to a situation. The storyline is something which has not been done before. There is also subtle social commentary.”
In Naduvula… he worked with a bunch of newcomers, led by the talented Vijay Sethupathi. His second film is no different. Kalidas Jayaram (actor Jayaram’s son) and Megha Akash make their debut with this film. “It’s a big advantage to work with newcomers. You can mould them the way you want to. They are very supportive, willing to learn and have no date issues. I saw Kalidas in one of the TV shows and called him for the audition. We had rehearsals for a month and he also took acting lessons with Somasundaram of Koothu-P-Pattarai (he played the Pannaiyar in Aaranya Kaandam ).”
Balaji says rehearsals give clarity to his thought process. “As a filmmaker, I prefer to rehearse key scenes and the mood changeover ones. It gives confidence to the director, actor, and plenty of scope to improvise while filming,” he explains.
A Chennai boy, Balaji has made a short film, edited corporate films and documentaries, and worked as a dialogue writer too before becoming a full-time film maker. “Though a short film and feature film demand the same amount of work, scripting is the key. Currently, many new film makers are experimenting with the horror genre and are successful too. Every filmmaker has a stamp of individuality. I have watched films like Aaranya Kaandam many number of times. Film makers such as Mahendran, Balu Mahendra, Mani Ratnam and Bharathiraja inspire me. My all-time favourite is director Bhagyaraj and his film Antha Ezhu Naatkal .”
With his first film being so successful, Balaji says there is pressure on him to deliver something different. “But, I am taking it easy. While filming NaduvulaKonjam PakkathaKaanom , we had fun and enjoyed the entire experience. It is the same with Oru Pakka Kathai too.”
Published - March 12, 2015 06:46 pm IST
