With films like Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu , Naan Mahaan Alla , Pandiya Naadu and national award-winning film, Azhagarsamiyin Kudhirai under his belt, filmmaker Suseenthiran boasts of an envious filmography. In the current tough climate prevailing in the film industry, Suseenthiran has emerged as a safe bet, one who can be trusted to stick to the budget and yet deliver entertaining films for the paying public.
After three consecutive hits — Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer , Pandiya Naadu and Jeeva – Suseenthiran says that his next — Paayum Puli — with actor Vishal, will establish him firmly amongst the marquee directors of the industry.
“I am not having the jitters I usually have before the release of my film. The film is about how, despite the bureaucracy and politics within the police force, they close rank when one amongst them is attacked. Unlike my previous film, this is a film I wrote for Vishal,” he says.
This could be the film, he hopes, which would open doors for him to make the big leap. “After this film, I am planning to take a break and write a film that has a bigger canvas.”
Not necessarily big budget, he offers. “I want to work with stars like Vijay or Ajith. I don’t necessarily think bigger budgets equal a bigger movie. It is about how much effort you put into writing the script. For me, Taare Zameen Par was a ‘big’ movie. It isn’t easy to make or write such a film,” he clarifies.
So far, all his movies have been inspired by ordinary life and people that he is well acquainted with, rarely exploring themes that are unfamiliar. “I have never tried to dig into something I don’t know. I populate my films with normal people, who want to get ahead in life. I like my heroes to be responsible and positive. I am not comfortable portraying a rowdy boy as a hero,” he informs.
This approach of reflecting life he understands seems to have worked so far, but he admits that it cannot be the way forward.
“I am really tired of writing my own films. I know only so much and I would like to work with new writers with new ideas. The reality is that there is a tremendous paucity of writers who can come up with a good commercial script in Tamil cinema. I don’t want to write my own scripts all the time. It is very time-consuming,” he says.
Despite being a cop film, Paayum Puli , he assures, will not feature any explicit violence, a criticism that he has had to address in Naan Mahan Alla .
“This could be a cop film, but what will stand out is the emotional arc of the few characters. I strongly believe that action movies work, not due to the amount of action/violence, but based on how fresh/new the script is. In Pandiya Naadu , Bharathiraja’s character infused much-needed freshness into the entire film. I look for something like that every time,” he says.
He is now gearing up to write his first big film. “I want to take a holiday and visit my village to plan what I want to do.”
Ask him which big star he wants to work with, and he says that he is already talking to actor Vijay about a few projects. “If commercial cinema has changed over the last five years, it is because of how Vijay adapted to changing tastes. He acted in films such as Pokkiri and Thuppakki, and redefined the ‘structure of commercial cinema’ in Tamil Nadu. When Pa. Ranjith is making a film with Rajinikanth in the lead, anything can happen in this industry.”
