Quality over quantity is Jiiva’s new watchword

Jiiva says Yaan is a ‘Bourne kind of film’ that makes a larger point about human rights violations

With the Tamil film industry in a state of flux, actor Jiiva wants to play the waiting game.

This Friday, his Yaan , which also happens to be the directorial debut of celebrated cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran, is all set for release. The actor says that he would decide on what kind of films he would do only after Yaan’ s release. “After Ko , I signed a number of films, which were a combination of formula films, and with big directors. I signed some films in a hurry and paid for it. I don’t want to do that again,” he says.

In his decision to ‘cut down on quantity and focus on quality,’ the actor seems to have lent a ear to social media, which is now the go-to place for filmmakers and actors to gauge audience response.

“These days, fans celebrate a film if they like it. But if the film is trash, they troll you. When such feedback is available today, there is no point signing films in a hurry.”

After two films with fairly well-known filmmakers (Gautham Menon and Mysskin) bombed at the box office, Jiiva decided to work with younger filmmakers, who would collaborate with him rather than expect him to just ‘follow instructions’. He even delivered a hit with Endrendrum Punnagai .

“There are advantages and limitations in working with the big names. Younger filmmakers are willing to collaborate when important creative decisions are being made for the film,” he says.

Nonetheless, he also signed a film with Ravi K. Chandran, who is perhaps one of the most respected cinematographers in Indian cinema today.

What was so special about Yaan ? “Firstly, it is the debut film of Ravi K. Chandran, whose work I admire and respect. It came to me at a time when I had decided to not do films where I would go to a wine shop, get drunk and crack some jokes. In Yaan , I play a fugitive on the run in the Middle East. It is a ‘Bourne’ kind of film that makes a larger point about human rights violations,” he says, while insisting it is not ‘controversial’.

When asked why he was making a strong point about the film being non-controversial, he says that it has become difficult to discuss contrarian ideas in films.

Does he feel that there is less freedom today than before? “Definitely,” he says and adds, “My own film ‘E’ had some stinging dialogues, which I think I wouldn’t get away with today. Instances of self-censorship among actors and filmmakers have increased. This wasn’t the case before.”