‘The faith we had in Rocky was immense’
The director and lead actor of the recently-released hit film Rocky, Arun Matheswaran and Vasanth Ravi discuss about the film at length and what went through their minds during the four long years of wait for the film to hit the screens
Rocky has been one of the most-awaited films since the release of its promotional posters and videos from the middle of 2019. It has been a much-discussed topic among movie buffs since then and even post the release of the film on December 23. Arun Matheswaran along with his lead actor Vasanth Ravi walks into our office casually ahead of the release. “I have waited for four years for this moment. I haven’t signed any film because I wanted Rocky to be my second film after Taramani and I was sure that it would do a world of good for me. The wait has been totally worth it,” begins Vasanth Ravi. Director Arun Matheswaran, even before the release of Rocky has gone on to become a much sought-after director in Tamil cinema. “I first wrote the script of Rocky in 2013 and went on to narrate the story to various producers, who turned it down. RA Studios then came forward to produce the film and we completed it in 2019. Then we were hit by the pandemic and couldn’t release the film in theatres. Despite several offers from OTT players, we ensured that the film will be released in theatres and here we are today. The faith we had in the subject wwe worked on was immense” says Arun.
Rocky is one of the very few films that has been shot using anamorphic lens by cinematographer Shreeyas Krishna. “The story required that,” opens up Arun. “The varied landscape and several objects that are in the frame are also a part of the story and will enhance the script. That’s the reason we chose to shoot it with the anamorphic lens. The colour grading and patterns—each tell a story of its own,” adds Arun. After playing a subtle, rugged young man in Taramani, Vasanth Ravi is seen playing a brutal gangster in Rocky. “I found Rocky to be different from Taramani, which is one of the reasons why I agreed to play the character. I don’t want to be branded as a subtle actor. I want to choose roles which will be a surprise package for the audience. My upcoming films will have me in different shades from
Rocky and Taramani,” the actor explains. The film has won appreciation from the audience and critics. However, director Ram’s word of appreciation stays close to Ravi. “It’s special when the director of your first film praises the performance of your second,” he smiles.
Rocky is only the second film after
Aayutha Ezhuthu in which veteran director Bharathiraja plays a character with grey shades. “He has been a part of a few films post Aayutha Ezhuthu but none of them had him in a negative shade. I thought he would be the one who could carry the role on his shoulders,” says Arun. The movie has been released by Vignesh Shivan and Nayanthara’s Rowdy Pictures. Apparently, the story was first narrated to Nayanthara who was originally planned to play Vasanth Ravi’s role. “They liked the story when I narrated it to them. Due to various reasons, we couldn’t take it forward. When they watched the final copy, Rowdy Pictures stepped up to release the film. There were some minor tweaks I had to do when Vasanth Ravi came on board,” elaborates Arun. As we concluded, we couldn’t resist but ask them about their upcoming biggies. “You will hear it from the respective production houses soon,” they conclude with a smile.