One for the family
Director Sundar C on his latest ick Aranmanai 4,a horror-comedy that features an ensemble cast
undar C’s o ce is decked with photos of his family, framed graduation certi cates of his daughters, and photographs of his wife, actor Khushbu, with her colleagues from the Eighties and Nineties shot during their yearly reunions. The importance of the word ‘family’ extends to his target audience as well, something he considers to be paramount for his 30-year-old career as a lmmaker. “Aranmanai worked as a franchise because it catered to family audiences,” says Sundar, as we discuss the fourth lm from the franchise, that is running in theatres. Excerpts from an interview.
SQuestion: Two of the Tamil lm franchises with the most number of lms seem to be the ‘Aranmanai’ and ‘Kanchana’ (Muni) series. What about it gives this genre its longevity? Answer: It’s a package; if you take Aranmanai, it’s not just horror and humour. There is emotional bonding, nice visuals, an ensemble cast and divine intervention at the end. I like how all the lms in the franchise, negating the ashback sequence, will unravel within three to four days, with the climax happening in just a day. The challenge is to come up with a compelling end to that story within the timeframe. I believe all of this, along with good music and CG, make the franchise what it is.
Q: The recent entries of the franchise saw negative reviews and yet became
Director box-oce hits. How do you see this dichotomy? A: When you’re a commercial lmmaker, you should be prepared for negative reviews. My target audience is families and children. You can’t watch Aranmanai with the same mentality as watching Schindler’s List. But imagine watching it like you’re seeing Lion King. I love animated lms; my all-time favourite is Finding Nemo.
Q: Your casting choices for supporting roles have always been interesting and this franchise in particular has two lms each starring Hansika Motwani, Andrea Jeremiah and Raashii Khanna...
A: Aranmanai lms are all female-fronted ones with strong women characters. Star power is required to pull it o, especially in the ashback sequences where we have to make an impact within a 15-minute window. The audience should also connect with the character. That’s why those roles always feature top heroines. The strength of a banyan tree is in its roots and the
supporting cast forms the core strength .
Q: You are entering your 30th year as a director and also your 18th as an actor. How has it been for the experienced lmmaker and the reluctant actor? A: I’m still a reluctant actor (smiles). I was used to entering a set thinking about what I was going to shoot. . As an actor, sitting for hours for makeup was tiring. As a director, I don’t know what got me so far. I feel that my judgment is similar to that of the audience.