Actor Sasikumar and director Ponram get speaking about ‘MGR Magan’, liberating the next day, and the way they handle their respective symbol trappings
Sasikumar is conversant in the recognition he has earned at the side of Samuthirakani thru their movies. Of being a part of movies the place they communicate wisdom and a truck load of social messages.
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The explanation he signed up for the Ponram-directed MGR Magan used to be as a result of he’s on the receiving finish of recommendation.
“On this movie, other folks have a factor or two to let us know [him and Samuthirakani] which used to be one thing new,” says Sasikumar, over a telephone name, throughout a shoot smash from his upcoming movie with debutant director Hemanth Kumar. Excerpts:
What are your ideas about Ponram’s movies?
His movies have a robust leisure quotient with comedy and familial values. Ponram is a pal of Kani and that’s how I were given to understand him. He sought after to make a comedy movie with us each, since we aren’t that severe in actual lifestyles. The equation our characters proportion in MGR Magan, is what Kani and I are off-screen.
You had previous spoken of ways you can not pull off a comedy position. What modified with MGR Magan?
Sure, there were failed makes an attempt ahead of. However MGR Magan isn’t a full-fledged comedy. There’s circle of relatives emotion with a robust message.
I favored the bond I proportion with Sathyaraj sir and Saranya amma within the movie.
Aren’t you uninterested in village-based movies?
Under no circumstances. Amma va amma dhan solla mudiyam… You can not name her aunt. When administrators method me for movies, they bring to mind me in accordance with the characters I’ve performed ahead of.
I’m what I’m on account of the ones movies. Additionally, what’s incorrect with village movies? All of it boils all the way down to the presentation.
Asuravadham and Enai Noki Paayum Thotta appear to have attempted converting your symbol…
Sure, they did. If truth be told, Pagaivanuku Arulvai has additionally introduced me in a brand new mild. I’m seeking to do what I will inside of my capability.
Now that virtual platforms have modified the way in which movies are made, would you assert you’ll experiment extra now?
OTT platforms have damaged the language barrier. Lately, we have now movies coming from all genres. In my upcoming movie with Kazhugu Krishna, I play a valid engineer and it’s set in a town.
What a couple of movie like Easan (2010)? Do you assume it will have labored lately with an OTT unlock?
No. I believe Easan would have labored in theatres lately. It used to be manner forward of its time and Chennai again then used to be now not recognized for this clubbing tradition. Audiences couldn’t hook up with the town portion. Despite the fact that movies like Easan and Asuravadham would possibly not have labored, it leaves you with the pride of getting carried out one thing excellent for society.
When are you making plans your subsequent directorial?
I’m wrapping up all my appearing commitments once conceivable. Beginning January, I’ll start paintings on my directorial.
Taking pictures the spirit
Ponram felt there used to be one thing animatedly-funny about the way in which Sasikumar and Samuthirakani, each dressed in a couple of sun shades, became up for the Nadigar Sangam Elections in 2019. “The sun shades gave the impression of thiruvizha kannadi,” laughs Ponram, including that the camaraderie they each shared used to be herbal and in contrast to of their “severe” movies.
This symbol — of them in sun shades — impressed Ponram to jot down MGR Magan. “Either one of them are excellent pals in actual lifestyles; it’s only that during motion pictures, they turn out to be severe. I sought after to wreck that,” he says, about bringing Sasikumar and Samuthirakani in combination.
The director admits that each one his movies are in accordance with two characters with contrasting issues of perspectives. They most commonly constitute the gulf between two generations: from Sivakarthikeyan and Sathyaraj in Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam to Sasikumar and Sathyaraj in MGR Magan. The latter, too, is the assembly of those two worlds, provides Ponram.
Ponram got here to Chennai on the age of nineteen and has been residing right here for as regards to 25 years. One would think that he would have tailored to the town lifestyles, however he says no. “I nonetheless imagine myself as somebody from the village, acquainted to that international,” says Ponram, including that he attracts inspiration for his movies from the folk he meets throughout gala’s or ceremonies in his village close to Usilampatti, Madurai.
Oft-known for making entertainers set towards a village backdrop, Ponram says he wears this stamp like a badge of honour. “I’ve that tag as a result of I should have captured rural lifestyles in excellent spirits. To this point, I’ve most effective made movies set in small cities. After they [audiences] really feel the surplus, I will be able to have to change to creating city movies.”
This yr’s Navarasa, introduced via filmmakers Mani Ratnam and Jayendra Panchapakesan, used to be a step against that course. The anthology used to be introduced with Ponram being one of the crucial administrators. He, in reality, shot for his phase with actor Gautham Karthik. “It used to be a comedy movie that used to be authorized,” says Ponram, whose brief used to be ultimately rejected for causes absolute best recognized to the presenters.
Ponram says he felt dejected when he used to be ousted from Navarasa. “Mani sir stated there used to be some factor with the sound, however that wasn’t a adequate rationalization. I nonetheless don’t know why our movie used to be rejected.” As they had been requested to signal an settlement, Ponram couldn’t even promote the completed product to different platforms. “All folks concerned within the movie labored in truth. On the finish of the day, we felt dejected.”
MGR Magan streams on Disney+Hotstar.
