As a filmmaker with a unique perspective, I found myself in an extraordinary position when I embarked on the project that brought Fahadh and Rajinikanth together for the first time after three decades. The journey was nothing short of phenomenal, filled with moments that left me awestruck and humbled.
TJ Gnanavel, the esteemed director behind hit films such as Jai Bhim starring Suriya and Vettaiyan with Rajinikanth, recently had an intriguing conversation with TopMob where he discussed his upcoming ventures. Furthermore, he revealed plans to reunite Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth on screen for the first time in 33 years.
Q. Vettaiyan with Rajinikanth has been drastically different from the treatment you’ve given to Jai Bhim starring Suriya. Was this a conscious attempt to cater to Rajini fans especially since the film is releasing in theaters too?
In my opinion, the approach to treating “Jai Bhim” and “Vettaiyan” was distinctly different. For “Jai Bhim”, our focus was solely on the content, which, as an OTT release, afforded us greater flexibility regarding duration, censorship, and other constraints.
In terms of a theatrical debut for a superstar like Rajinikanth, we need to take into account the mindset of his devoted followers and meet their high expectations. As both an author and director, I had to find a balance between expressing my creative vision and providing memorable moments for his fans.
To ensure that the essence of the story – centered around education and personal growth – remained unaltered, we needed to include exciting moments that would appeal to audiences. Balancing this requirement with the need for box office success and profitability for the producers was crucial. I felt it was my obligation to strike a balance between these aspects without any concessions.
Q. In Vettaiyan, the film’s content was packaged with elements of superstar Rajinikanth’s star power. Did you ever feel like the movie’s true essence might get lost during the making owing to such responsibilities?
In my earlier statement, I mentioned that the task at hand required me to please Rajini sir’s fans while also delivering a compelling narrative. I made a conscious effort to abandon the thought process and approach I used for Jai Bhim when I began drafting this script, and indeed, I succeeded in doing so.
If I believed that any fan-oriented scenes might undermine the plot, I wouldn’t have pursued it. However, since I was confident that I could preserve the movie’s core and offer fans memorable moments, I chose to tell this story featuring the esteemed actor, Rajinikanth sir.
The majority of people across the nation are avid admirers of local celebrities, such as Shah Rukh Khan, whose influence is immeasurable. As a seasoned journalist, I have consistently catered to the masses and endeavored to provide them with insightful information in an engaging and thought-provoking manner. This approach is also reflected in my screenplay writing for Vettaiyan.
I aimed to convey the message far and wide that not everyone in our society receives an equal education or law, and that the system often misuses encounters to harm underprivileged individuals, while those with wealth and influence rarely experience such encounters. I believe I’ve successfully communicated this point.
Q. In both your films Jai Bhim and Vettaiyan, the underlying theme of content is how people perceive underprivileged people in society. Do you draw inspiration for the same from first-hand research and will it be a continuing aspect in your future projects?
Answer: My aim is to give voice to those who are often unheard and that’s why I have chosen movie-making as my medium. However, I don’t believe all films need to fall into this category. Prior to Vettaiyan, we had planned a project with Suriya sir after Jai Bhim, which belongs to an entirely different genre.
With Rajini sir, the narrative seemed to align with the voices of the oppressed, which appeared fitting for him. Similarly, I aspire to become a voice for those who are silenced, as I believe this role is underrepresented in our industry. I am resolute in my commitment to speak up for the oppressed and aim to be that voice myself.
Q. The film showcased Fahadh Faasil in a highly comical avatar opposing to his usual villainous role in Tamil. While in Malayalam it is not new for him, how gratifying was it to make him adapt into a role that carries easy humor and hard emotions?
Ans. Fahadh Faasil is my most cherished performer. I’m deeply fond of his entire body of work and rewatch it often, simply to appreciate his subtle nuances. To me, he embodies the essence of an artist rather than just an actor. His ability to bring a character to life in such a compelling manner truly sets him apart.
As an ardent admirer, I’m deeply engrossed in the Malayalam film industry and believe there’s no matching Fahadh Faasil’s talent when it comes to this realm compared to other regional languages. When it was announced that he’d be part of Vettaiyan, many were quick to assume he’d play a villainous role. However, in my mind, I knew he would bring laughter to the screen as a comedic character instead. I had faith that Fahadh could convincingly portray a strong figure capable of eliciting humor too.
While crafting a character for an original, entertaining thief, Fahadh popped into my mind as the ideal choice for the lead role. When I shared the story with him, he initially thought I was asking for his villain role, but upon hearing my concept, he showed great enthusiasm and eagerly accepted it right away.
In our team’s perspective, we were firm on having Fahadh for the role, even going so far as to delay the shoot by a month to accommodate his schedule over Rajini’s, demonstrating our high regard for him. Rajini willingly agreed, recognizing Fahadh’s exceptional talent and the unique qualities he would bring to the project. That’s FaFa for us – his impact on breathing life into my character is beyond words.
Q. The movie also had us seeing Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan on the same screen after 33 years. What led to choosing Big B as Sathyadev and was there any pressure on you to carry out this heavy task of handling two big superstars in the same film?
Ans. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon movies such as “Cheeni Kum”, “Black”, and “Sarkar” that I became captivated by the brilliance of Amitabh sir on the silver screen. His portrayal in “Piku” left me utterly spellbound, and I recognized him as a genuine master of his craft.
I modeled the character Sathyadev after an honorable judge from Tamil Nadu, renowned for his integrity. In the series Jai Bhim, a tribute to him, we strategically included a picture of him within the courtroom scenes. He inspired characters like Chandru to vow that they would one day become judges themselves, aiming to uphold honesty within the judicial system.
When contemplating a character for a retired judge role, Kamal Haasan was the first name that sprung to mind due to his stature and influence being comparable or greater than Rajini sir’s. It proved challenging to find someone who could match this level of authority, but in this instance, only Kamal Haasan seemed fitting for the task at hand.
In the Southern part of our country, there wasn’t anyone who could pull off that role, not even in different dialects. If Sivaji Ganesan were still alive, I would have sought him for the part. The only person who came to mind as capable of delivering a powerful performance and embodying an oversized character was Amitabh Bachchan.
Over the past thirty years, numerous large film studios have attempted to bring together Rajinikanth sir and Amitabh sir for a movie, but on various occasions, either Rajini sir declined or Amitabh sir refused due to concerns that if their collaboration wasn’t executed properly, it could negatively impact the film.
Throughout the filming, Mr. Rajini often emphasized that our performance together would generate significant audience anticipation. Given this expectation, he stressed the importance of delivering a top-notch presentation. However, I remained assured that everything would turn out splendidly on set.
In recounting the tale to him, Mr. Bachchan took a liking and believed that this story ought to be shared. A moment I’ll never forget is when I captured these two timeless icons in the same shot; it’s an image forever imprinted on my mind. No other actor could embody Sathyadev as convincingly as Mr. Bachchan did.
Q. As ticket prices are making a price drop from today in Telugu-speaking regions, how do you think it will affect Vettaiyan’s collections which is having a tremendous run in Telugu states?
Answer: I’m not entirely certain about the current ticket prices for Telugu films, as I tend to avoid delving too deeply into business matters. My primary concern is ensuring that the film meets or exceeds its producer’s minimum return, and I prefer not to get bogged down in numerical analysis. If the audience embraces the film and it generates a profit, I am overjoyed, but I don’t base my work on such considerations.
In the course of my project work, my utmost concern is ensuring a return on the investment made by the story’s producers. It’s heartening to see that not just Telugu speakers but people from various regions are finding the project appealing. However, I tend to steer clear of focusing too much on specific numbers, letting the production team handle that aspect instead.
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2024-10-15 14:08