Bigil guarantees solid entertainment for Vijay fans: Atlee

Jackie Shroff, Actor: Vijay is highly a work-oriented person and one of the finest thinking actors I have seen. He has everything under control, be it expressions, and emotions. He’s known to be amiable and approachable. I couldn’t make it to the audio launch as I was stuck in traffic for almost three hours. That day, I realised he’s a big deal in Tamil cinema. Fans were excited to see him all over, and the city was chaotic. I was in my car, observing what was happening around. It was unbelievable. I thought I could walk and reach the venue, but I feared Chennaiites would mob me. (Laughs) It’s great to see Vijay doing a sports-based film, like what Aamir Khan did in Dangal. As for Atlee, he’s the simplest director I have worked with. He’s cool and seems pretty sorted. I hope I have done justice to my role and looking forward to watching the film. What I quite liked about the Bigil sets is the energy. So many of them were of my son’s age and were brimming with passion and I could see the fire in their eyes. Everyone treated me extremely well and I felt like being home. I have stopped working for money and accept offers on grounds of friendship. I enjoy working in South Indian cinema, in particular.

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Archana Kalpathi, Creative Producer: Vijay is an wonderful human being and a very hard working person. That’s why he’s on top of the game. It takes a lot to produce the content we believe in, which isn’t easy. Had Vijay not recommended my name to my father, I wouldn’t have been a part of Bigil. First of all, I am thankful to Vijay for that. (Laughs) The experience of working with Atlee, Vijay and AR Rahman was truly overwhelming. We spent Rs 180 crore on Bigil, and it’s a dream project for AGS Entertainment. You would have seen how Vijay fans keep asking for updates on social media, it’s a huge pressure, but I am not complaining. We are looking to take the film to China because of its universally-appealing content. I must say Atlee has lived this film and I was very impressed by the way he worked throughout. A massive effort has gone into the making of Bigil. I faced lots of challenges in coordinating with artistes and technicians. I was given the responsibility to control the budget. Since I wasn’t used to handling such a film made on a grand scale before, I was initially apprehensive. For most of the films, producers invest money to promote stuff online, but for Bigil, everything was vice versa. We were pro-actively working, so that no still or song got leaked. Say, we rope in 2000 junior artistes for a small scene, we had to make sure their cell phones were frisked beforehand to avoid problems. Besides, pulling off a sports-based film required an extensive amount of research. What I loved about Vijay is his dedication. For someone who hasn’t played football, he developed a style of his own, like professional sportsmen. Again, for Vijay’s stature, he doesn’t have to do all of that. But he goes an extra mile to deliver the best. Even after being in the industry for many years, still, he has a childlike enthusiasm to learn something new. I am not saying this because I’m a fan of Vijay. (Smiles) He’s super sharp, super observant and super intuitive. Also, he’s a very respectful guy, and his reputation stands true for that.

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Vijay plays two roles in Bigil – one of a young man who coaches a women’s football team, and another one of being a local don.

Kathir, Actor: For the longest time, I wanted to act with Vijay sir, and it got materialised, finally. I’m a bit nervous because I have a Deepavali release this time, and I play a role alongside my favourite actor. What more do I need? Normally, I catch the FDFS of Vijay sir’s films. For Bigil, I am doubly excited. One day, I got a call from Atlee anna, and he jokingly asked if I could listen to the story. I didn’t think twice but grabbed the offer. Even if I didn’t have a substantial role, I would have happily said ‘yes’, because I get to see Vijay sir, be with him and know him. (Laughs) Bigil will be the best of Atlee-Vijay films. With Vijay sir, I was star-struck for the first two days. Also, I experienced the same when I re-joined the shoot after a break. I’m looking forward to seeing how the audience is going to receive my character.

GK Vishnu, Cinematographer: I have been a huge Vijay fan since my school days, and that fascination shows in my work. He never behaves like a star on sets. We see him only as of the character he was playing. When it comes to shooting, it is just a pleasure as every time Vijay would step in front of the frame, everything around him disappears. (Laughs) Every director wants to use a certain lighting style. Atlee and I have known each other for a long time, and we have an understanding of what we want. He’s one of the filmmakers who constantly looks for ways to better the story he’s telling. I always look for someone who knows exactly what they want, at the same time, willing to listen and collaborate with others. Everyone in the unit was aware of the sequences of events and schedules were planned. We tried to keep everything realistic about Bigil. It is not a regular film with a bunch of dances, fights, and sport-sequences.

Antony L Ruben, Editor: They say, an editor can make or break a film, and that’s pretty right. Editing is almost an art of rewriting a story with pictures and sound. As an editor, I am required to do more than the mere cut and paste job. It is a mix of implying both an analytical and logical mind. Not everything is shot in the order of sequence or emotion. But, everything is put together on the editing table. I have the patience to sift through endless footage, know how to mix sound and picture effectively, without ruining the pace of the narration. Since I have edited all the films of Atlee, I know what he wants. Still, we had heated arguments on the final edit table. He allowed me to carry on with my very own thought-driven experimentation, which he tried to incorporate during the shooting process. We were working on a break-neck speed so that the film releases on time. I am used to taking the pressure! (Laughs) Ask any assistant director to be an editor and he’ll run away. But I chose to pursue film editing because I found the subject intriguing. I found it technical and at the same time very creative. Fortunately, I have been involved in films right from the scripting stage. The more editors and directors spend a considerable amount of time working together, the better the understanding is. For example, an action sequence of three hours of footage would mean watching every second of it. The thrust was to make Bigil slick.

Indhuja, Actor: Bigil is a lifetime opportunity, and I had a tremendous experience working with Atlee sir, Vijay sir, Nayanthara ma’am and AR Rahman sir. The sets were truly electrifying, thanks to the presence of Thalapathy. I had no clue about football, but somehow, developed an interest to learn what it is. Of course, we were trained by coaches. One thing I have learnt from Vijay sir is, never be shy about trying something new, even if it makes you ask questions. As of now, my fingers are tightly crossed, and I’m waiting to see how people are going to react seeing me sport a wig and play the game. In the beginning, I was loathing myself that I didn’t look good, but Atlee assured me that I looked like an authentic football player. (Laughs)

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Reba Monica John, Actor: I had so much fun working with Vijay sir. To be honest, I never thought this would happen quite early in my career. It was simply unbelievable that I had got the role and the opportunity to share screen space with Thalapathy. I am lucky to have bagged Bigil because we knew the audiences are now more open to watching sports-based dramas than ever in the past. We had gone through workshops and training programmes for Bigil, which helped me learn football techniques. Prior, I’m not a fan at all. Now, it’s the exact opposite. I stepped out of my comfort zone before going to the sets. I will always be grateful to Atlee sir and everybody else associated with the film.