Vijay Sethupathi isn’t a greedy actor: Balaji Tharaneetharan

Q. I liked Seethakaathi in bits and pieces. I thought it could have been a better film.

I get why you say that. Critics may like the first half, but your average cinema viewer prefers the second half. It’s a meta-film.

Q. Seethakaathi revolves around the story of a man who is passionate about the stage. Tell us about your love for the medium – theatre.

I am neither from the theatre background nor a fan of stage plays. But I always wonder why we don’t come by many theatre-based films in Tamil cinema. Five years ago, I caught a Tamil drama and that was the thought behind Seethakaathi. Barely the hall had an audience, but I could see the artistes perform with so much enthusiasm. I was curious and wanted to know their stories. They were popular artistes once, but pursue theatre because of the satisfaction the art form gave them. They weren’t doing it for money. They simply enjoyed the thrill of being on the stage. To them, it’s an addiction. I came home, and sat through this idea; wrote an intriguing screenplay.

Q. Why did you name the film ‘Seethakaathi’?

There’s a famous proverb in Tamil: ‘Seththum koduththan Seethakaathi’. It pretty much sums up the entire film.

Q. Was Vijay Sethupathi’s character inspired by someone?

Yes. Ayya Aadhimoolam is the culmination of Ki Rajanarayanan and Jiddu Krishnamurti. A true artiste never dies and I sincerely believe in it. They leave something behind that lives beyond them. Death is often understood as a void that defines an end. This may hold true to others, except artistes. You can’t separate art and cinema. You can’t separate art and an artiste. I had a close friend who was trying too hard to become successful in life. After his dad passed away, he reached greater heights. I am not saying that’s because of his father. But I truly believe his soul guided him in the process. Certain things are beyond human comprehension, and we should stop looking for logic. Sometimes, you mingle with strangers and you feel a connection. You can’t explain why. Science doesn’t know everything.

Q. I remember you telling me you are agnostic, but you are talking about belief.

(Laughs) Even now I am telling the same. To me, the concept of God doesn’t exist. I don’t know him. But when someone at home goes to a temple and insist I accompany them, I do. That’s their belief. Let’s not belittle and hurt anyone’s belief. We all hold on to our set of beliefs, but for artistes, their philosophies only matter. They are nothing less than an obsession.

Q. But is Seethakaathi, an art-house cinema?

I would say it’s a commercial film with the sensibilities of an art-house cinema. But hey, don’t you think an aesthetically shot film itself is a piece of art?

Also, I wanted to weave another genre into the film — for the audience. It’s like two films in one. Personally, I am a fan of melodrama, but I don’t know how many of them would want to experience an art-house cinema. I grew up watching films of Balu Mahendra. I like slow-paced films. But again, in 2018, how many of them share my taste? I didn’t have any choice but add those commercial elements to the story. Tamil cinema, even the experimental variety, by and large, has stuck to a safe, audience-friendly ‘realism’. As a teenager, in fact, I remember avoiding fight scenes when I watch films on television.

Q. How did you go about writing Seethakaathi?

Would you believe if I say I don’t know how stories happen to me? I simply write, and the rest follows. Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom (NKPK) fetched me a lot of appreciation, but I wrote the film quite easily. I can’t tell you how. It’s instinctive.

Q. Is a sequel to NKPK on the cards?

I would love to direct one, but I need an appropriate story. I don’t think that is going to happen anytime soon.

Q. Be it NKPK or Seethakaathi, your films are high on comedy.

I have got a wicked sense of humour. At least, I would like to believe so. (Laughs) And that comes handy while I write screenplays. Dad has a great sense of humour, and I think it’s in the genes. The comedy portions in films work because of my artistes and I owe a lot to them. I can’t take the whole credit to myself. We knew the audience would accept Seethakaathi. After all, we made a good film, and good effort, any day, will be rewarded.

Q. What does a good film mean to you?

Good cinema is something that we can believe. Something that’s lifelike and close to our personal experience. Something like Veedu or Meendum Oru Kaadhal Kadhai. (Smiles) We tell stories that we think will resonate with the audience. What they take from it is up to them. I can’t say “this is how they should perceive my film”. But every time, as a director, I know I tell a story to the best of my craft.

Q. It’s interesting that Vijay Sethupathi chose to say ‘yes’ to Seethakaathi considering that he appears only for 40 minutes on the screen. That too, it’s his 25th film.

Sethu isn’t a greedy actor and gives ample space for others to perform. He trusts me so much, and the trust is vice-versa. I started working on Seethakaathi in 2013, but dropped the idea half-way because I was actually looking for a 75-year-old actor. Then, Sethu told me he would give it a shot. I am glad he aced it though initially I was doubtful if he could pull off the character. Now, it looks as if Ayya Aadhimoolam was written for him!

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