I WANTED TO PROVE A POINT

Its not a film critics thought he could have made. But Kanchivaram is director Priyadarshans answer to the remaker tag

Its not a film critics thought he could have made. But Kanchivaram is director Priyadarshans answer to the remaker tag
Not many would like to remember what they did out of anger and frustration. Unless it helps you win a National Award. Director Priyadarshan has long remained the man who mastered remaking. A National Award for Kanchivaram,a small,quiet film,might have changed that.
A chat with the director:

Priyadarshan making a film like Kanchivaram was not impossible,but at least improbable,going by the perception of critics and the public.
I wanted to prove a point. A comedy film,however successful it may be at the box office or in making people laugh is never considered good by the critics. But I believe making people laugh is one of the most difficult things,and I achieved that.
My movies were huge commercial successes but critics gave them one star. They do not understand the pressure to safeguard the producers money. It is not like I dont understand art-house. I grew up watching,and still watch,good flims from around the world. But when you are making one,you should understand that cinema is largely a medium of mass entertainment. It should be successful so that the producer gets his money. It is a huge responsibility.
My films have won about 16-17 awards but I was still a comedy director. That is when I decided to make Kanchivaram based on a story that was brewing in my mind for nine long years. Half the credit for the film should go to lead actor Prakash Raj,who pestered me for 32 days from the moment he heard the story to get the film rolling.

It was reported that your first choice to play Vengadam,the weaver,was the legend from Malayam cinema,Mohanlal. In hindsight, do you think Prakash Raj was better suited for the role?
I wanted my character to have a particular look,with shaved or close-cropped hair. It was not possible for Lal Mohanlal to commit to a long schedule for me. That is how Prakash came to do the role. But looking back,there is a change in the view.
The film required someone with an inherent understanding about Tamil language and way of life,the qualities that Prakash had over Lal.
I visited many weaving societies in and around Kancheepuram over the years and spoke to the best craftsmen. The first society there opened in 1947 but the movement did not help them. Even the masters among them still cant afford their own creations.
When I narrated the story to Prakash,he was very keen to play the lead role,to the extent of not wanting or collecting any remuneration. His methodic approach,Sabu Cyrils artwork and Thirus camera took the whole creation into another level of detailing. As soon as I watched the first completed copy,I told Prakash that a National Award was in store.

Do you feel you missed the best director award?
No. Being the director of the best film means more than an award for direction. I have visited about 15 festivals around the world to exhibit Kanchivaram. That is an honour,a great satisfaction.

Now that the point has been proven,what next?
The making of Kanchivaram was a liberating experience. There was a realistic expectation about the commercial prospects of such a subject,so the pressure of revenue was off our minds right from the beginning. The story and film making was unique we were unafraid and we enjoyed every moment. The National Awards were the vindication for our efforts.
The honour has left a great impression on me. I have decided to make more such films,which are commercial but still raise an issue. I am now involved in a film whose working title is Nishaad. It was scripted around a news report from Bihar on honour killing. Even the next film in the pipeline is a serious subject,in the backdrop of AIDS. After canning that,I will perhaps make one more movie like Kanchivaram,a small and simple film,on my own.

No more comedies?
There are not many good ones to remake!

About your other involvements with cinema?
I have a sound company and preview theatre,both under the name 4Frames. I have invested most of the money I earned into buying cameras,sound and lighting equipment and editing suits. The idea was to have facilities at my disposal to make films that I want. I think I have one of the finest sound studios in the country. We have also started functioning from Singapore.

Story continues below this ad

There were reports about you interesting in joining IPL.
I can tell anything concrete about that only in January. My interest in the game goes much deeper. We have a cricket club in Thiruvananthapuram called the City Cricket Club. It won the Kerala league championship for the past three years consecutively. I am the president of the club. Four of our players are a part of Shah Rukh Khans team,while we have eight players who are part of the Kerala Ranji team.
I am certainly interested in bidding for the IPL team from Kerala,but I am not in a race to own it.