Director Nithilan Saminathan made a splashing debut with his critically acclaimed film Kurangu Bommai in 2017. After a gap of seven years, the filmmaker is back with yet another much-anticipated film Maharaja, starring Vijay Sethupathi. He gets in conversation with OTTplay to speak more on it. Here are the excerpts. 

Your first film Kurangu Bommai was critically acclaimed film. Up next, Maharaja seems to be a commercially larger film. How do you see these tags?

Personally, I don’t have any scale in terms of doing films commercially successful or critically acclaimed. As a director, you would know how you to present the film. I always wonder how would director Mysskin presented a film like Kadhal. I weigh the scale of the film and choose to see how to the present in the way. I don’t try to insert commercial elements voluntarily. With Maharaja, it is a commercial film but I have not wantedly made it that way.

Has the question why you are making films ever occurred to you?

I am one among those who isn’t profound on one particular subject matter. I am very much like a common man, who may have some knowledge in a handful of matters. From this perspective, my main goal is not to fool, misguide and cheat the audience. At the same time, I believe that a taste of the filmmaker should appeal the audience and I would like to make films which are in my taste, but still likeable by the audience. I don’t seek to profess through my films.

How you would describe your taste?

I am unable to describe it, but something which may also look conflicted is how I like comedy films. I enjoy most of Sundar C’s films but I may not be able to take such films. I watch films like Saamy, Ghilli, Thuppaki, Subramaniapuram, Kalavani, Chennai 28, Aadukalam at the same time like Schindler’s List and Aaranya Kaandam as well. I may be able to do films that partly capture my tastes.

Be it Kurangu Bommai or what we see from Maharaja’s trailer, your films may seem to revolve around inanimate objects..

I agree. Director Vetrimaaran once said that if you make films with an object, your scope is limited. I did Kurangu Bommai in that way, and probably after watching Maharaja, you may feel it different, or not.

You had said that you like to see faces in different ways. In Kurangu Bommai, you had experimented with Elango Kumaravel’s casting. With Maharaja having star faces, how was it for you to makes these faces your characters by shedding their baggage?

Firstly, I don’t feel like seeing all the faces differently. Only if it strikes me to show in another shade, rather than doing it deliberately. Certain faces emit a different shade and emotion, which when gets on me, I try to use. I see a lot of comedy films and that also helps me to visualise faces in different sense. With Elango Kumaravel, I had thought of it when I saw him in Abhiyum Naanum.

With Maharaja, I wrote the script without knowing its Vijay Sethupathi sir’s 50th film. Once I finish the script, I design the characters with the real people I have met. In this process, I develop scenes and emotions.

Compared to Kurangu Bommai, Maharaja is bigger in scale. Has that given you extra pressure?

I am not tensed when I do filmmaking. I only get tensed when I talk about it. When doing Maharaja, it was comparatively a bigger set, as compared to Kurangu Bommai. That is the only difference. My first film’s release got delayed and was anticipating the reception. I don’t see filmmaking as pressure. When Maharaja is about to release, I only have excitement on what people have to say about the film.

I do not intend to make my films to bring about a change. All I see is that the producers are safe and people enjoy a film that I enjoy making.

Given the business of film industry has grown multi-fold, including calculations on streaming and satellite rights and how we know Maharaja is going to stream on Netflix way ahead, does this hinder the creative process?

There have been no changes that way. We have moved to a place where we are roping in actors from various industries. We still get films like Aavesham and Premalu which has content and at the same time catering to multiple industries. We are now in a place where we are mingling creative and business aspects of the films, which gives new path for evolvement.

What do you consider as a success for your films?

First and foremost, that the producers are safe. Even before Maharaja release, the producers are in a safe place now. Secondly, I see reviews of some noted reviewers along with what public have to say, how much tickets are being sold and audience reactions once they come out of the cinema halls. I think if these come out favourable for the film, it is success for me.

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