Director Karthick Naren made a splashing debut with the crime thriller Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru in 2016, which became a sleeper hit, and was highly talked about for its screenplay and narrative style. After directing films like Mafia: Chapter 1, Maaran, and the short film Project Agni (Navarasa), the director is once again back to what he does best, a non-linear and crime thriller film; Nirangal Moondru.

Karthick Naren Interview Nirangal Moondru

To have a theatrical release after four years, Karthick Naren’s mind space is divided between being extremely excited and curious about how the audience will accept his new film. But is there a difference between the releases he had before and now? “I think before every film release, there will be butterflies. But when it comes to this film, the emotional connect is much more.”

With a penchant for a non-linear screenplay, Karthick Naren once again attempts it with the upcoming Nirangal Moondru which is a hyperlink film with three characters majorly. “Writing this specific film was very challenging, because being a non-linear, it should be both engaging as well as cohesive. It should not go off the radar, which will make the audience not get connected. But the writing process for this one was, since all the characters were intrinsic to me, I could do the world-building in an easier way.”

In Nirangal Moondru, the makers don’t shy away from saying that the lead characters played by Atharvaa, Sarathkumar and Rahman, have tints of grey to their roles, making them from being far from being the goody-two-shoes. “It is definitely more exciting, because you can explore more arenas now rather than being restricted. Earlier, a hero has to be in a certain way, and has his own parameters, but now, we can really explore more. Cinema too, with time, keeps evolving,” he adds.

Penchant for crime thrillers

Karthick Naren’s Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru which earned him a name, is a crime thriller, and so is Nirangal Moondru. However, his Project Agni is a sci-fi short film. Asked if he likes to create a signature style with the genres he does, or not be boxed in one category, the filmmaker says, “For me, I don’t want to get stereotyped. I am cautious that I do not get stuck in a mould that would pre-determine what they can expect from me and my films. But at the same time, I don’t want to lose by originality, because as of now, the only sci-fi project I have explored is Agni, but if you ask me, I love thrillers as much as I love sci-fi films.”

The director promises that Nirangal Moondru will be fresh for the audience. “We have some senior and big names in the film and everyone came into the project with the trust they had, and based on the script. I was conscious that I don’t break the trust that they have on me, and how their character arc would be solid, among the many others. Even if they appear for a scene, it should be impactful.”

Quizzed about his next film, Karthick Naren says that he does not want to rush into it, but also remains guarded about the details. “Every film is made on paper, and I want to spend some time on it, before rushing into it. I am more of a writer-director, wherein I like to write my own stories,” he signs off.

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