Magizh Thirumeni interview: ‘Vidaamuyarchi’ has the Ajith Kumar all of us want to see on display

When filmmaker Magizh Thirumeni sits with us for one more chat, this time on video, he appears keen to deal with all that has been weighing him down over the previous few weeks. Lots has occurred since he final spoke to us, which was just some hours earlier than it was introduced that Vidaamuyarchi, his long-awaited action-thriller starring Ajith Kumar, needed to postpone its plans to launch throughout Pongal. A collective fandom poured its coronary heart out on social media; bear in mind, they’ve been ready for a very long time to catch their celebrity underneath Magizh’s path, and so they had been anticipating a trailer, not a postponement discover.

“I felt fairly dejected. Everybody, together with Lyca Productions, was upset and it took us a day or two to get out of it. Nevertheless, all of us understood the explanations behind it, and the producers did make a concerted, honest effort to make sure this wasn’t the case,” says Magizh. Moreover, a whole lot of what the filmmaker had stated in our interview about getting ready the audiences for what awaits them — like, the way it was the star who supplied the supply materials, and why it isn’t not like something each of them had performed of their careers — had been misconstrued, as, say, Magizh justifying an inferior product that’s within the making. This, as Magizh says in a surprising revelation, is just not an remoted incident, however a collection of makes an attempt from a sure group that has focused him proper from the challenge’s inception.

Another filmmaker engaged on another challenge might need buckled underneath such strain. Fortunately, Magizh had a pillar of help in Ajith Kumar. Hearken to him recite what the star needed to say in regards to the postponement, and it’s nothing wanting a blockbuster fan service: “Magizh don’t really feel dangerous. So what if our movie doesn’t launch on a competition day? The day of our movie’s launch will develop into a festive day,” Ajith informed him, as quoted by the director. “He was not solely conscious of the negativity we had been topic to, however he was additionally amongst a number of people who stood by me all through,” says Magizh, including that the star has assured him of extra collaborations sooner or later.

Trisha, Ajith Kumar and Magizh Thirumeni on the units of ‘Vidaamuyarchi’
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

Excerpts:

Regardless of the postponement, we noticed Ajith Kumar in a distinct avatar through the Pongal week: as a racecar driver. Greater than his victory, his devoted pursuit in direction of his ardour is seen as an inspirational message to the kids. What’s your tackle this?

Completely. It has additionally gotten a whole lot of goodwill for him. So, Ajith sir had knowledgeable us about returning to racing months in the past. We had been all ready for it. A couple of weeks earlier than he left for the race, after we had been wrapping up our movie, he informed me, ‘Magizh, after I go to take part on this race, something can occur, which is why I wish to wrap up all my movie commitments, as a result of there are such a lot of individuals who have positioned their belief in me, two producers have invested cash trusting me, and so many individuals have put of their exhausting work for these movies. After I get again to the racing circuit and I step on the accelerator, I’ve to press it 100%; If I apply solely 90% strain, I wouldn’t be doing justice to the race. Simply because I’ve two uncompleted movies, I can’t play it protected. I don’t wish to do this, as a result of something can occur.’ I get goosebumps interested by it even now. When he will get into one thing, he dedicates himself to it wholeheartedly.

You had earlier stated that you simply weren’t at liberty to share if ‘Vidaamuyarchi’ is a remake of the 1997 Kurt Russell movie ‘Breakdown’. Nevertheless, there’s been a whole lot of hypothesis round it, particularly after the postponement….

I’m not at a spot the place I can discuss it, not as a result of I wish to conceal issues, however attributable to sure information that the manufacturing home has requested me to not discuss it. They’ve good and honest causes for asking that. What I can say is that Vidaamuyarchi is nearly a two-and-a-half-hour movie; I consider that claims rather a lot about it. There’s a whole lot of authentic materials on this story.

One factor I can promise you is that this — we are going to see the Ajith Kumar all of us want to see on display in Vidaamuyarchi. Good-looking, charming and suave. After a very long time, he has a correct romantic monitor in a movie. I can promise a fascinating, engrossing two-and-a-half hours.

Magizh Thirumeni and Ajith Kumar on the units of ‘Vidaamuyarchi’
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

You had said how non-mass-y Ajith needed this movie to be, and that he stated it was time for each of you to step out of your consolation zones; What do you suppose prompted this celebrity to take this detour into an experimental zone?

I wouldn’t say that is 100% an experimental movie; it’s a mainstream industrial movie. It’s simply that it isn’t that typical mass masala movie with typical hero introduction photographs, punch dialogues, and a grand motion spectacle in direction of the intermission.

What Ajith sir has performed is one thing unimaginable. He has performed one thing that might query his personal picture. Only a few A-listers dare to do that, and he’s pushing the envelope. He has challenged his stardom and his larger-than-life picture at each given alternative. I consider the reply lies within the respect he has for the viewers. For the way lengthy are we going to feed the viewers the issues which might be far faraway from actuality? Did they are saying they might solely watch a hero who sends 20-30 males flying within the air? Did they are saying they might solely watch movies that create misogyny? Completely not. They anticipate good, logical, and wise films. That’s the respect he exhibits in direction of the viewers and in direction of his followers.

He has particular views in direction of what is occurring in our society. He’s been observing the prevalent misogyny and the crimes ladies are subjected to. He stated, ‘It’s time for payback. All tales have been informed from a masculine perspective; let’s shake it up and query it.’ He informed all of us, together with the technicians, that this is able to be one of the crucial outstanding movies in all our careers. After watching the movie, he stated that it has come out higher than what he had imagined and that that is the type of movie he needs to maintain doing.

Magizh Thirumeni
| Photograph Credit score:
Shiva Raj S

The trailer of ‘Vidaamuyarchi’ hints at a number of antagonists. In your earlier movies like ‘Thadaiyara Thaakka’, ‘Meaghamann’ and ‘Kalaga Thalaivan’, you tried to rationalise antagonists with a flashback or a dialogue about how they grew to become these evil brutes. Do industrial filmmaking norms, {that a} hero can’t be an anti-hero and a villain must be menacing, limit you?

That may’t be averted, as a result of movies are for public consumption. Positive, there’s been an evolution within the viewers profile throughout India. However all of us have an obligation to make sure the producers’ funding is protected. So there are moments when you must play to the gallery. I’m making an attempt to push the envelope slowly, to convey my movies as near actuality as potential.

I’m doing style movies, most of which come underneath the thriller style. There’s a template for the thriller style and I’m but to achieve a place the place I can break that template much more. I’m now in a spot the place I’ve to carry the viewers’ consideration for your entire movie. So although I’ve to work inside a template, I attempt to make the characters actual. That is why I delve into why a personality is a sure manner, what their impulses are and what drives them to do what they do. That is the respect that I’m exhibiting the viewers, I consider.

Most of those antagonists — from Harish Uthaman in ‘Meaghamann’ to Arav in ‘Kalaga Thalaivan’ — additionally use bodily torture as a method to interrupt a person psychologically and extract a confession…

That comes solely as a result of the story calls for it. It’s not as a result of I’ve gone by means of one thing like that or I’ve seen individuals going by means of such an expertise. In Kalaga Thalaivan, as an example, it’s about revealing what’s hid in a company set-up. It happened organically there. In actual fact, I staunchly observe a dictum that states ‘as soon as your script is finished, you must kill your darlings.’ What it means is {that a} author must kill these photographs and scenes that he might need added out of his ego, or to indicate off his acumen; these features will not be crucial for the story. I at all times attempt to observe this instruction.

Magizh Thirumeni
| Photograph Credit score:
Shiva Raj S/The Hindu 

Are you additionally keen on vigilantes? Most of your heroes are vigilantes.

(laughs) I like heroes. A hero is just not somebody who can tackle 100 guys; a hero is somebody who stands up for reality, regardless of the fee that it comes with. These are the sort of people that encourage me. A couple of years in the past, there was a whistleblower in Pondicherry who was killed for revealing a cover-up. His father was killed too. From the highest of my thoughts, I can state a dozen extra situations like this from throughout India. These are individuals who spoke out the reality, uncovered scams, and paid it with their lives. These are the those that I draw inspiration from. I consider that it’s a storyteller’s obligation to sing the unsung heroes.

In the previous few years, the motion style appears to have hit a saturation level amongst audiences throughout India…

I wouldn’t name myself an motion filmmaker, though that’s how I’m perceived. It’s simply that every time a hero or a producer approaches me, they need me to do an motion movie. I take a look at myself as a filmmaker; I wish to do movies in all genres. Now, solely these movie genres that redefine themselves after a sure level would survive in the long term. The motion style is just not inferior; it’s a style that began proper from the silent movie period. In each period, an motion filmmaker would enter and redefine the motion style. When persons are uninterested in watching the identical star-driven motion extravaganzas, a filmmaker would come up to do one thing progressive inside that format. So the style will at all times be alive.

You stated your subsequent is a industrial actioner. Say, there’s a big-star challenge barely exterior your zone, the place you might need to work inside restrictions; then there’s a movie with a smaller star, who is able to get into your zone. Which of those would you favor?

(laughs) You’re asking me to be too trustworthy, however I’ll take the bait. I’ll select the one the place I can inform the story in my most popular manner. That’s how I’ve been. After I was writing Thadaiyara Thaakka, two huge actors needed me to attend. To start with, I even waited for a month, however they had been too busy, and I had a script prepared; so I began making it. Whereas making Thadam, we mentioned it with Arun Vijay and he agreed to be part of it. The day earlier than he was alleged to formally signal on the challenge, I received a name from a giant star, who needed me to do the movie with him and underneath Lyca Productions. I hadn’t obtained any advance for the challenge at the moment, so I might have made that movie for Lyca and I might have demanded a a lot bigger pay cheque. However as a result of I had given my phrase to a different producer and Arun Vijay, I went forward and did the movie with them. That’s the type of filmmaker I’m. On the similar time, I do want to work with well-known stars, and I consider that’s what my subsequent movie could be like.

Vidaamuyarchi is about to launch in theatres on February 6