VETRIMAARAN

Cannes Film Festival prefers political films. We have to target certain festivals based on our films.

One of my staff members told me that after the release of the film, whenever a custodial death is reported, people say - 'Another 'Visaranai.' This is the kind of change that I am looking for; it should hit you hard.

In Toronto, the film festival is like a carnival… entire families come to it.

I don't find anything black and white; I find grey in every person, and that is what excites me.

Actually, after three years, I realised that the opening scenes of 'Polladhavan' were inspired by 'Lolita,' in which the lead character says, 'Why did I meet her? My life would have been different had I not met her.'

We'd like to explore the prequel idea. I think it would be best suited as a web series on some digital platform. The prequel will be called 'Rajan Vagaira,' and it will track the rise of Rajan's character in 'Vada Chennai' and how he built his empire.

India is a conglomeration of different states with various languages, tradition, and culture for each.

For the role of 50-year-old Sivasami in 'Asuran,' Dhanush has put in phenomenal effort. With his extreme level of dedication, he pulled off the challenging character effortlessly.

The psychology of education is all about how the society gets benefited from it.

Smaller films that have a great run at the festivals usually result in the audience promoting the film on social media and so on.

Manikandan is a complete filmmaker and knows his job well.

And I don't want people to think that I make movies based on other films.

My films are a reflection of the society I live in, what I see and observe.

AJ' is a very special movie to me. I have been watching Dinesh and Rajkumar from their initial days, and have witnessed their evolution. The film talks about the bond shared between a father and a son who wants to fulfil his father's dreams. It's a cross between a comedy of errors and a political satire.

Going international is my game. I've always wanted to do it, and after 'Aadukalam,' I got to meet Anurag Kashyap, the face of alternate Indian cinema to the world.

I can't describe how I make a film. It's organic.

The younger generation of filmmakers is concerned about our roots, rather than making films with characters plucked out of the cloud or some English DVD. Actually since 2000, Tamil cinema is going through some positive changes.

I do films for the common man and identify myself one among them.

Whatever film it is, the geography has to be right. If I cannot establish it, I'll get lost. I wouldn't even understand it in the first place! I hence visit a place and decide what can be conveyed from where; how that can be incorporated in the story.

Visaranai' isn't for those with weak hearts. It has a lot of graphic violence, and you need a strong stomach to watch the film.

Dhanush paid my salary in 2015 when I needed it to make 'Visaaranai.'

Every film that I make is an accident.

I don't believe in one slow panning-shot to show a place. It should unfurl in the story itself.

Rajkumar was the winner of 'Naalaya Iyakkunar Season 2,' and I was impressed with his short film. He joined me as an assistant when I started the pre-production work for 'Vada Chennai.'

My films are a personal reflection on the impact that the state - the system and the world - has on me.