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Director
Sasi who made the industry sit up and take notice
with his Sollamale, Roja Kootam and Dishyum
is back to what he is best at – impressive
story telling through Poo, his latest film.
Poo is spreading aromatic fragrance everywhere
and the film has been totally lapped by class
and mass.
Sasi shares his feelings with Behindwoods.
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"My
choice would be Suriya" |
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BW: How did you choose the story of
Poo?
Sasi:
I read the short story of Veyilodu Poi written
by Thamizh Selvan seventeen years back. The
effect that the story had on me was mind-blowing.
I had suggested to my friend to read the same
and the next morning he told me he was crying
the entire night and felt very heavy after reading
the story. What surprised me was that he was
doing the same thing which I did the previous
night. I felt as though the effect that the
story had on me was given recognition and I
somehow wanted to share the specific feeling
with like-minded individuals. I decided on that
day that I have to take the story to everyone.
However it took almost 17 years for me to realize
that dream.
Why should
anyone see Poo?
Not only Poo,
but I would like the audience to see any good
work. If I happen to watch a good film, I always
make it a point to tell friends to see it and
spread the good word around. Poo, in that way,
renders a beautiful feeling to everyone. I have
not named any character in the film as Poo.
You will not find a single shot which shows
a flower. I chose this title because of the
feeling of beauty, fragrance and tenderness
which is evoked in a person’s mind when
a flower makes its appearance and then wanes
away. In a similar vein, I wanted my film to
elicit such a response in the minds of the audience.
I was confident that the viewer after seeing
Poo would be absolutely besotted by the character
Mari, the beauty and the warmth of her heart
and I was also sure that this will have a long
standing effect on the audience at least for
an hour. That’s why as a metaphor, I titled
my film as Poo.
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Significance of the twin palm trees
Through
this film I wanted to convey a feeling which is
more beautiful than love. The palm trees play
an important role in the life of my lead characters.
When I wanted to make a film with rural milieu,
I first listed things which I did not want to
show, like for instance, anklets and such mementoes.
When I was young, I had read a novel by a Russian
author where the lead character was a teacher
who will travel across the mountains to teach.
There will be a tree which would be like a signboard
for him and he would understand that he has reached
his destination once he spots the tree. His student
will be in love with him and for the two lovelorn
couple, the tree would be like a silent spectator,
a witness. This was the inspiration for me and
I chose the palm trees to suit our culture.
How do you think
Srikanth suited his character?
(Laughs). Parvathy
who is the heroine in Poo is extremely fair and
it took almost one and half hour everyday to change
her skin tone to a darker one. She, as Mari, has
been accepted by one and all. As regards Srikanth,
my character in the film is that of a villager
who goes to the town to do his engineering and
I feel he fitted the bill perfectly. We also had
to work on toning down his complexion. Srikanth
had done his role well and the image that he had
all along of a city dweller has been completely
broken with Poo. I am sure he will be known as
Poo Srikanth henceforth. |
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Why
don’t you work with stars like Vijay
or Ajith?
I
am not against working with them. However
I will certainly not do films which will
showcase my hero as the ultimate best man
in the world with virtues personified or
as someone who can single-handedly bash
up villains. Of course there will be heroism
in my films. My idea of heroism is different.
According to me Gandhi is one of the best
heroes of our country. He never hit anybody
or bashed up people. But he is still a hero
in his own way. Strength of character is
what distinguishes a hero from a common
man. And you will find that in my hero.
A realistic approach to the characterization
and picturization is what I concentrate
on.
On
debutant music composer S S Kumar
I somehow am not afraid to introduce new
music directors or cinematographers right
from my first film. I am capable of getting
what I require from anyone – be it
from Bharathwaj or Vijay Anthony or be it
from S S Kumar. Kumar has done a good job.
Choo Choo Maari and Sivakasi Rathiye are
already popular. His re-recording is fabulous
and I can proudly say that after Ilayaraja,
S S Kumar will be spoken for his re-recording. |
"There
will be heroism in my films"
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On debutant cinematographer Muthiah.
I
chose P G Muthiah after seeing the trailer of
Aval Peyar Thamizarasi which was awesome. When
I enquired about him, I came to know that he is
a Visual Communication graduate from SRM and asked
him to meet me. When I met him, I was taken back
to see a young man fresh from college. I was skeptical
about whether this young man would help me realize
my dream. But when I interviewed him, his honesty
and boldness impressed me and his answers to my
questions were different and were straight forward.
And I roped him in and he also did not fail me.
People have started speaking about his work.
Why do you give long gaps between your films?
I
am glad that people are asking me this question
instead of why I am doing films. (laughs). I want
to give quality films and be known in the industry
as a good story teller. I would like to narrate
a small incident related to this. When Dishyum
was released in Udayam complex, I personally heard
people wanting to buy tickets for the film because
Sasi is the director. I am not being immodest,
but that is the truth. I want to sustain this
name. Secondly I want my films to be of profitable
venture to my producers. Cinema is such a vast
industry and behind every film, there are at least
one hundred families. When my film does well,
all the technicians associated in the film also
are recognized and this paves way for a better
career and better life for them. That is the best
credit that I can get.
What
is your take on the new young directors in the
field?
According
to me, I also figure in the list of upcoming directors.
I think I can answer this question after I establish
myself.
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"My
vote is for Parvathy" |
About your heroes
In
Sollamale, Livingstone did a wonderful job.
He is a very dedicated artist who did not
even eat the day on which we shot the climax.
In Roja Kootam, I now feel that Srikanth
had overacted. But I cannot blame him. It
is only my fault for having to make him
act in that manner. In Dishyum, Jeeva’s
performance was subtle. As regards Poo,
it is a heroine centric film and Srikanth
does not have much of a role but will be
established in a different genre. Among
all my films, I feel Parvathy is the best
that brought out exactly what I wanted and
has certainly glorified the character and
has brought a new dimension to the role.
I feel that she is the best and I am sure
she is going to go places after this. My
vote is for Parvathy.
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How is today’s Tamil cinema ?
Tamil cinema is healthy, hopeful and promising.
Otherwise I would not have done a film like Poo.
But here it is difficult to have a popular star
to try out a new enterprise. Good films like Paruthi
Veeran or Autograph or Azhagi or Kaadal, had directors
trying out with new faces and not with established
artists because they will not support them. But
in Hindi the scenario is different. Chak de India
had Shah Rukh Khan and Lagaan and Taare Zameen
Par had Ameer Khan.
How do you feel about churning out films amidst
the kinds of Dasavatharams, Robots or Marma yogis.?
Three
questions I ask myself before venturing into any
project- Whether my film will be profitable for
my producer, whether my work will be appreciated
and finally whether my content is good enough
to combat any kind of competition. If I get Yes
as an answer for all these questions, then, I
will proceed. I am very sure that rains or world
cup cricket match or a big budget film will never
in any way affect a good film. |
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If Deiva Magan is remade which hero do you
think can do justice to it?
Vikram
or Suriya
If you are to do a film with today’s popular
heroes, who will you choose?
Vikram
and Suriya have been proving their versatility.
Ajith also can be molded very well. Dhanush is
also fine. But my choice would be Suriya. |
"My
choice would be Suriya"
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What
is special about Poo?
It
is a story about a woman. In the Tamil film industry
after K Balachander's Kalki, not many films have
been out which are woman centric. When I started
Poo, I had many detractors who cautioned me against
doing the film which will revolve around a woman.
But I am very confident and certain that Poo will
make an impact and I have been proved right. A
woman is not someone whose life revolves around
television serials. When films are made with a
dog, with a mummy, with a baby, why cannot I make
a film with a woman as a central theme? After
all, she also has a heart and feelings. I have
only dealt with a part of a woman's feelings which
is love.
Interviewer:
Inian
Text:
Jyothsna |
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