Film-making is often an elusive dream for many. It is rare that someone with a plush corporate job gives it all up to pursue their passion. But this is exactly what the young and immensely talented Tamil director SU Arun Kumar has done. One the eve of the success of his latest blockbuster Sethupathi, Corporate Citizen has a heartfelt chat with the maverick director about his unconventional journey, his influences and his love for film making
I have directed two films. The first was Pannaiyarum Padminiyum. It is a very emotional story about a landlord and his car. It was screened at six international film festivals. My second film is called Sethupathi, which is about a cop who seeks justice for his murdered colleague. It is currently in the 55th day of its run, and still going strong. I have also begun work on my third script.
I loved watching films, but I never really seriously thought about film making. I was passionate about engineering. I graduated from Madras Institute of Technology. I got placed from the college into a comfortable job. I started working, and was quite satisfied with the job. It was going fine until I got promoted. I had to go to work from nine-six, and had to follow a very monotonous schedule. That is when I started thinking of it as a burden rather than something I enjoyed. I lost passion for the job, but didn’t want to quit and lose that source of income just yet. It was one night when I was at home that I watched The Sixth Sense by M Night Shyamalan. That’s when I decided that movies were my cup of tea. Next morning, I called up my Appa (father) and told him that this job isn’t for me. He tried to convince me not to leave the plush job. I lied to him saying that I wanted to study further. He reluctantly agreed. I never really pursued further studies, and dedicated all my time into learning about film making. I made a short film which turned out to be very bad (laughs). I learnt then that it’s not as easy as it looks. I went back to the drawing board and dove into the nitty-gritty and learnt from my mistakes. I made many more short films, and sent one such film to Naalaya Iyakunar, which is a reality show to crown new directors. Luckily, it got accepted and I was selected as an entrant for the show.
"I believe I am very strong with emotions. I think it is human emotions which drive the story, and I think that is my strength as a director. Emotions are the key that strikes a connection with the audience. It is the soul of the film"
Yes, absolutely. He won season one of the show, while I won the second season. We were supposed to make eight short films, one a month and it was an extremely gruelling but rewarding experience. I made my first short film at age 24, and have made countless mistakes and corrected each one in the next film I made.
Where you come from doesn’t matter. Creativity is about expressing an idea which is inside you. It is how you present the story that matters. It is not about technical skill or the lack of it. Of course, as a director you should know about the nuances of film making such as the three-act structure and plot devices, but this knowledge means nothing without the creative vision, which the director must inherently possess. Directing is a tight process. A writer has full freedom to set his story, but a director must present his vision within the parameters of the script, budget and time frame. He must walk a figurative tightrope to get his idea across.
I mentioned M Night Shamalan. I also love Satyajit Ray, Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap and many more directors worldwide.
I believe I am very strong with emotions. Whether it is a romantic movie, a thriller or a horror film, I think it is human emotions which drive the story, and I think that is my strength as a director. Emotions are the key that strikes a connection with the audience. It is the soul of the film.
See, if I invest my own money into a movie, then I can make it the way I want. But when it comes to the producer’s money, he will obviously want a return on his investment. That being said, I think all kinds of movies work in India. Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par, Ugly, movies of all sorts work here, as long as the story is interesting.
There are two aspects to directing. The technical process and the creative one. The technical process should be learnt properly, whether it is by assisting or observing a director or by reading extensively about it. You can also learn by trial and error by making short films. The director should also know about other aspects of film making, as they influence his final product. For example, a scriptwriter need not know anything about direction, but a director must know about script writing to ensure that he knows what is going on with the film. The second is the creative process, which is very individual and depends on the person. It should come from within and there is no formal training required. Directing also requires complete dedication. For my previous film, I went three days without sleeping, as I was completely engrossed in my work.
(Laughs) That happens a lot with me. I can’t disassociate with my work when I’m home. I discuss my work with my family. However, I believe that the family must never be neglected. If you can’t give them enough time, make the best of the time you can give them, but don’t make them feel ignored.
Of course. I love my language and am very proud of it, but film-making has no language. Film-making is global, and at the end of the day, we are all here for appreciation. I want to get my work in front of as many people as possible.
I would tell them to go for their passion. It’s better to try and lose than to regret not trying. Youngsters have time on their side. They can afford to take risks. There are opportunities galore for people with the passion for doing something.
