Even as expectations are soaring high with Uthama Villain gearing up for release on May 1, director Ramesh Aravind and actor Kamal Haasan are looking forward for a mega premiere in Dubai on April 30.
While his exuberance makes it evident that he is self-assured of a job well done, the scale of the film makes for some tense waiting in patience. “Generally, a delivery happens in a labour room. For me, my baby will be out on Labour Day. Of course, it is a good release time,” says Ramesh. “I have watched the film in various stages of its making, but when I watched the final version completely, I felt assured that everything was in place. We achieved what we had set out to do,” he adds.
The first impression that people got after watching the trailers and posters is that the film will be a visual treat, with various glamourous get-ups of the actors. Ramesh is quick to point out that while it will be a visual spectacle, there is more to it. “UV is beyond just being a visual extravaganza. It has a heart warming story,” he says.
Ramesh, who made his directorial debut with Kamal Haasan in Rama Shama Bhama, says that the actor’s presence only adds more weightage to the film and the filmmaking process. “It’s been an amazing journey with Kamal. First as a co-star, then as a director of a Kannada film and now this. It has always been a wonderful collaboration,” says Ramesh.
According to him, the late director K Balachander, who has a cameo role in UV, even mentioned that Kamal and he thought alike. “He was surprised how we both had the same understanding. We told him that we both were his proteges,” reveals Ramesh.
Appreciations have started pouring in for the director even before the film’s release. “Lingusamy, a big director himself, and producer of UV, is happy. Kamal, at a Telugu press meet held recently, mentioned that UV is like a young Balachander’s film. This is a big complement coming from him. Malayalam actor Jayaram, who watched the movie at a dubbing theatre, predicted that UV will be one of the top best 10 films of Kamal Haasan,” he says.
With Kamal’s films usually getting embroiled in controversies, UV also was not spared. First, the film’s poster found itself in the midst of plagiarism and recently, VHP called for a ban on the film stating that it will affect Hindu sentiments. While Kamal was quick to clarify the confusions, according to Ramesh, the issue was totally uncalled for. “People were surprised when a film starring Kamal got a ‘U’ certificate. UV is a family entertainer,” says Ramesh.