Director A L Abanindran’s film Vellaiya Irukiravan Poi Solla Maatan, which is all set to hit screens on December 4, has caught the attention of not just film buffs and industry pundits but also the common public.
Ask the director about the name of his film and he says, “To be honest, we wanted an attractive title as my star cast is relatively new. At the same time, we wanted to make sure that the title was relevant and that we had a reason to name it so. The film also has a tag line which reads, Karrupa Irrukiravan Unmaiya Thaan Solvaan.”
Without a doubt, the film’s title and its tagline have raised curiousity levels. So, what exactly is this film about? Says Abanindran, “Generally, everyone believes that they are good and that others around them are bad. This is human nature. It is only when a difficult situation puts you to test that you get to know if you are really good or bad.”
He also highlights the various levels of discrimination society indulges in. “We have this tendency to look down on those in lower levels. For instance, when we lose something, we first suspect the office peon or the maid. We also have this illusion that those who are fair-skinned are a lot more talented than those who are dark. If you have a fair-skinned salesman and a dark-skinned salesman, we, without knowing enough information, jump to the conclusion that the fair-skinned person is a lot more intelligent than the one who is dark,” he elaborates.
But he is also quick to assure City Express that his film is not about skin colour. “It is about the fact that when one forms half-baked opinions without understanding an issue, eventually, it can result in a situation where one finds himself on a sticky wicket,” says the director, who, along with his friend Devanshu, produced this film.
Talking about his film’s cast, Abanindran says, “Praveen Kumar, who played Prasanna’s friend in Kalyana Samayal Saadham (2013), plays the lead in the film. Shalini, a model from Hyderabad, plays the female lead. The second lead is played by Sanam Shetty. Apart from these actors, the film will also feature Aadukalam Narain, Jaya Prakash and comedian Bala, who delivered an impressive performance in Thirudan Police (2014). It’s a full-fledged comedy film upto the last 10 minutes when it will change into an emotional drama.”
The son of eminent painter Aadimoolam, Abanindran, says his family was not surprised that he became a filmmaker. “Because of my dad, I have always been surrounded by people from the creative arts. So, my natural progression was towards one of the creative fields. I did a course in the film institute and then worked for five years with Sarangan, the cameraman for this film. I then worked with cinematographer and director Rajeev Menon in two films — Minsara Kanavu (1997) and Kandukondaien Kandukondaien (2000). After that, my friend Devanshu and I started our firm called Ignite Films and we have been making a lot of stuff including ads. Now, we’ve made a feature film,” says Abanindran.