After the stupendous success of Kumki, Vikram Prabhu now has three films on hand. Apart from Ivan Veramathiri and Sigaram Thodu, he has recently been roped in for Kalaipuli S Thanu’s, Arima Nambi, directed by newbie Anand Shankar. And the 26-year-old director is leaving no stone unturned to give his hero a stylish makeover, in a look vastly different from the dishevelled, bearded, rustic look of his debut film.
Speaking to CE, Anand Shankar agrees that Vikram’s new look in the posters has drawn positive comments, “Yes, we are giving him a new look. He will have a bit of a stubble but no beard. His hair length has been retained for continuity with his other two films, but we styled it differently, giving it a messy, tousled, more youthful look. He plays a Chennai boy in this action thriller and his wardrobe has been put together by Mumbai stylist Komal Jahani who did Vijay’s look in Thuppaki and Akshay Kumar’s look in Khiladi 786 recently.”
For Anand Shankar, it’s a casting coup of sorts to have Vikram Prabhu and Priya Anand in his first movie, along with famed percussionist Sivamani debuting as music director and R D Rajasekar as cameraman, in a big budget production by veteran Kalaipuli S Thanu. So how did a newcomer pull it off? “All thanks to my producer, who liked the script and offered to get me an appointment with Vikram who loved the story and our ship started sailing!” he grins. He also thanks his mentor A R Murugadoss for the encouragement, “I worked as his assistant director in 7 Aum Arivu and turned associate director for Thuppakki. Murugadoss is very happy that his AD is making a film so soon.”
But cinema is in his genes. Shankar is the grandson of the late playwright, journalist and director Komal Swaminathan, whose story Thaneer Thaneer was adapted for a film by K Balachander, Apart from dirceting Oru Indhiya Kanavu. Swaminathan also ran the Subhamangala magazine.
Life seems to have come a full circle for Anand Shankar, who studied mechanical engineering in Chennai and then pursued his filmi passion with a diploma in filmmaking at the New York Film Academy. He worked as a trainee on the sets of the Ranbir Kapoor starrer Anjana Anjani.
Shankar is clear that he wants to make a mark in Tamil films. “It’s my good fortune to have worked with the likes of Ravi K Chandran, Santhosh Sivan, AR Murugadoss and Vijay so early in my career!” he says.
Arima Nambi ‘s second schedule is slated for end of June.