CHENNAI: Actor Bharath’s upcoming film, Once Upon a Time in Madras, recently wrapped up production. In a conversation with CE, Prasad Murugan, who will be making his directorial debut with the film, explains that Once Upon a Time in Madras is structured as a hyperlink narrative. He further elaborates that the plot revolves around the accidental discovery of a gun and the impact it has on the lives of four different characters. Bharath plays a man who is born and brought up at an orphanage, and his life takes a dramatic turn after he stumbles upon a gun.
According to the director, the gun is the common factor that connects four different characters, all of whom hail from humble backgrounds. Each of the different plot threads takes place in a specific part of Chennai, and Prasad insists that it shows the part of the city, not commonly shown in Tamil cinema. However, the director cautions us by saying, “Our film does not have any specific location that is instantly identifiable with Chennai. It does not romanticise the city.”
On why he chose the title, Prasad says that Once Up on a Time in Madras is a veiled reference to a real-life event that happened in 2013. He then adds, “The title is also catchy and has a nostalgic flavour to it.” Packaged as a commercial entertainer with action and songs, Once Upon a Time in Madras also stars Abhirami, Pavithra Lakshmi, Anjali Nair, and Thalaivasal Vijay. On the technical front, the film has editing by San Lokesh, cinematography by Kalidas and Kannan, music by Jose Franklin, and stunts by Sugan.
Produced by MP Anand of Friday Film Factory, Once Upon a Time in Madras is now in post-production and is expected to release in late May or early June.