As a self-proclaimed fan of spy thrillers, director Manu Anand explains how his favourite spy inspired his foray into cinema. “My all-time favourite spy thriller is Bourne Ultimatum (2007). The writing and editing of that film is genius. I wanted to make films like that, and I tried a simplified version of that with my debut, FIR (2022).” But this time, he is returning to the genre on a much larger scale. “FIR gave my producers the confidence that I could handle a bigger film, and that is how I got to work on Mr X,” he says.
Starring a powerful ensemble cast that includes Arya, Manju Warrier, Gautham Ram Karthik, and Sarath Kumar, Mr X is woven around seven true incidents that happened in India. The director explains that the incidents range from a nuclear device getting lost, Indian Military and Naval officers getting honeytrapped, and even international forces hacking and shutting down our power grids. Manu reveals that everyone, from his producers to actors, was surprised to know that these things happened and aren’t widely known. Then how did Manu Anand get to know this seemingly sensitive information? The director replies with a smile, “These are all on public record, and the most baffling thing of all is that I read them in newspapers.” Manu Anand then goes on a slight tangent. “As a storyteller, there is so much value in reading the newspaper. People shouldn’t just skim the headlines. Even FIR was inspired by a news article I read in The New Indian Express.”
Later, the director went beyond the pages to research for Mr X. “I met two secret agents who dedicated their entire lives to our country, but I couldn’t even put their names on the thanks card. You and I sleep peacefully because people like them work in the shadows. That inspired me to make Mr X, and I dedicate this film to those unsung heroes,” says Manu. On the subject of Indian spies, the conversation inevitably veers to the Dhurandhar films, which are also based on true incidents. “And that is where the similarities stop,” Manu cuts in. The director further clarifies, “I cannot speak for Dhurandhar, but I can safely say that Mr X is not a propaganda film. There is no mention of any religion or caste in our film, and we made sure not to hurt any sentiments, unintentionally or otherwise.” Manu says he learned to be cautious in this regard due to the backlash he faced for including a Muslim protagonist being wrongly framed as a terrorist in FIR. He says, “I decided to be extra careful for my second film.” Manu elaborates, “I don’t think filmmakers in our country have creative freedom; it is a much deeper, all-pervading problem in our society, which is not restricted to any particular religion, ideology, or even the CBFC.”
Apart from extensive research, Manu Anand was also keen on bringing the best out of his cast members. “I made Arya shoot underwater in minus 10 degrees without thermal gear. Gautham'’s first day of shoot had him hanging upside down for hours, for which he learned aerial yoga. If you get dedicated actors like them, why would I not use their skills to their fullest extent?” he reasons out loud. Interestingly, Mr X isn’t the first ensemble spy thriller that Manu Anand worked on, as the last film he worked on as an associate for Gautham Vasudev Menon, happens to be the yet-to-be-released Dhruva Natchathiram. Speaking about the lessons he learned from working with him, Manu Anand replies with a smile, “The one important lesson I learned from working with him is that I cannot be Gautham Menon. I will never try to emulate his style. What he does is uniquely brilliant, and I am proud of the fact that I am Gautham sir’s assistant. No matter what anybody says, his contributions to Tamil cinema will stand the test of time. If I can create a filmography as unique as his, I will be happy.”
Speaking further about his mentor, Manu gets emotional. “Around 2011, I was going through the toughest time of my life, and I had just come back from Australia, where I was working a corporate job. I wanted to get into films, and I had no connections in the film industry. I somehow got Gautham sir’s number and met him. He heard my story, shared the pros and cons of entering the film industry, and then took me on board for Neethaane En Ponvasantham (2012). It was a time when I thought my life was over. My friends and relatives had abandoned me, and a random stranger showed a random act of kindness that changed my life. That random stranger happened to be Gautham Menon,” says the filmmaker as he reiterates how the world runs on the random, no-strings-attached acts of kindness and sacrifice made by people.
Maybe it was the decision of a faceless spy or a famous director, but unless someone decides to tell that story, these acts of kindness might be lost to the winds of time, and just like the spies, these people make these decisions knowing this well, and that makes it all the more heroic.