Before the pan-Indian and international bug bit the Tamil film industry, Pollachi was a major hub of filmmaking. As a vestige of this dwindling practice, director Ponram makes it a point to set his films in the south, around Theni. This time around, he is joined by Shanmuga Pandian, who is once again starting in a Madurai-based film after Madurai Veeran, and Padai Thalaivan, and now Kombuseevi. "Doing rural films back-to-back was not the idea. It just so happened that directors were keen on utilising me in stories in that backdrop, and I can only pick films that come my way," Shanmuga Pandian Vijayakant begins, adding that the factors that convinced him to do Kombuseevi easily outweighed the fact that he was acting in consecutive rural films.
Ponram's screenplay structure conveys the strongest message in a lighter vein, easily comprehensible for people from all walks of life. Taking the example of Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam, which hit out at honour killing armed with humour, Shanmuga Pandian says Kombuseevi too discusses a contemporary issue and is being dealt with in a Ponram-esque manner. "Whatever you saw in the teaser is not the complete picture. There is more to it. My character, Pandi and Sarathkumar sir's Rokkapuli share a special bond. They are based on two real characters. But with four or five true incidents from their lives, Ponram sir has crafted a really entertaining film."
Speaking of Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam, Kombuseevi too looks to have built a solid chemistry between an elder and a youngster. Shanmuga Pandian says that though he has known Sarathkumar as 'Sarath uncle' since his childhood, he had no inhibitions in joking at his expense un the movie. "This would not have been possible if Sarath sir were not a sport. Neither my respect for him nor his stardom stopped us from being Pandi and Rokkapuli in the movie," he adds, saying that Sarath ensured no actor's performance had a dip, as several scenes of theirs also featured comedians Kalki Raja and Munishkanth. "When it seemed that among us only one had a lot of lines, we improvised and shared lines with the rest. That way, everyone in a scene had an active role to play. This practice brought a much-needed chemistry between all our characters. Thanks to Ponram sir as well, as he isn't a director who strictly goes by the paper and encouraged us to tweak lines wherever needed."
Having worked in Madurai Veeran and Padai Thalaivan, Shanmuga Pandian says he had a field day speaking the Madurai Tamil dialect in Kombuseevi. "I am a proper city-bred guy. If not for Appa, my exposure to the Madurai dialect would not have been possible. He speaks like we do in films and party meetings. But I have observed him switching to Madurai Tamil with close relatives," he reminisces, adding that Madurai Veeran and Padai Thalaivan helped him emulate the body language of Madurai people. "Kombuseevi is shot in Ponram sir's native place, and we interacted a lot with the locals. I think such interactions with the local people are important to imbibe their demeanour on screen."
Mastering the dialect and body language wasn't even half the job done for Shanmuga Pandian, as Theni threw him a totally different challenge: the terrain. "Though I had extensively shot for Padai Thalaivan in forests, I wasn't prepared for this. Some sequences required shooting on a hill. It was not conducive to climbing. It's a free fall if you slip. Also, since those sequences required several wide shots as well, it was impossible to hatch a net around the hill," says Shanmuga Pandian, who was moved by the villagers for volunteering to help the crew due to their love for Vijayakant. "The villagers said that they began admiring Appa after he shot a train action sequence in this location. Since they also knew the hang of climbing this hill, they helped us in carrying the equipment above."
He says that being a part of consecutive rural subjects wasn't how he planned his career and assures that his next will both be a departure and less demanding in comparison to his filmography so far. "I will star in an urban rom-com soon. I did listen to some breezy films, but those directors, after the narration, said that they couldn't justify not having a fight scene with me starring and left. Even Ponram sir, who hasn't had serious action set pieces in his movies, had written three stunt sequences for Kombuseevi," smiles Shanmuga Pandian, as he adds, saying he can't help it when directors feel that his frame and physique demand stunt scenes. On a concluding note, he reiterates that Kombuseevi will be a proper entertainer, as one would expect a Ponram film to be. "Like I said before, Ponram sir is gifted with this craft of communicating a powerful message through humour, making it palatable to all. I cannot spoil the movie for you by revealing the special bond Sarath sir and I share in it. Kombuseevi will be a treat from start to finish."