After making an action comedy (Gulu Gulu) and a survival drama (Aadai), director Rathna Kumar is returning to where it all began: A romantic film. Titled 29, starring Vidhu, Preethi Asrani, and Mahendran, the upcoming film is set to release on May 8. In a conversation with CE, director Rathna Kumar, along with Vidhu and Preethi, talk about the various facets that define a person when they turn 29.
Excerpts:
Let us start with the title and the unique design for posters. Did you want it to tell a story on its own?
Rathna Kumar: Yes, I guess there is something for everyone. In cricket terms, 29* translates to 29 not out, but I also wanted the feel-good and romantic side of it to be shown in the title's design. Hence the colours and the stars.
In the course of an adult's life, 29 is a transit point beyond which an adult is expected to start taking on more responsibilities. Is the film about that?
RK: The film does not delve into those responsibilities, but it isn't about a loser, either. The protagonist is someone who has reached a saturation point in life, and wants to take the next step, but is still figuring out the direction to take it.
The phase between 29 and 30 is a limbo. You will be hesitant to see the number 30 on your birthday cake, because if the average lifespan is 60, you have already spent half your life. While this might seem like the interval block in the film about a person's life, there is a whole story within that period.
As the director said, 29 focuses on a confused phase of a man’s life. But what aspect of life does your character represent the most?
Vidhu: This film will also have a negative character, played by Mahendran. While Sathya undergoes his own identity crisis, we also see the choices of Mahendran’s character, as various situations lead him to face his own identity crisis. While Mahendran’s character and mine have different journeys that lead to our 29 years of age, the internal battle stemming from an identity crisis remains the same.
Where does your character, Viji, fit into this world?
Preethi Asrani: Every actor thinks about ways to connect with the audience. With Viji, that connect was there on paper, as she is a grounded, girl-next-door character. But beyond that, Viji is like every girl who has created a timeline for everything and is very clear, but gets confused when love is thrown into the mix.
RK: While Viji is a spirited character in this film, I wanted Preethi to play the role without any inspirations from similar performances. I watched Ayothi (2023), and even in the most intense, emotional scenes, she had an innate ability to grab the viewer's attention. This is what I noticed, and that is why I wanted her to play Viji.
While stories about love are timeless, with 29, the notion of a discarded jasmine flower being fished and treasured as shown in ‘Poo Paadal’, is very similar to a line from Kadhalan’s (1994) ‘Kadhalikkum Pennin ’. Was this intentional?
RK: This wasn’t entirely planned. When we talk, we say something memorable, and this was something I had thought of years ago when I thought of love. But I wanted to remember that line, because that was very personal, in a time of pining, so it remained in my mind along with a tune. So during that song, while Viji is focused on enjoying the surroundings, Sathya’s focus is on Viji. ‘Poo Paadal’ was a song which was conceptualized as Sathya’s inner voice expressing his love for Viji, hence the use of flowers, which was deeply personal, fit there.
What do you think 29 will be for the audience?
Vidhu: It will be a cool breeze on a hot summer day.
PA: The film strikes a beautiful balance among the emotions that come with that phase of someone’s life. But this isn’t just a love story. Love is among the many layers in the film.
RK: During an event for Meyaadha Maan (2017), I remember saying that a film can be categorised as either those which you can’t help ignore, or those you can’t help but ignore. The hope is for the film to be the former, and be worth your time. While editing, this felt like a novel, with 10 chapters covering a person’s life. While mainstream cinema follows a beginning, a high point, and then a plot point, we have tried to retain that flow while preserving the film's literary element, so as not to thrust the audience into completely unfamiliar territory.
Could you all tell me what you were doing at 29?
RK: From when I actively started to pursue a career in cinema,12 years passed until the seed was planted for my debut film, which became Meyaadha Maan (2017).
Vidhu: Two incidents come to mind when I think about my 29. One was the release of Petta (2019). Even though I had a very small part to play in a very small moment on the big screen, it was a big moment for me. The other was that it was at that important juncture that Karthik Subbaraj and Kaarthikeyan pushed me to become a serious actor. Their guidance at that important time helped resolve a lot of confusion a person has at 29.
PA: Looking around me, I see a lot of people speak about their 29 with such terror and doom, so I hope mine is without stress and confusion. Beyond that, I truly hope I get to continuously make films at that point.
