Samuthirakani, the veteran actor-director who plays the lead role in the upcoming film Ramam Raghavam, had a particularly busy 2024, having appeared in as many as 14 films, including Hanu-Man, Indian 2 and Garudan. Talking about his criteria for choosing films or roles, Samuthirakani reveals, “When you hear a story, it should say something to you, and your mind should be open to receive that.
Within 5-10 minutes of a narration, you should get an indication of whether it connects with you. If it doesn’t, I just stay silent.” The actor admits that he has ended up leaving a few good films too. “The film’s box office potential becomes evident only after it releases, of course,” he says.
On how he came onboard for Ramam Raghavam, Samuthirakani recalls his association with debut director Dhanraj that goes back 12 years, to when Dhanraj had worked in his film Janda Pai Kapiraju. Samuthirakani remembers the Jabardasth actor as someone who “was always doing something, narrating some stories, always with a nice vibe.”
Ramam Raghavam isn’t the first script that Dhanraj pitched to Samuthirakani. The actor recalls, “The script for Vimanam (2023) was brought to me by Dhanraj. Siva Prasad Yanala, the Vimanam director, had written another story during the period.
I remember Dhanraj narrated the idea to me while I was walking from my caravan to the sets. He told me the story and conveyed its different aspects, how it’s based on real incidents happening around us.” Samuthirakani goes on to add, “I agreed to do it right then and there. It was a small promise, now executed.”
Samuthirakani says that he tries to bring an edge to his performances for each of his father characters. He adds, “Even in commercial cinema, I try to keep my performance in a realistic space. Ramam Raghavam too is in a separate space from other mainstream films; there’s no loud acting here. I feel whatever the zone of the film is, the audience must be immersed within the narrative within the first few minutes.”
As a director, Samuthikarani has made 15 films so far, four of which have been Telugu remakes of his own Tamil directorials: Sambo Siva Sambho, Janda Pai Kapiraju, and Bro. When asked if he plans to direct a Telugu original anytime soon, Samuthirakani clarifies, “When I am writing a story, I don’t think about the audience or the language.
A story is a story.” The actor-director further elaborates on his writing process, “My writing process is a one-man show. I don’t discuss it with anyone. I move ahead with it only if I feel fully confident within. Yes, I narrate my ideas to a few friends. If they reject it, I park it aside and move on. I leave many writing projects midway — only one out of three-four ideas reaches a point of completion.”
Contrary to the action entertainers that have been ruling the roost of late, Ramam Raghavam promises to be an emotional relationship drama about a father-son duo. Samuthirakani sounds confident about the film’s prospects, as he says, “Right when they watch the trailer, the audience knows what to expect — whether it’s a film that should be enjoyed without logic or whether they should put their soul into the viewing experience.”
He notes that the responsibility always lies with the makers in setting clear expectations, adding, “If we suddenly incorporate commercial elements in a soft, emotional story, it creates confusion. We need to make perfect decisions about how to deliver what we want to say. The audience should never be underestimated.”
At the same time, Samuthirakani sounds extremely concerned about how social media consumption is taking over the popular imagination. Pointing out the ill effects of mobile phone addiction, he shares, “Our mindsets have changed, we have lost health, especially mental.”
The actor admits that it’s a tough job for a film like Ramam Raghavam to bag attention in these times. He adds, “In such pressure, when we come with a small-scale film, it’s tough to find a release and gain recognition. For bigger movies, it’s slightly easy maybe, but to get enough space for a small film with a new team, it’s a big war.”
Samuthirakani, who has headlined socially sensitive films like Saattai (2012) and Appa (2016) (having also directed the latter), talks about his upcoming directorial, which focuses on children and parenting. He elaborates, “Parents should be more mindful about how much phone access to give to their children. My next film is about that. It’s not made with the goal of making a big amount of money or being a box office hit. If the film makes someone sit back and reflect, my job is done.”
The Ramam Raghavam actor, who assisted legendary K Balachander early in his career, says that there are plenty of things the current crop of filmmakers can learn from the late filmmaker. “Whatever little qualities I boast of today, I imbibed them all from him. He taught me to always arrive at a place 10 minutes early. It makes us feel more beautiful from within. If we are late, it shows on our faces,” he recalls.
Samuthirakani also fondly remembers Balachander for teaching him to always speak the truth and treat people with love, adding, “These small learnings have played a huge role in my life.”
The actor further reflects on his mentor’s learnings and how contrasting the present world looks to him today. “We should love everyone around us. Today, if someone meets with a road accident, we should want to help them, not take their videos. It’s very simple — if there is humanity, there is life. That’s what Ramam Raghavam is about,” he signs off.