Of all the Tamil films that have made their mark in the country, filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj’s works stand out. This is not merely because of the distinctive style that he employs but also because of the numerous layers of social commentary that completes his writing.
The filmmaker says it is not a conscious decision. “It is the writing,” he explains, adding, “Everything depends on the world that the character lives in. All that naturally evolves as I write.”
With his latest film, Mahaan, Subbaraj attempts to decipher the world of ideological extremism. Moreover, he gives it a radical twist by incorporating that into a father-son relationship. The Gandhian and non-Gandhian tussle, many would say, looks like taking a page out of today’s political scenario. “The film talks a lot about ideological extremism,” he corrects.
He adds, “In that aspect, I chose the Gandhian way. You can place anything here. You can replace the Gandhian ideology with anything. I particularly chose this because I wanted to explore whether we are really following his ideology or not. In the general scope it is more about any ideology.”
Starring Vikram and his son Dhruv, the casting is on point here. “I always felt that this script would be perfect for Dhruv and Vikram sir because of the father son relationship,” he says.
The Jagame Thandhiram filmmaker in aware of the scope that an OTT release gives his film. Nevertheless, he realizes the importance of theatres as well. “I strongly hope that OTT and theatres co-exist. Theatres are an integral part of our lives. We grew up watching films in theatres. Having said that, OTT is really a blessing for the film industry because it definitely saved this industry during the pandemic. Now that we are getting back to normal, I hope that they co-exist because their co-existence will create extraordinary space for artistes,” he says.
However, he is quick to call out the placing of these films into regional spheres. “I have been inspired from numerous filmmakers across the country. It is a great thing that the audiences are appreciating my cinema. It is extremely encouraging. But we can say it is an Indian film not as Telugu or Kannada film. Right?”
