Got a script? Come to me

Invites AR Murugadoss while adding that he wants to bridge the gap between Telugu and Tamil cinema. “I have plans of introducing a big Telugu hero to Tamil industry and likewise I hope to see Tamil technicians working here. I want to a see our films releasing with 4,000 prints in both the states”

AR Murugadoss eats, breathes, dreams and lives cinema. Grill him anything other than cinema, especially Tamil Nadu politics, he seems perplexed and at a loss of words. Having established himself as one of the most bankable directors in both South and Hindi cinema, the Chennai filmmaker has now got both time and money to nurture young talent. After producing the much acclaimed ‘Journey’ couple of years ago, the filmmaker has hit the jackpot with another production, ‘Raja Rani’, starring Nayantara, Arya, Jai and Nazriya. “It won the appreciation of both audience and critics. Be it the songs, the love tracks or the comedy; everything fell in place for the film,” he declares as we sit down with him for a chat on Tuesday in Hyderabad.

Released last September, he informs that it’s a film sans vulgarity or violence. “It has a feel-good factor besides a universal theme - that there’s life after love failure. The emotional sequences between Sathayaraj and Nayantara will standout. I fell in love with the entertainment portions when Atlee, a former assistant to Shankar, narrated me the script and had no second thoughts about giving my nod,” recalls the down-to-earth filmmaker.

Now that the film is a blockbuster, why didn’t he remake it in Telugu instead of taking the easy way out by dubbing it? “Nayantara commands a good following here and Arya too has his own fan base. I’m also an acknowledged name here (smiles). We also felt that we cannot the recreate the magic of the original,” he responds.

It’s not necessary that one should assist him to bag a film under his production house. “There’s too much talent in both TN and AP. I made ‘Raja Rani’ to give a break to talented individuals. I want to bridge the gap between Telugu and Tamil cinema. I have plans of introducing a big Telugu hero to Tamil industry and likewise I hope to see Tamil technicians working here. I want to a see a local film releasing with 4,000 prints in both the states,” he points out.

However, he admits that producing small films is riskier than films with big stars. “You don’t know the caliber of the director or for that matter the acting prowess of actors when you collaborate with newcomers. You’re just going with your gut feeling that ‘yes it will work’,” he asserts, adding that he would be producing a Telugu movie under his banner shortly. “Anyone who is yet to get a break is free to come to me with a script. The budget would be around Rs 4 crore.”

One of the few filmmakers who is an expert when it comes to making message-oriented films, he says message would take a backseat when he directs an out-an-out entertainer. He is also known for incorporating cute love tracks in his films.

Put that to him, he smiles, “I never had the experience of love; hence I’m compensating it with my films. Had I experienced love before marriage, maybe I wouldn’t have conceived those delightful love tracks.”Currently busy with Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Holiday’, a remake of his own Tamil hit ‘Thuppaki’, and yet-to-titled Vijay movie; he foresees directing another Telugu film. His only Telugu film was ‘Stalin’. “I have a few ideas. If they take form, I would love to narrate them to Mahesh Babu or Ram Charan. To rewind a bit, I wanted to remake ‘Ghajini’ with Mahesh Babu but fate had other options,” he concludes, adding, “I would also want to direct a thriller like ‘Jaws’ in the near future.”