Mumbai : Anupama Chopra brought to the table Kamal Haasan, SS Rajamouli, Lokesh Kanakaraj, Swapna Dutt, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Gautham Vasudev Menon for an invigorating discussion in Chennai.
These directors and producers who are the names behind some of 2022’s biggest and most successful films dissected what goes into making a mass entertainer, how they created some of the most iconic visuals in their films, how they measure risk and the scenes which gave them sleepless nights.
RRR director SS Rajamouli spoke on why Hindi Cinema could be languishing at the moment. “When the corporates started coming into Hindi cinema and started paying high fees, the hunger to succeed came down. Here in the South we didn’t have that – you have to swim or you are going to sink. I hope we don’t get complacent now,” SS Rajamouli said.
Prithviraj Sukumaran went on to add that he believes this is just a phase. He said, “Not too long ago we in the South wondered how Bollywood was able to open such huge overseas markets. So this I truly believe is a phase and it’ll take one big film like Pathan that’s followed up with another hit that will change the narrative.”
Kamal Haasan addressed questions on playing his age in Vikram.
The actor said, “I’ve always believed actors should play their age. I was dying to stop running around trees. Being young is a stage in life, so you depict that if you’re suitable for that. There is always a younger generation to take up that role after you.”
SS Rajamouli also talked about a film that he was hugely envious of – “There’s one shot in Vikram at the end when Kamal sir is walking towards the camera and starts chewing gum. I was like damn this has to be mine not some Lokesh Kanagaraj’s.”
The conversation then veered to their dreams and goals for the coming years. Prithviraj Sukumaran said, “I want to do for the Malayalam film industry what Rajamouli Sir did for the Telugu film industry. I want to be able to create something that gives all of us the guts and the belief to dream big and put conviction behind our vision.”
Kamal Haasan added, “Indian cinema will become world cinema. Now it will be our time and for that all of us have to humble ourselves. If we have to walk that far we have to walk together.”
