Ramesh Aravind is all excited as he awaits the release of his biggest work so far, Uttama Villain, starring the legendary Kamal Haasan. In conversation with the filmmaker:
What can audiences expect from Uttama Villain?
They can expect to get caught up in an emotional drama even as they are drawn into the lives of characters they can identify with. It’s also going to be a grand spectacle.
Image source: FilmySouth
This one’s different in terms of scale, isn’t it?
Yes, I’d say it’s on orbital jump in terms of scale, given the family dramas-comedies I’ve directed before. The budget, the canvas everything is huge in Uttama Villain. But I’d like to think that the soul of the film is the same as in my previous films.
Image source: FilmySouth
What was it like, teaming up again with Kamal?
When there’s great chemistry between actors on screen, the audience can sense it. I believe the same is true of great off-screen rapport between the director and the core cast. Kamal and I have been friends and associates and talking for 20 years, you see. In fact, KB Sir (K Balachander) commented on the vibe we share, asking how we understand each other so well without even having to say too much to each other.
Image source: FilmySouth
Kamal Haasan has such strong views on cinema, did he interfere with your role as the director?
Interference has a negative connotation. In our case, if my Wiki research is right, I’d say it’s more like resonance. We come from the same source, the KB school, if you will. The script for Uttama Villain has been written by Kamal and everything was thrashed out and settled in the discussion stage. As a director, my job is to bring the script to the big screen in the best way possible and I believe I have done that.
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Still, would directing Kamal Haasan be a daunting prospect for some filmmakers?
Not at all. With his commitment to the craft and his understanding of cinema, it’s a breeze to make a film with him. I keep telling myself that someone like KB Sir had it so much harder, having to work with someone like me, who was completely raw. Whether it’s Kamal, Jairam or Urvashi, I have the privilege of working with artistes who know so much and hardly need to be told what needs to be done.
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What was it like on the sets with Kamal?
It can be mind-boggling to the observer. Besides our endless conversations about cinema, we’d discuss everything from astronomy to atheism, switching languages and cracking up a whole lot. If there was some tidbit in the papers about, say, Brangelina, Kamal would say in Malayalam ‘Bradinu oru joliyum illa’ and we’d fall about laughing. It was a great experience!
