Filmmaker Dharani is a relaxed man. His last release, the Tamil film Dhool, starring Vikram, Jyothika and Reema Sen, was a stupendous success and the only Pongal hit this year. It is on its way to completing 100 days next week.
Dharani was already toying with ideas for his next film when Special Contributing Correspondent Shobha Warrier met him at his home.
"Expectations will be very high after Dhil and Dhool," said the director. "I am scared. At the same time, I am excited."
Did you expect Dhool to be such a huge hit? It is suggested the storyline of Dhool and your earlier film Dhil is similar.
The team that made Dhil was behind Dhool as well -- including the cameraman, music director, art director, hero and me. So I thought people might expect the same kind of fare, or at least a part of it, in the next film as well.
Did you not fear being branded repetitive?
I don't think so. Let me explain. In Kerala, people prefer puttu-kadala [steamed rice cakes and chickpeas] and tea. They are not particular about variety and prefer simple food. Their films have the same simple look.
In Andhra Pradesh, food has to be served elaborately, grandly. That richness is reflected in Telugu films.
North Indians, who like roti [Indian bread] and dal [a pulse-based gravy], see films like Hum Aapke Hai Koun...! But, for those who love pizzas and burgers, there is Dil Chahta Hai.
In Tamil Nadu, you have to serve many varieties of rice in a thali [platter]. But if you don't give them paan [a betel leaf digestive] at the end of the meal, they will be irritated even if the food was very good. It's like taking a friend to a restaurant after telling him their dosa [rice pancake] is very good, only to find they exclusively serve Chinese cuisine.
Similarly, when you go to the theatre to watch a film made by the same team, you expect the same kind of entertainment and the same kind of spirit. That's the Rajni [Rajnikanth], MGR [M G Ramachandran], Amitabh Bachchan and Sivaji Ganesan formula. Is there any difference in the films these actors made?
Why is Dhool a bigger hit than Dhil? It has done well in the cities as well as the B and C centres. It is doing extraordinarily well in Canada.
Dhil didn't have such a big reach because it dealt with the problems of the middle class. Dhool deals with a universal problem.
Did you ever think it would be such a big hit?
It had all the ingredients necessary for it to become a hit. But I was guarded while making the film. We wanted it to be a hit. Being confident and being arrogant are two different things. I am not arrogant, I am only confident.
Many filmmakers say they have no idea what will work at the box-office.
I know what will work at the box-office. I have been watching films for so many years. My instinct tells me what will work and what will not work. I watch people's reactions. I don't do things I don't like.
Dhool is a violent film like Dhil. We don't see so much violence in real life.
I feel happy and proud you found Dhool a violent film. When every other film has 10 to 15 fights, Dhool has only two. I have conveyed the message. I wanted it to be a violent film without showing violence.
The making of the film is violent, but there is not much violence shown in the film.
Was it because you were Vikram's classmate that you had him playing hero in both your films?
We both completed our BA in English Literature at Loyola College [Chennai]. But that is not the reason why I cast him. We went our ways and our struggles happened in a parallel manner. We were in touch, constantly cheering each other.
My producer booked Vikram for Dhil. Later, I wrote the script with Vikram in mind, which they liked.
What was it like to direct your classmate?
It was good as we shared the same vibes. We were like friends on the sets. If you have a 'Sir, will you please' tone on the sets, the film will not shape the way you want it to. There should be open-mindedness between the artiste and the director.
He is a wonderful and dedicated artiste. If you ask him to lie on the road next to a dustbin, he will do it without any qualms.
I wanted him to have a good physique for Dhool because villagers have better bodies than city dwellers. After 20 days, he comes back exactly the way I wanted him to look, with muscles. We feel happy to work with such artistes. There was no difference in the way he worked for Dhil and Dhool.
Unlike Tamil films, where the heroine is an ornamental piece, your heroine is a woman of substance. Was it a conscious decision to have such a strong woman character?
Yes, it was a conscious decision. I wrote the script with Vikram and Jyothika in mind. The woman character was written specifically for Jyothika because she is a very good performer. The character was inspired by one of my schoolmates. She was the kind who would pinch somebody and keep a straight face. She would watch two other girls fight over something she did.
Jyothika has the ability to look comical; it is very difficult to get this in any artiste, more so in females. The look should be comical yet lovable. Only Jyothika has such a mobile face. I couldn't have her for just a song-and-dance sequence. Those who want to look like dolls in films choose those kinds of roles, but Jyothika is different.
In the first half, she spoke all the time while Vikram had only a few lines. But, in the second half, he takes over. I wanted to create good scenes for both of them, as they are good performers.
Why did you choose Hindi titles for both your films?
Dhil and Dhool are not Hindi words. They are slang words in Tamil. Dhil in Tamil means courage or guts. In college, guys say, 'If you have dhil, come and do this.'
There was a lot of confusion among people when we had this title. I made a trailer, explaining the meaning of dhil. It won a bronze medal from an advertising club.
Dhool is slang for superb in Tamil. Like if you ask me, 'How was it?' I would say, 'Dhool, macha [man].'