There are only a few people who could grab the spotlight from Tamil superstar Rajnikanth. One of them is his 23-year old daughter, Soundarya Rajnikanth.
No, she hasn't acted in any films. Rather, it is a film she is making with her Dad that is generating a lot of interest.
The film is a 3D animation titled Sultan The Warrior which is produced by Soundarya's company's (Ocher Studios) along with Adlabs, and directed by her.
Shobha Warrier caught up with the pretty director to know more. Excerpts:
How did the film with your father happen?
It started very small. My company (Ocher films) was already into visual effects and post production work. So, the next stage was to get into animation.
While I was travelling abroad I saw a couple of animation films. And it got me thinking. Here (India) we don't have those kinds of films. Animation abroad is considered as important as live action. For example, Shrek and Mission Impossible were appreciated and welcomed there. But this is not the case in India. I told myself, why don't I make one? Someone has to take the initiative and do it.
And this made you think of making a film with your father?
Yes, it did, because he is a superstar. I am such a fan of my father that I felt he deserved to be animated first. Appa is God to me. He is known for his style, mannerisms and gimmicks. If he could do so much in live action, imagine what he could do with animation? The sky is the limit. In Sultan too he does a lot of gimmicks.
So, it is my father's style that came to my mind the moment I thought of an animation film. You need someone stylish to get animated. I would say this film is a daughter's dedication to her father.
That's a very emotional statement...
Yes, it is. The film is very emotional for me because in the history of Indian entertainment, no Asian actor has been animated before. And, to me, this is my dedication to my father. The film is like making history, and it is making history.
Photographs: Sreeram Selvaraj
Also see: Sultan The Warrior: A daughter's gift to her father