This Deepavali is very special for Priya. Her second film, Kannamoochi Enada is releasing this festive season. Releasing a film on such big occasions is a dream for all filmmakers, and naturally Priya is slightly excited as well as a bit nervous!
In this interview, Priya talks more about her film.
So, your film is releasing for DeepavaliĀ
I am excited but it's a bit scary too. Films with big heroes like Vijay and Surya are also releasing.
Let us talk about Kannamoochi Enada. How long did it take you to come out of the success of your first film Kanda Naal Muthal and start thinking about your next venture?
I don't know how big the success of Kanda Naal Muthal was. Yes, it was well received and did very well in the metros and towns. I was not too excited by its success because it was only one's first step.
But I made one big mistake and that was I did not keep my next script ready while I was making Kanda Naal Muthal. I was so full of my first film that I didn't think of anything else. So, it took some time for me to come up with another story. Thus the long gap of almost two years.
Why didn't you think of looking at the stories by other writers or from literature?
I prefer to work on my own stories as I feel my film will be complete only when I work on my own stories. I feel I am not ready for literary works. Let me make fun films first and then move on to more serious ones. Besides I have a lot of stories to tell. But I take the help of screenplay and dialogue writers.
After your first film, how long did it take you to write the story of Kannamoochi Enada?
It took me six months to come up with this story line. I had four different story lines before this. I will make films based on those stories soon.
How did Radhika Sarath Kumar's Radaan Media Works become your producer?
I was to make a children's film for Radaan long ago but it didn't materialise. Radhika ma'am was quite appreciative of my first film. So, when my friend who was working for her told Radhika ma'am this story, she liked it. After that, everything started happening fast.
What does the title Kannamoochi Enada mean?
It is playing hide and seek. I think all of us play hide and seek. It's all about what we are and what we want to project ourselves as. Most of the time, what we are and what we project are different. I have dealt with this in a very light way. In the film, somebody is hiding something. So, what is it? Why play hide and seek? Why can't you be open?
Did you come up with the title first and the story later?
No, the title came much later. My friend Neena and I had written a serious script like Mitr My Friend based on the same theme. (Priya is the script writer of Mitr My Friend) We had titled the story Kannamoochi. Nina was the person who wrote the title.
So, when the script for this film was ready, I asked her, 'can I use the title for this film?' She said, 'Why not?'
I also like the song Kannamoochi Enda from Kandu Kondein Kandu Kondein by Rajeev Menon. That was how my film became Kannamoochi Enda.
This film is about two guys; Arumugam played by Satyaraj and Harish Venkataraman played by Prithviraj. The conflict is between these two. It is about pre-conceived notions about people. Slowly they start realising that one is wrong about the other. Radhika Ma'am plays Damayanthi and Sandhya is Devasena. Sri Priya is Seetha.
The story is very simple, so I can't elaborate. I think people should watch it and enjoy the film.
How did you think of Sri Priya, a yesteryear actress who acted with Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth?
I wanted somebody who is strong enough to match Satyaraj and Radhika. Who else but Sri Priya? She was a big, big heroine during those days.
And I made all of them do crazy things and they were such great sports! I would say all of us freaked out!
Your film looks at life in a light hearted way and the dialogues and scenes are expected to create laughter or a smile. How do you find out whether the dialogues work?
I think you have to trust your instinct! Your direction department also becomes your sounding board. If they find the scenes and dialogues funny, you know you are on the right track.
Are they frank all the time?
Most of the time, they are very frank. We are all level headed people to be frank with each other. We have not reached that level not to be frank because I treat all as equal.
Was it a coincidence that you have an all woman team for the film; the producer, the director, the cinematographer and the lyricist are women?
It is purely coincidental. Radhika ma'am chose me. And I knew Preetha as she was my senior in the Institute. She was also the assistant of P C Sreeram Sir who guided me or carried me through my first film as a cinematographer. If you ask me, Preetha's entry is a bit late! She should have been doing cinematography much earlier. Her next film is Radhamohan's Abhiyum Naanum for Duet Movies.
Compared to Kanda Naal Muthal, what is your feeling now as you await the release of your second film?
I am much more scared. I am nervous. Now, people have started expecting more from you! The pressure is a little more.
Photographs: Sreeram Selvaraj
