This was the remark made by Kamal Haasan when he was talking about his soon-to-be released film Papanasam. The movie is a remake of the Malayalam hit Drishyam and has his partner Gautami acting alongside him. Why did he choose to work in a remake? “The theme is relevant in today’s scenario,” he smiles.
How was Gautami roped into this project? The veteran actor laughs and responds, “She was not my choice. It was Jeethu Joseph who felt she would be the apt for the role of my wife. In fact when he told me, I was feeling a little embarrassed and uncomfortable to ask her do the film. All said and done, when I watched the film after it was complete, I realised that Gautami was truly a perfect fit for the role.”
Some actors, like SSR (SS Rajendran), stand by their personal convictions even when doing films. Despite you being an atheist, you appear with the sacred ash on your forehead in Papanasam. “True! Cinema is different and my personal views are different. I won’t thrust my beliefs via my films. But, sometimes if needed, they will be subtly laced with my personal views. But certainly, I wouldn’t act in movies that glorify caste.”
The thriller is about sexual harassment and the menace of technology. What’s your advice in the present state-of-affairs? What kind of punishment can be given to those criminals? “Gandhiji said that the day women can walk freely at midnight, that’s the real freedom. I think we have not yet got the kind of freedom which he yearned for. By giving severe punishments, the crime rate will not come down. Self-regulation and self discipline are very important to reduce these kinds of crimes,” he said.
But Ulaganayagan asserted that he is against Capital Punishment. “Under any circumstance, I won’t approve of Capital Punishment, since the law cannot be rewritten,” he said. On the advent of a new breed of filmmakers and films he said, “It’s not new to Tamil cinema. Time and again, fresh talent emerges in the industry. When MGR’s Idhaya Veenai and Sivaji’s Thirisoolam were running successfully, K Balachander, who was an upcoming director those days with a black and white film Aval Oru Thodar Kathai which went on to create records,” he said and added in a lighthearted manner, “It ran for two weeks in my native Paramakudi. Finally, all my kith and kin were happy and believed that I am also an actor in Tamil cinema.”
