Lenin Bharathy’s most recent release, Merku Thodarchi Malai, has earned acclaim from critics and the audience alike. The film talks of the tribulations of the people who work on cardamom estates and live at the foothills of the Western Ghats, on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, and Theni Eshwar’s breathtaking cinematography is one of its mainstays. It generated a tremendous buzz on the international circuit even before its release.
Speaking at a thanksgiving giving meet to celebrate the film’s success, actor Vijay Sethupathi, who's the producer of MTM, admitted that he was not completely happy with the film when it was screened for him.
“Perhaps, my expectation was different, or I didn’t have enough knowledge about filmmaking. However, I realise its value now; everyone is raving about it. I am gratified to have made a good film, but all credit goes to the director,” he said.
The outspoken actor became emotional when he revealed that he had decided to bankroll the film because director Lenin Bharathy had treated him with much humanity and kindness when he was just a junior artiste. He also said that he hadn’t made any money from the release as he’d asked the director to use all the returns to fuel promotional activities.
The Vikram Vedha actor said, “Lenin was worried that we would not get enough theatres. But if there’s demand, people will come and watch a film. Thanks to the press, which has created a demand for MTM, more theatre-owners are opting to show it now."
