With a diploma from the Film and Television Institute of Tamil Nadu, this versatile talent even won a gold medal for acting with his portrayal of Charlie Chaplin.
Before he went on to telling his own stories on the big screen, director AMR Ramesh worked in various capacities — choreographer for a brief period, and under several directors in Tamil and Kannada.
His debut Kannada venture Santosha won him the state award for best story, and even a special award as debut director and best dialogue for the film. But it was Cyanide which earned him critical appreciation followed by Attahasa, based on the slain forest brigand Veerappan. Now, the skilled Ramesh is back with a high-profile murder tale relating it to another high-profile drunk and drive incident with Game. Even as the film is set to release this Friday, the director speaks about realistic versus dream ventures — Aaspota — about the killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and much more.
“I have always been curious about high-profile murders and wondered about clubbing it with a drunk and drive incident. This film is going to be a fictitious tale and involves the murder of a high profile lady where the prime suspect is the victim’s husband. We created an entire look-alike forensic laboratory set worth Rs 50 lakh too,” says AMR Ramesh. Game, releases this week and marks the maestro Ilayaraja’s 1001th venture. The director reveals Action King Arjun Sarja had initially refused to be in Game. “It was his daughter who convinced Sarja.
The Sarja family had watched his earlier film — Attahasa, and they had really liked his work, as it was Sarja’s best in 10 years. Later, with him on board, Sarja even convinced Manisha Koirala to play the female lead,” he says. According to Ramesh, actress-turned-politician Khushboo was curious whether Game was about Sunanda Pushkar’s death. Speculations that the road accident hinted on the hit and run case against Salman Khan were also rife, but the director maintains, “I neither deny nor affirm such speculation. The movie is an investigation of a ‘mysterious’ murder.”
On picking realistic subjects, the director says that it is nothing short of investigative journalism which excites him despite facing the courts on several occassions. “I follow an incident, then I do thorough research, interviewing people, and working on the script. But the real challenge is shooting in real locations with real names and incidents. I believe in letting the audience decide as I never take any sides.”
He eats, talks and sleeps movies but the director himself laughs agreeing, “For me, movies are everything. Even when I go on leave, I end up talking movies.
My family gets scared when I venture into realistic subjects. They fear I might sell my properties to produce films! They have been great support, especially my wife who handles production now,” he smiles. Game also brings the focus back on the consequences of drunken driving. “The government is spending so much to educate people. I have told the story in a unique manner,” he says.
Ramesh feels he is now ready to explore his dream venture — Aaspota, about the killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. “It has all real names. Sonia Gandhi will be Sonia Gandhi, etc.” Can we expect another explosive to burst, we wonder.
