‘I'd love to direct Kamal Haasan some day’

Prabhu Solomon does not believe in being withdrawn or secretive. The man who brought us Kumki delves into the past and tells us that he dreams of directing Kamal Haasan soon. 

Excerpts from the interview:

Evolution trip

I boldly make films with newcomers and it has worked wonders. The script is the real hero and in fact, I rope in newcomers because I believe in myself. I find interesting to work with newbies. They are more flexible and compatible. It’s not that I wanted to avoid mass heroes. So far, those scripts didn’t demand one.

Direct impact

I wouldn’t call myself a director. I am one among the audience and I want to make movies that connect with them. I don’t want to show any sort of violence onscreen. We have had enough of it. I want to make movies with happy endings. Success is making people walk out of the theatres with a smile on their faces. I am experimenting and I am here to set a new trend.

Rewind mode

I am not really a planner when it comes to films. Unlike other directors, I don’t stick on to any schedule. It’s all spontaneous. I can work with only like-minded people, who can’t compromise on the film’s content. The number of films I make doesn’t matter, as much as audience impact.

Imman and I

Imman is accessible 24x7. He’s extremely understanding and has never failed to bridge my expectations.

Kayal Call

Kayal is like a breath of fresh air. She’s innocent and doesn’t speak much; instead, she speaks through her eyes and emotions. It took nine months for me to zero in on Anandhi. Her eyes impressed me and I saw Kayal in her. The film doesn’t have any negative characters, but I have shown how nature can turn into a villain.

Destructive wave

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the catastrophic tsunami that devastated many families. The climax is connected to the tsunami and deals about the lost love and lives. We had to incorporate computer graphics in the film to bring those moments alive. We hired a couple of people from Microsoft to help us out with the visual effects.

Shoot out

We shot in and around 60 places including Kanyakumari, Nagercoil, Mysore, Shimoga, Meghalaya, Leh and Ladakh. Kayal will hit screens by the end of August.

Personal hero

It’s Kamal Haasan. He’s a thorough genius and I would love to direct him some day. But for that, I’ll have to equip myself more (Laughs). After all, I am still learning!

Future gaze

After Kayal, I am going to make a full-on action film, highlighting true heroism. I don’t want people to brand me as a director who can only give light-hearted films. Talks are on with a leading production company. Also, I have plans to do something on the lines of Life of Pi.

(The piece was originally written for The New Indian Express)