Shankar talks about Vikram, I Teaser leak and Big Budget films !

25/09/2014

Shankar, one of the leading Directors of the country opened up to CNN-IBN in an interview yesterday and talked about Chiyaan Vikram, The I Teaser leak and much more, Here are the excerpts from the interview 

On Vikram:

Vikram’s commitment amazed me. I'm doubtful if any other actor would have agreed for the script. Interesting though, he was the only actor I approached for I. We are like family today.

There are so many actors who think a lot before tonsuring their head, but Vikram said that he will do anything for I. He is really great.

Heavy VFX work in his films:

VFX work in a film succeeds when the audience do not realize it is VFX. Except for a few shots such as the bike transforming into Amy Jackson, you cannot realize that it is special effects. We worked with Rising Sun Pictures who have worked in Harry Potter. The audience are watching a lot of films on television, so their intelligence levels are developing day by day. We have to satisfy the audience who come to the film looking for bigger things every time.

Even today, I am fighting for the higher end by retaining the maximum budget for the most important shots in the film. Srinivas Mohan is a wonderful VFX artist, it feels great to work with him.

Shankar and big budgets:

Whatever we spend, it should be seen on the screen. I'm a producer too, I have produced many movies and budget should be treated very efficiently. My script demands a bigger budget, and that is why I opt for one. The audience have now started coming to my films expecting to see grandeur.

I don’t simply pitch in unnecessarily. In Mudhalvan, there was a song where the hero goes to meet his girl. The whole song was shot with a dhoti, a yellow shirt and simple costumes for the heroine.

Will Shankar ever make a small film?

I’m ready to make a small film if the audience are ready to see a small film from me. But, they expect grandeur from Shankar. “We want stuff what you give” is what they say.

If I get bored of making big films, I can go out and make a small one. But I am enjoying this.

On the teaser leak:

I didn't go for a teaser change. The teaser which leaked was not in a good quality. You couldn't make out much from it.

However, it’s a good work, what we did. We took one month to lock onto that 50 second teaser. I take it this way - If it is leaked, its publicity. If it is not leaked, its secrecy. It is good for me in both ways.

On I being different from his other films:

We can call this a romantic thriller, a genre I haven't done before. The beast song is an emotional track, it will connect big. AR Rahman has come up with a fabulous song. Things I haven't done before, have been done in I.