Director SP Hosimin: Sumo is completely children friendly film, there will no double meaning dialogues or adult jokes

At the start of this year, Tamil cinema saw its first success with Madha Gaja Raja, a film which had not released for a decade and came out of nowhere to become the first commercial blockbuster of 2025. Similarly, comedy entertainer Sumo, which has been in the making for a few years now, is all set to release this week on April 25. Starring Shiva, Priya Anand, Yoshinori Tashiro and others, and directed by SP Hosimin, the genesis of the film is about a sumo who gets washed up on a shore in Chennai and gets connected to a local man.

“I had got this idea about 15 years back, and wanted to do a story that will cater to children. In advertisements, when a sumo turns up, children are more curious and interested. I wanted to capitalise on that. I got an idea of what would happen if a sumo would come here. It is like a fairytale,” says Hosimin who has earlier directed Aayiram Vilakku and February 14.

Sumo director SP Hosimin Interview: I wanted a specific wrestler who practises sumo but has a baby face

In Sumo, the makers have roped in Japanese retired sumo wrestler Yoshinori Tashiro. Speaking about casting him, Hosimin said that the film will take place equally in Japan and India, and he was specific that a real wrester has to be cast for the role. He adds, “We have never had films on sumo wrestler here before. I wanted a specific wrestler who practises sumo but has a baby face. I first narrated the story to VTV Ganesh, and then to Ishari Ganesh of Vels Film International, who supported me to make the film.”

The film is shot by celebrated filmmaker and cinematographer Rajiv Menon. On choosing to work him, Hosimin says, “Once we thought of making the film on a global scale, we needed someone who could shoot that quality for us. He was onboard once we told him the story and the Japan-India connection. We had shot in Mt Fuji, and we are one of the very few Indian films shot there, if not the only one.”

‘We will release Sumo in Japan’

While Tamil films like Muthu have been released in Japan and found success, it has been a while since any Tamil film made it to the Asian country recently. The makers are choosing to release Sumo in Japan. While there won’t be a simultaneous release, the comedy entertainer might enter Japan about 10-15 days after the Indian release. Reiterating that Sumo is catered for children, the director says the film does not have any double meaning dialogues or adult jokes, making it perfect for summer release. But at the same time, Hosimin says the film will impart the moral of helping tendency to children.

Concluding the conversation, Hosimin says that Sumo is comedy entertainer that will also have a motivation factor and sports element. “Shiva has contributed a lot, in the making and I have also taken the inputs. I did not want to have an ego between us, and we worked together to make this film a success.”