PremiumElection director Thamizh: This film is not about politician but definitely political
Director Thamizh, who made his debut with the critically acclaimed film Seththumaan, is now gearing up for Election releasing on May 17
Last Updated: 10.21 AM, May 15, 2024
Director Thamizh, who made his debut with the critically acclaimed film Seththumaan, is now gearing up for Election, his second film which will not only be laced with politics again but touch upon it directly, very much like what the title says.
“This is a full-fledged political film and I have honestly approached it, without any divulgence. This film’s central theme is local body elections and talks about how not merely money and fame can make one become a leader. The candidate must possess certain qualities, and one must introspect if they possess such qualities, rather than having wealth and manpower to be in politics,” says Thamizh in his strongly-worded conversation with OTTplay.
Election is a political film
The director says that Election is not a film about a politician but definitely a political film. “We don’t have any romaticisation of election campaigns in the film. It is about a simple boy who meets with circumstances that force him to take to the political ground and what he learns from it,” he adds.
Thamizh says that he has been a director who wants to explore new premises and recollects his college days. Thamizh mentions, “I used to campaign for the DMK party and those days have taught me something. After I did Seththumaan which is about food and caste politics, I understood making political films is my cup of tea. Once I realised this, I also came to know Tamil cinema does not have many films exploring the local body elections in detail. While I was working on the film, Mandela and Kalavani 2 were released, which also had a similar backdrop. But I also realised that they are very different from the one I was working on.
Election in theatres
Election will be Thamizh’s first film to hit the theatres as his first film was screened in festivals before it premiered on SonyLIV. “I watched Seththumaan along with the festival audience at the IFFK. We did not have any star besides that it was backed by Pa Ranjith. I don’t see a difference between theatres and OTT and firmly believe that good cinema will find its audience,” he adds.
When the difference between a festival and theatre audience was pointed out, Thamizh says there is indeed a difference in the percentage of audience who would want to see a star film and good cinema. “When people celebrate good cinema, and positive word of mouth increases, it will automatically find its audience. All of us have access to social media and the tendency to make good cinema run has only increased, thanks to technology.”
Speaking about Vijay Kumar’s casting, Thamizh says that while he was working on the script, he saw Soorarai Pottru for which the dialogues were written by Vijay Kumar. While looking for an actor with political knowledge and understanding, Thamizh felt he would be the right choice for Election. “I did not approach any other actor apart from him. And he was onboard soon. He introduced me to the producer of the film as well.”
Having done a hard-hitting film, when asked if he believes films can make a real change, Thamizh says films might bring about a realisation within oneself and adds, “Even now we see films as a source of entertainment. That being said, if films create an impact even on one person, I see it as a victory. But I don’t believe that it will change in masses.”
Up next, Thamizh will be working with actors Darshan and Darshana Rajendran. The film is in the post-production phase. The film is adapted from Perumal Murugan’s novel Pyre, and will explore the theme of inter-caste marriage. The director signs off that the film will be released in December.