Tourist Family actor Sasikumar Interview: I have learnt how to narrate scripts after listening to debut filmmakers

Director Sasikumar turned actor right when he helmed his first feature Subramaniapuram (2008). And since then, the filmmaker-actor became synonymous to rural-based characters; Sundarapandian, Raajavamsam to name a few. Sasikumar, who is gearing up for the release of his next feature Tourist Family on May 1, sits down with OTTplay to talk about his career, and his upcoming film.

As someone who had expressed about how a similar type of village-based roles were being offered to him, Sasikumar says, “It is not that I wouldn’t do those type of roles. In fact, I take pride and as responsibility to do such roles. I want to represent my culture and place. But I also want to say there is more in me and I can do roles beyond that. That is why I did Ayothi , a film which did not have much fights, or a Nandhan and even Tourist Family and the upcoming film My Lord. I want to do both the types of roles.”

Tourist Family actor Sasikumar Interview:

As someone who has worked with many debut directors, including Abishan Jeevinth of Tourist Family, Sasikumar sees it as his responsibility of bringing in fresh voices to the industry regularly. “We need to support talented voices just like I received support back in the day. It is also a form of happiness to having introduced them, much like how it would be for a father to see his children thrive and flourish,” he adds.

A lot has changed in filmmaking since Sasikumar debuted with Subramaniapuram. “When I made the film, only the technicians know the story. Now, when I hear the young generation of filmmaking narrating their scripts, I am in awe of them. In fact, when I became an actor and listened to their narrations, I learnt how to do it,” Sasikumar explains as he adds that he did keep the climax of his first film guarded given the twists and turns. “Now, I have learnt how to narrate and have begun to do it a lot more often than earlier when I only handed over scripts.”

Right from the beginning of Tourist Family teaser launch, to days before release, the film has been garnering good reviews from the industry and audience alike. There has been a good buzz surrounding the film. However, while the talk is advantage for the film, asked about how he sees the constant conversations and pre-release talks about films, Sasikumar says, “The presence of media has increased in many years, and social media has become a place of talking point. But now, the time span has also been shortened, and we are quick to move on to the next. It is easy to market a film nowadays, but what finally stands tall is the audience word of mouth publicity when they have watched a film and say good things. Now, that is faster and a good film gets word of mouth spread fast.” He also talks about how back in the day, movies were talked with the number of days it ran, while now collections become conversations as Sasikumar points out how fast movies are placed in today’s lifestyle.

‘If we don’t give them a variety, we cannot blame audience’

Back to Tourist Family, being a family drama, Sasikumar believes that the success of the film can bring in more films in that genre. The filmmaker-actor points out there are also trends that begin to take place. “We begin to think that people want the same genre, say a horror or comedy film becomes successful, then it becomes the trend. We begin to square ourselves into a box, but the audience wants variety. If we give them right, they will enjoy it. We are the ones who decide on what to give, and they are already accepting to see all type of films. If we don’t give them a variety, we cannot blame them,” Sasikumar says as he points out that the variety had reduced in the recent times.

Asked about recent films cash in on the references from yesteryear films, Sasikumar says, “Even I have kept references from the 80s in my films, only because those were fitting. When a story needs, we can keep it. Otherwise, it is not needed. It depends on what the films need.”

Sasikumar is able to differentiate between being a filmmaker and actor, while he is on the sets of another creation as an artiste. “If there are any mistakes that I can see, I will point it out, but otherwise, I comply with what the director wants. That is how I work.”

As someone who would like to maintain a private personal life and public professional life, Sasikumar who resides in Madurai along with his family, says he never mixes the both. “I don’t even talk about cinema, or have any official meetings at my native. I live there as any other ordinary person. Even the people their treat me as a normal person. Cinema is my profession, and my life in Madurai is what I am. I have kept the distance from my first film.”

Wrapping up the conversation, Sasikumar says Tourist Family is a theatre watch, and adds that crowd watching will add on to the laughter and emotions. “When satellite and television came, they said it might erase cinema. But those are mere technology. Same was the case when OTTs came. Cinema will never bore a person and it will continue to thrive."