Mani Ratnam, who turns a year older today, speaks with Subhash K Jha about his long waited reunion with Kamal Hasan for the upcoming Thug Life and more.
38 years…How does it feel to be reunited with Kamal Haasan again after so many years; how had your mutual dynamics changed after so many years?
When I first met KH, when I was getting into this industry, he was a very big star with a twenty-year lead. But he was open to meeting people like me and just chatting about films, stories, and music. He always had his doors open for newcomers.
Sir, so you approached Kamal Haasan for Nayakan, a relative newcomer?
When we did Nayakan, he trusted me even though I was very early in my career, and it was a very exciting experience. That has not changed with Thug Life. He is a dream to work with. He brings so much to the table when he comes on to the set. It is not just his performance. But much more. He brings in a sense of authenticity to the scenes.
Why did the two of you take so long to come together again, and what made Thug Life THE project worth the reunion?
We had met quite a few times and discussed several projects. But somehow they did not materialise. Either he was in the midst of other projects, or I was tied up. The loss was mine.
Why do you say that?
I realised it when I worked with him again on Thug Life.
Sir, you were obviously a different filmmaker when you made Nayakan; what would you change in it if you had done Nayakan now?
To be honest, I would change nothing. Or I would change a lot of things. I don’t know. It is such a hypothetical question.
The expectations from the two of you together are insanely vertiginous; does that bother you?
The best part about filmmaking is that you have so many problems in front of you that you don’t have time to worry about other pressures. The focus is on doing this as best as you can.
What should the fans of Mani Ratnam and Kamal Hassan, together and individually, expect from Thug Life?
Expect Thug Life. Expect an emotional, dramatic film with action. Expect a world within the crime world.
Sir, the big screen experience seems to have suffered an irreversible erosion; given the current situation, what, according to you, are the factors that would attract moviegoers to Thug Life?
There is a definite magic that a big screen experience and collective viewing brings. That is what we filmmakers aim for.
Finally, between Nayakan and Thug Life, which work better showcases your combined genius with Kamal Haasan?
Hopefully both.
