Action to provide adrenaline rush

Sundar C, known for his lighthearted comedies, has for the first time deviated in attempting a high action commercial entertainer with Action. The actor and filmmaker tells DC that the MGR films Aayirathil Oruvan and Nadodi Mannan  inspired him to make his dream project, starring Vishal and hitting the marquee today.

“I am a big fan of MGR films. As I was coming into films, I wanted to make grand films like MGR’s, but I wanted to gain experience to reach that level. Even then, I was sceptical about the kind of budget that goes into such films and technical expertise that’s needed. Slowly things fell in place. And Baahubali’s success gave me a lot of confidence. That’s when I announced the period film and my dream project Sangamithra. But, due to unavoidable reasons, the movie has been postponed, but not dropped as rumoured. It will take off in 2020.”

He adds, “In the meantime, having made several films in various genres like rom-coms and a serious film like Anbe Sivam and horror genres, I wanted to try a full -fledged action flick, typical in Hollywood style and that’s when Action story originated. And this will be on the lines of MGR’s Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban and here in my film, when certain people trouble and shatter the peace of protagonist’s family, how he (Vishal) goes to extreme measures and takes revenge forms the crux. In the process, he travels to many countries. It’s shot in Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Rishikesh and Dehradun in India and Turkey, Azarbaizan, Cappadocia, Baku, Istanbul, Krabi Island in Thailand, Bangkok etc.”

So, what’s in store for family audiences, we ask. “I have retained my basic strength. It is actually a family subject, which has the hero’s cute romances with two ladies -Tamannah and Aishwarya Lekshmi, emotions, humour, good songs etc. Action is an edge- of- the- seat action thriller and every 10 minutes, there’s a twist in the story and will be a visual treat (smiles).”

Audiences are ready to spend money and come to theatres to have the cinematic experience and more than what they see in real life they want that visual grandeur. That’s what I have done in Action, he says.

On Vishal he says, “After completing the script, the first actor who came to my mind was Vishal. I felt with his height and muscular physique, only he can deliver what I had visualised for a film like Action. Moreover, his dedication towards work is a known thing and also he is basically a ‘director’s artiste’. He has done an amazing job.”

The Aranmanai director heaped laurels on all his heroines. “Tamannah and Akanksha Puri have pulled off some of the high-octane stunts without substitutes extremely well. I am introducing M’town girl Aishwarya Lekshmi in a homely role and I am sure she will go places.”