Festive season has room for both Pattas and Darbar

Sathya Jyothi Films, the famed production house which is completing 43 years in the Tamil film industry and has bankrolled 42 films including several blockbusters like Moondram Pirai, Mani Ratnam’s Pagal Nilavu, Idhayam, Kizhakku Vasal and Ajith’s Viswasam (Pongal 2019 - reportedly  the highest grosser of the year), is back with yet another dream project - Pattas. With  Dhanush in the lead in a dual role, it is hitting the marquee on Januar 15. TG Thyagarajan, who helms the banner, speaks to DC about Pattas and more in an exclusive.

On Pattas: Pattas is the name of Dhanush’s avatar as the son in the movie, someone who is hyperactive like a firecracker. Mehreen Pirzada is his pair. The movie is about an ancient Tamil martial art called Adimurai, which is still practised in southern rural Tamil Nadu. It is similar to Kalaripayattu, except that it’s a hand-to-hand fight.  

Dhanush in the father’s role is an Adimurai master and Sneha essays his pair. Both took training in Adimurai from master Selvaraj. What the father-son duo does to keep the art alive and get due recognition forms the rest of the story, narrated in a commercial manner by director Durai Senthilkumar.

Why Pattas won’t lock horns with Darbar: The films have different content. There’s no competition between the two. It’s holiday season and people will watch both the films. We are releasing on as many as 1,500 screens throughout the world.

On piracy eating into profits: Three generations — my dad, my sons and I — are involved in film production. Earlier, the business of cinema was different. On muhurat day of Andha Ezhu Naatkal, all areas were sold. You cannot imagine this happening now. Piracy is the biggest threat today and we are losing crores. The central government should do something to curb this menace.

On remaking Baasha:  It is a cult film produced by my father-in-law RM Veerappan of Sathya Movies. Though initially we were toying with the idea of remaking Baasha, we felt it can’t be done as no one can replace Rajinikanth who played the title role. So we gave up the idea.

The banner has signed another films with Dhanush, directed by Ramkumar of Ratsasan fame.