There's a difference between porn and adult content: Santhosh Jayakumar

“When I say ‘adult comedy’, unlike Bollywood, where it is received well, Tamil audiences don't understand the concept and think it is a ‘porn’ film”, claims filmmaker Santhosh Jayakumar on his forthcoming Iruttu Arayil Murattu Kutthu , an adult horror comedy genre film. The director received flak from women and family audiences for his debut film Hara Hara Mahadevaki, which apparently had an adult content.

“In world cinema, adult comedy is a big genre. People look at such films as mere entertainers and enjoy them. On the contrary, when someone attempts the genre here, they criticise. They ask why do you contaminate society. There is a difference between porn movies and adult content. Even in Telugu, they see a movie as a movie and nothing beyond that. Recently, Mahesh Babu’s film Bharat Ane Nenu where he played the chief Minister of a state. A close relative of Telengana CM watched the film and went and met Mahesh Babu and even took a picture with him. That kind of broadmindedness is there.”

Responding to a query on the disturbing current scene of sexual harassment, rape and child abuse everywhere, won’t films like Iruttu… increase such violent acts in society, he replied with a cynical smile, “In fact, my film has a solution to curb such heinous acts (smiles)”. Though what he suggested was something which was not in good taste, at least for the women who had gathered there.

Gautham Karthik who joins hands with Santhosh for the second time after HHM, says, “I don’t think I will be stereotyped just by acting in two adult comedies. One has to learn to enjoy the fun in the film. I didn’t know the story till I entered the sets on the first day. He discussed with me a lot. I want to thank my three heroines – Vaibhavi Shandilya, Yaashika Anand and Chandrika Ravi - to have agreed to star in the film, given that it was an adult comedy subject.” Much to the surprise of everyone Gautham revealed, “Even my dad Karthik is eager to watch IAMK”.