This Article is From May 29, 2011

My Next Movie Will Not Star Dhanush: Vetri Maaran

Highlights

  • National award winning actor-director duo, Dhanush and Vetri Maaran, go back a long way.
  • They worked together on Maaran's 2007 directorial debut Polladhavan and Aadukalam, their second collaboration, won six National awards this year. But the director has said no to a hat-trick.
  • The 35-year-old filmmaker says that his next offering, still in the scripting stage, will not star Dhanush, the son-in-law of superstar Rajinikanth.
  • "I believe in change. If you keep on working with the same people it gets boring for both parties. We need to keep changing. I am not working with Dhanush in my next movie," Maraan told PTI.
New Delhi: National award winningactor-director duo, Dhanush and Vetri Maaran, go back a longway.

They worked together on Maaran's 2007 directorialdebut Polladhavan and Aadukalam, their secondcollaboration, won six National awards this year. But thedirector has said no to a hat-trick.

The 35-year-old filmmaker says that his next offering,still in the scripting stage, will not star Dhanush, theson-in-law of superstar Rajinikanth.

"I believe in change. If you keep on working with thesame people it gets boring for both parties. We need to keepchanging. I am not working with Dhanush in my next movie,"Maraan told PTI.

Both his films have found sucess at the box office andthe director frankly says that he makes movies to make money,not to gather awards.

"I make films to recover the cost, to make money andnot to get awards. Awards are always welcome but acceptance bythe audience is more important," he said.

The film's haul at the 58th National awards surprisedthe director who says that awards should not be a yardstick tojudge a movie.

"I was surprised and was not ready to accept it. Myfriend called me up and said 'Its your day' which I couldn'tquite understand. I thought we won the best regional filmaward.

"Awards are always in tandem with the jury. There aregreat films that go unnoticed at times and so awards shouldnot be a yardstick to judge films. I was a little sad that mycinematograper R Velraj didnt get an award but then I respectthe decision of the jury," added Maaran, who has earlierassisted noted filmmakers like Balu Mahendra and Kathir.

The director who entered filmdom after a stint in TV,said that Aadukalam, which takes a look at the mysteriousworld of rooster fighting, is not an art house film and wasmade keeping the mainstream Tamil audience in mind.

"My film was meant for a mainstream Tamil audience. Itis not an art film. In the past we have seen that NationalAwards are usually given to art house films. I think that theethnic feel of the film impressed the jury. Preserving theidentity is very important in any culture and that has alwaysbeen my aim," said the filmmaker.

Over the years Bollywood remakes of Tamil films havebecome blockbusters and Maraan says that it is a positivetrend.

"Bollywood remaking Tamil movies is fine as long asthey are well made. I dont mind if Aadukalam is remade inHindi but it should be as good as the original if not better.

"I am not sure about the lead actor but I would likeeither Naseeruddin Shah or Nana Patekar to play the role ofthe mentor Pettaikaran. It is a very intense character andwho better than these veteran actors to essay the role," hesaid.

.