Silver lining

For a filmmaker who has been at the receiving end of film critics,Priyadarshans National Award winning Tamil film Kanjeevaram is a vindication of sorts.

For a filmmaker who has been at the receiving end of film critics,Priyadarshans National Award winning Tamil film Kanjeevaram is a vindication of sorts. It couldnt have been more opportune at another level too: the filmmaker completes 25 years on the job. Yes,he is today laughing the loudest. Throughout my career I have made movies that entertain people and make them laugh. But critics mistook it as my limited capabilities. I wanted to prove a point to them and put all my experience and knowledge of cinema into making Kanjeevaram, he says.

A film set in the 1920s,Kanjeevaram is the story of a non-political weaver who leans towards Communism and soon becomes a revolutionary leader and an advocate of the ideology,only to find himself caught between personal needs and his pursuit of social equality. The underlying theme of the movie is that such movements around the world fail because people who preach an ideology often fail to practice it, he says,adding,Its a script that was lying with me for nine years but no one was ready to produce it. When Malamaal Weekly did good business,the producer Shailendra Singh,as a return gift,said he will produce a film of my choice and finally,Kanjeevaram went on floors.

The 52-year-old filmmaker looks back at the last 25 years as a period of utmost satisfaction. A workaholic,he says that when he made his first film in Malayalam,Poochakkoru Mookkuthi,back in 1984,he had not planned his career. Theres a saying that if you want to make god laugh,tell him your plans. One movie happened after another and I have distinct memories of making each film.

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But Priyadarshan feels that having proved his versatility is his greatest achievement today. If you love all kinds of films,you can make movies of any genre. I have never bothered about what reviews have said about my films because I alone know why I make a movie. Ironically,most of my films have done well at the box-office. After all,I cant take reviews to deposit in my bank account, he quips.

Ironies seem to dominate the humble filmmakers career. As Kanjeevaram takes off to international festivals,Priyadarshan readies for the release of his next Bollywood comedy caper De Dana Dan. Akshay Kumar,Suneil Shetty and Paresh Rawal are my Three Musketeers and I hope De Dana Dan revives the Hera Pheri magic, he smiles.

A fulfilling 25 years later,Priyan Sir,as the director is fondly known,has only one wish – to work with the mighty Amitabh Bachchan. I want to write a script especially for him and Im waiting for him to agree to work with him. That is my only desire unfulfilled now.

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Silver lining

For a filmmaker who has been at the receiving end of film critics,Priyadarshans National Award winning Tamil film Kanjeevaram is a vindication of sorts.

For a filmmaker who has been at the receiving end of film critics,Priyadarshans National Award winning Tamil film Kanjeevaram is a vindication of sorts.