In my head, 'Kaakha Kaakha' is my first film: GVM on completing 20 years in Kollywood

As we enter Gautam Vasudev Menon’s elegant terrace garden, he is seen making some space for us to settle. Like many of us, the pandemic for the filmmaker has not been without his share of baking and gardening escapades. The pandemic, however, has also been busy and fulfilling for Gautham, who in this time, has given us two anthologies, a short sequel to his iconic Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, a music video and news of a reunion project with AR Rahman and Silambarasan TR.With February marking 20 years since he paved his way into the world of cinema with Minnale, we caught up with the prolific filmmaker about music, films and everything in between. “Somewhere for me every film is like a first film,” the director says, as we begin the interview on a sunny afternoon.

It has been 20 years since Minnale, your first movie. When are some of the things that run in your mind when you revisit the movie today?
I don't look at Minnale as my first film. Kaakha Kaakha is my first film in my head. This is also because in a team of 11 in Minnale, I was the last over batsman coming in to play, where everything was set up. Madhavan set up the producer, and sort of envisioned the project to be a certain way, and I must thank him for that and I have. He set up writers and he also started some music work before Harris came in. It was a story that I had set up, based on suggestions from the writers. I feel good about the film when I look at it, today. Minnale for me would ideally be the songs of Harris Jayaraj, the association with Thamarai and Bombay Jayashri, working with Madhavan, Reema Sen, Vivekh sir and Nagesh sir, in that order.

When you envisioned the film, what was the first thread of thought?
It was a story that I narrated to Maddy at a friendly meeting at a restaurant, where a lot of Mani (Ratnam) sir's team members were there. I knew all of them and we were talking. They introduced me to Maddy and we got to talking and then he asked me if I had any interesting story. I told him that I had this story of two friends who study in college together and they move apart, following which one of them meets this girl and realises that she is all set to marry the other guy. But somewhere in the discussion it became two guys who could not stand each other in college. These were a few changes that the writing team brought in, which I was okay with.
How important was it for you to draw the line while exploring themes of impersonation?
I know we did cross a few lines in terms of being politically correct. But somewhere we did not cross that one final line in terms of taking things further. It is a zone of the film that matters. A film like Nadunisi Naaygal could cross a few lines because you are talking about a person who is not mentally stable and his views about women are not the opinion of mine or people in general. We were conscious to not cross the line in Minnale. Even during the discussion with Maddy, I did remember Maddy saying let us keep it very aesthetic. It should not come off as a slasher/stalker guy where there was something wrong with him. We were looking at an introverted character with a complex, who was afraid to talk to the girl. So, somewhere he needed to figure out where she is and be in that space, which is wrong. But that is a zone of the film.
Do you think the movie set a precedent for the kind of films you would eventually make —relatable, meaningful and wholesome romances?
I think I have always wanted to do that. Even before I was a filmmaker, I had issues with films that weren’t that — I would vehemently argue with my peers about how a movie does not need to pander to the star's image. When you hit somebody, they fall down, and do not fly. And apart from that, women did not have say in films and were used in cute moments. I have never believed in films like that. I have always written films where the women have a mind of their own. It was always going to be that way.
When you set out into the filmmaking world 20 years back, what were some of the stories you wanted to tell?
There was no plan as such. I take things forward in a very organic way, just like how an audience watches a film for the first time — He has no idea what the next scene is unless he is watching it for the second time. I like to take a script forward that way. But I wanted to tell personal and relatable stories. There is a theory that you go to the theatre to see a fantasy unfold. But I don't believe in that.
Has your storytelling process changed over the years?
I like to follow the same process. I write with voice overs in my head. Sometimes I do away with them during the post production stage. But mostly I write the same way. It is always the hero's voice or the woman's voice that takes the story forward for me. But sometimes your strength becomes your weakness, but I will keep pushing it till I know that it is my weakness.
People think it is a comfort zone where you can do away with certain things. Cinema is a medium of audio and video. You take a story forward through words and you also show visual imagery. In my head there is always The Shawshank Redemption and Morgan Freeman's voice running through, all the time.
Tell us about the Mani Ratnam and Rajiv Menon influences in your earlier days
I saw Nayakan and something happened. It was love. I have revisited the movie many times since the first viewing, with a notebook and pen to analyse many details like dialogue, camera movement and sound. I remember watching Bombay many times in theatres, where I would write down scenes and shots from the film. I learnt my filmmaking by watching his films, which was a journal of sorts.

I learnt the craft from Rajiv sir because I worked with him (as an assistant director). What I learnt from Rajiv the most was to not be an introvert. I saw Rajiv telling Prabhu Deva how to dance on the sets of Minsara Kanavu (smiles). He would show them very vociferously on the sets and I loved that. I broke out of my shackles once I saw how Rajiv directed the film.
Like his films, your films too, are quite musical in nature.
I think I learnt the importance of music and how it can drive a film, from him. He would talk about the pitch, ragam and genre of the songs extensively. I have grown up to a lot of music in my house. There is a lot of music in me, which was within me. But Rajiv sir sort of opened that out. After we finished Minsara Kannavu, I had come to his studio to edit something that I had shot. He came and played the songs of Kandukondein Kandukondein for me. I was not in the unit anymore. And he would tell me that the song was similar to the ragam used in Endhan Nenjil Neengadha.

How important is it for you to merge the music with the storytelling process?
I write it in the script. There is no question of sneaking in a song. The scene is described musically by me. I figure out what kind of genre the song should be in. For instance, in the case of Mannipaya, I told him that I needed a song at that juncture. And without putting me in the loop, he called Thamarai and said 'let us surprise him with the song.' About four days later they played the song for me. I was overwhelmed. It was AR Rahman doing that. I remember this very clearly.

How important is it for you to form relationships with the composers?
There is a vibe and I feel that I connect with them. Darbuka Siva is really big in terms of the way he looks at music. I showed him the visuals of ENPT and told him I wanted a Maruvaarthai kind of a song and things really fell in place. Raaja sir is legendary. It turned out to be such a beautiful experience where I learnt about music and how a song is produced so organically. Harris is a great friend and I can connect with him anytime. With Rahman sir there is a lot of reverence and a spiritual connection. We talk about music and films in very casual conversations. And there is an aura there where you walk in and out (of his studio) and I look forward to that every time.
Do you have genres that you want to explore?
Now I can talk about 20 years of work that I have done. I have done 10 years of work that I really wanted to do. The next 10 years was stuff that I had to do for various reasons. And I didn't like that because ideally you make a film because you want to put out a story or say something, from which the audiences can take away something. That is not an organic way of doing films, and I think I have done that over the past 10 years. Now I am sorted and I am in a great space in terms of being creative.
But now I want to explore rural subjects. I don't know if I will ever try fantasy. I have a sort of a period film set in 1935, which is a cop-robber drama. I have something written by my colleague Reshma, about four friends travelling to their fifth friend's wedding. That would be a road film. This would still be different within my own kind of films.
What are some of the things you learnt from your time in front of the camera in films like Trance and Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal?
I learnt that it is very difficult to be an actor. I get flustered when an actor is not able to deliver. That is only because it saps your energy and after 5-6 takes you start losing objectivity. But after putting myself in front of the camera, and acting in front of so many people, I stopped thinking that I should be flustered on sets.
In your 20 years of experience, how do you think the industry has changed?
It has not changed at all. Content wise, yes, there are a lot of changes that have happened, especially when compared to pre-COVID-19 times. Even the big stars will look at their content very differently now. It is going to be very difficult to get the audience to the theatre. Even though things have opened up, they only want to come if they feel the content is great. But in terms of distributors and how they put a pre-conceived amount for every film, it is all the same. Nothing has changed from day 1 till yesterday.
This month is special for you for yet another reason, as you announced your reunion project with AR Rahman and Simbu.
We have been talking for some time and you know how suddenly some things just fall into place. Rahman sir and I have discussed this script way back, and in August we were supposed to go for a composing session. But things didn't fall into place. But now, a good producer has come on board and the funding is in place. Simbu is in a great space now and there is no discussion at all. Rahman sir has already worked out a few tunes for me. We just have to figure out when we are going to start filming and what script we are going to take up. We have put two scripts out there, and all of us like both these scripts. We just have to pick one and begin rolling.

Top picks from the GVM universe
Musical moment: Hosanna because of the collaboration with AR Rahman sir and the way the song unfolded. Simbu is the grace that he showed in the song.
Scene: The moment Kamal sir opens the gate and walks in for the (intro) scene in Vettaiyadu Villaiyadu. The scene was so unplanned and we just had to be ready to grab the moment.
Character: Karthik from Vinnaithandi Varuvaya. There is a lot of me in Karthik and I love what Simbu did to Karthik.
Couple: Suriya and Priya (Suriya and Divya Spandana) from Varanam Aayiram. That is me and my wife.
Romance: Neethane En Ponvasantham. I loved these two characters.
Story: Vaaranam Aayiram. It started as a coming-of-age story of a boy. But then my father passed away and I was holding on to a lot of memories and I started writing about him. I will never forget the way it came together.
Heart-breaking death: Maya from Kaakha Kaakha and Hemanika in Yennai Arindhal
Antihero: Victor from Yennai Arindhal. Arun Vijay played it really well and would do anything that I asked him to. I am talking about the stunts. He was like a warhorse.
Climax: Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa. I loved the moment where they meet in the theatre and move away when the camera pans up to the hoarding.
Interval: Kaakha Kaakha, which breaks for an interval with a phone call between the hero and the villain.