Shankar: ‘No replacement for Kamal Haasan in the Indian franchise’

“I’ve been in the industry for more than three decades now. When I started with Gentleman, my screenplay and story catered only to Tamil audiences. But the film earned equal love from the neighbouring Telugu states. Similarly, when I made Indian, it was again aimed at satisfying Tamil audiences, but it went on to become a blockbuster in Telugu and Hindi,” said Shankar while talking to a group of journalists in Chennai, ahead of the release of Indian 2 on July 12.

He added: “What I understood from my past success is that all we have to do is write a good story and screenplay; the pan-India reach is something that would happen organically. We shouldn’t consider the pan-India reach while writing the story. If the core emotion and story connect with audiences across the country, nationwide success is quite possible. At least, that’s how I’ve been working so far,”

‘Big budget only to enhance viewing experience’

In Tamil cinema, only a few filmmakers like Mani Ratnam and Shankar have remained relevant and consistently produced magnum opuses despite being in the industry for more than 30 years. When asked whether Shankar ever introspects about his longevity in the industry, he said: “Well, I look back at my previous films. I analyse what worked with the audiences, and more importantly, what didn’t work. My main motto is to satisfy the audiences who come to watch my films. I also don’t want to be repetitive, so I make sure to improvise the core story, visuals of songs, and action choreography.”

He added: “Very often, people praise me for my songs, but in 2.0, I didn’t include too many songs even when filmmakers were including multiple songs in their films. Now, Tamil filmmakers have cut down the number of songs, but Indian 2 demanded a good number of songs, and I’ve decided to include them. I think such decisions have only helped me sail through these many years.” 

There is a major misconception that Shankar only makes big-budget projects, but the director denies these claims. “Indian 2 is a big-budget film, there is no doubt about it, but the budget is not as large as 2.0, my previous film. I only try to enhance the viewing experience for my audiences; I don’t want to increase the budget of my films for the sake of it.”

When The Federal asked him about the advantages of teaming up with eminent writers like Sujatha and Balakumaran, the director said, “I always prefer working with professional writers. As a screenplay and story writer myself, I provide the basic dimensions of my characters, but when pitching the idea to a professional writer, they often come up with different ideas. The new flavour they bring in enhances the screenplay. Even in Indian 2, I worked with three writers and gained different perspectives from each of them. Finally, I compiled the best elements and added my own enhancements. I hope the audience likes the final output.”

‘Wanted the audience to feel his performance’

There is a rumour in the industry that Kamal Haasan would appear only after the intermission in Indian 2. “That’s not true,” the director clarifies. “Kamal sir makes his entry 20 minutes into the film, but even before his introduction, all the characters in the film talk about him. His presence is felt throughout. Senapathy (Kamal’s character) is like a super old man, a master of Varma Kalai who eats only one meal a day. In China, there is a master called Lu Zijian who practised martial arts until he was 118 years old. I have sketched Senapathy’s character with such disciplined masters in mind,” he said.

When Indian was released, no one knew about Varma Kalai or Senapathy but now, everyone has an idea about Indian Thatha’s character. When asked how Shankar is going to surprise the audiences with an already-established character and treatment, he said, “I didn’t make Indian 2 immediately after Indian because of that very reason. Whenever I read about corruption in the system, my mind would urge me to write Indian 2, and the predictability factor held me back. However, I suddenly got an interesting idea that felt fresh and had the potential to expand the Indian film into a franchise. That’s when I pitched the script to Kamal sir, who was also equally excited. This time, we delved deeper into Varma Kalai, adapting concepts from sage Agasthiyar’s books and hiring Prakasam Gurukkal for authenticity. We have gone to great lengths to explore the martial art and expand the world of Indian in both Indian 2 and Indian 3.”

There are some debates on social media about Kamal Haasan’s appearance in Indian 2 as it looks different from the first part. “When we were shooting for Indian (1996), the prosthetic makeup was so thick that I couldn’t see the expressions of Kamal sir, who is one of the best actors in the world. When we started Indian 2, I did my research and learned about advancements in prosthetics. Now, the makeup layer has become thinner, and hence, we can see the expressions of our own Kamal sir. When we have such a great performer on board, I wanted the audience to feel his performance, and that’s why you can see the difference in Indian 2,” said Shankar. 

‘Our own superhero, like Superman and James Bond’

Shankar said that he tried to make Senapathy weaker and older during the makeup test. “As Senapathy got older, I wanted to show him weak by giving him a bald look and hunchback but then I thought that Senapathy is nothing but the representation of the anger of the common man. He can’t be weak. He is our own superhero, just like Superman and James Bond.

But in the Superman and James Bond franchise, directors try to replace the actors after some films. “But here we have only one Kamal Haasan. There is no replacement for him. Some films could be anchored by any actor but Indian is meant to be made only with Kamal sir. I can’t think of anyone else to play Senapathy.”

In Indian (1996), Chandru (the young Kamal) appealed to the young fans though Senapathy is the main protagonist. So, what’s the game plan for Shankar in Indian 2 and Indian 3? “Chandru is no more (laughs). So, I can’t bring him back. But to satisfy the appetite of mass audiences and youngsters, Senapathy has done some amazing stunts and his presence will please the gallery. Just wait and watch,” said the filmmaker.

Besides Senapathy, Shankar says Indian 2 has solid female characters like Rakul Preet Singh, Priya Bhavani Shankar, and Kajal Aggarwal. “Fans of Kajal should wait a little longer as she would make her appearance only in the third part. Siddharth plays a pivotal role and his portions have also come out well. SJ Suryah comes for a small portion in Indian 2 but you would see him more in Indian 3,” Shankar said.

Shankar also opened up about the reason behind making Indian 2 and Indian 3. “The first part was 3-hours-and-20-minutes long. When we were making Indian 2, I didn’t think that it would extend to Indian 3 but during the pandemic, when I completed the screenplay, I couldn’t compress the film in one part. The third part also has a proper introduction, highpoint, and closure just like the second part,” he added. Answering our question about the buzz surrounding the introduction of Senapathy’s father in the film, Shankar signed off by saying, “Wait for a few more days, and you will know the answer.”