Sudha Kongara ‘ecstatic’; Soorarai Pottru to be screened in theatre on July 23 for Suriya’s birthday
No additional pressure in making of the Hindi version with Akshay Kumar, since that's a brand new project, says the ace director in an exclusive exchange with The Federal
Tamil OTT blockbuster Soorarai Pottru won the National Award for Best Feature, Best Actor and Best Actress at the 68th National Film Awards for 2020 announced on Friday. It also won Best Screenplay for Shalini Usha Nair and director Sudha Kongara as well as Best Music Direction (Background Score) for GV Prakash Kumar.
Speaking exclusively to The Federal late Friday night, Kongara said: “A mainstream film winning so many awards is quite a shock for me. I feel validated.”
“To put it in three words, I feel that emotion in my film — naama jeichitom Maara! (We won, Maara),” she added. Suriya’s character is named Maara in the film.
The film is being remade in Hindi with Akshay Kumar in the lead. Would the National Award increase the performance pressure on her in the remake?
“Nah,” said Kongara. “I treat it as a different film. A new experience. A new creation struggling to bloom as much as the original did.”
“It’s a different set of talent and hence everything is a different perspective, different energies and synergy,” she explained.
Mega birthday celebrations
A big celebration of the win is planned for Saturday, July 23, which happens to be Suriya’s 47th birthday. “We are watching a screening of the film, which is releasing in a theatre. And we will celebrate with the audiences who put us up there,” she said, the exuberance obvious.
“And this is Suriya’s birthday gift.”
A birthday to remember, indeed.
