Imaikka Nodigal director Ajay Gnanamuthu on why Anurag Kashyap, Nayanthara-starrer got delayed for years

Ajay Gnanamuthu, an erstwhile associate of AR Murugadoss, rose to fame with his critically acclaimed Tamil directorial debut Demonte Colony (2015), which redefined the representation of horror in mainstream cinema. Despite the success of his first film, it has taken Ajay three long years to bring his second film, Imaikkaa Nodigal, starring Nayanthara, Anurag Kashyap and Atharvaa in the lead, to the cinemas. In this chat with Firstpost, he talks about why he could not make Imaikkaa Nodigal his first film, signing Nayanthara for the titular character and roping in filmmaker Anurag Kashyap to the play the antagonist.

Even before he made Demonte Colony, sometime in 2013, Ajay pitched the idea of making Imaikkaa Nodigal to Atharvaa, and even got the latter’s nod. But as is the case with majority of first-time filmmakers, no producer was willing to bet on Ajay’s big budget idea. “After spending nearly two years to get the project made, I went ahead and made Demonte Colony, and its success gave me the confidence to revisit my first idea,” said Ajay, recalling the long journey taken to make Imaikkaa Nodigal.  The project went on the floors in 2016 and after encountering several roadblocks – from demonetisation to industry strike and Jallikattu protests – it hit the screens on 30 August. “Apart from the external factors that caused the delay, it was a challenge to manage the dates of the lead actors. We were working with a group of really busy actors and we had to plan well in advance to get their dates. At one point, many felt the movie might get dropped, but my producer and I didn’t give up, and went on to complete the project.”

The film marks the Tamil debut of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap in a negative role. Before Anurag was roped in, Ajay had plans to bring director Gautham Vasudev Menon onboard to essay the role. “Gautham sir really liked the script and almost gave his nod, but due to his filmmaking commitments, he couldn’t set aside bulk dates as we expected.” It was at the suggestion of Murugadoss, who had worked with Anurag in Akira, did Ajay even consider the latter for the role. “We approached Anurag sir through Murugadoss. It just took a few minutes of narration to convince him. In the film, his character is the pivot of the story,” said Ajay, who was nervous as well as excited about Anurag’s inclusion. “I wondered how I’d work with a director of his stature but I was pleasantly surprised by his commitment towards acting.”

Not long ago, Anurag, spoke about his role in a statement, “What pulled me towards acting in Imaikaa Nodigal is the role. Rudra is not your typical baddie. He doesn’t just smoke, drink, order his men around and indulge in item numbers. He is menacing, scary, smart and cunning. This strange mixture that forms the role is what tempted me to take it up although I was tied up with my own projects back in Mumbai. When the audiences watch the movie in theatre, if I’m able to evoke the tiniest of fears in them, as Rudra, I’ll consider my work done."

Originally, planned as a story of two heroes – about two brothers – Ajay decided to go with Nayanthara, as he believed she is no less than a hero. “It was in the screenplay stage that I realised that I could replace one of the male leads with a female to bring an emotional twist to the story. Nayanthara was the most ideal option because she’s no less than a hero. When we approached her, she was excited about the plot,” said Ajay, who had a whale of a time working with the Lady Superstar. “I was told she’s very strict, but she was very cooperative and was willing to give multiple shots when a scene wasn’t working out.”

The film also features Vijay Sethupathi in an extended cameo. According to Ajay, his character will move audiences to tears. “There’s a wonderful subplot featuring Vijay and Nayanthara. The audiences are going to love their relationship,” he said, adding he is also very thankful to Atharvaa for the trust in his story. “The journey of Imaikka Nodigal began with Atharvaa, and it was with him I knocked the doors of many producers before the project finally took off. Never did he give up on the idea and move on. Despite the delay, he insisted that he wanted to be part of the project.”