Interview with Santhanam: “I’m not here to deliver social messages”
Santhanam, who was one of the must-have actors in a significant number of films a few years back, has vowed now that he wouldn’t do any supporting role as a comedian henceforth. In this exclusive chat with Only Kollywood, Santhanam talks about his latest outing Sakka Podu Podu Raja, his Mannavan Vanthanadi with Selvaraghavan and why he doesn’t like to deliver social messages.
“I’m not here to deliver social messages. People already hear miserable things on television, read awful stories on newspapers and social media, apart from their own struggles in life. I would like to make them leave the theatre halls with a big smile on their faces. I will always strive to provide wholesome entertainment through my films,” said Santhanam.
“Sakka Podu Podu Raja will be a complete entertainer. We guarantee that audience will forget their worries and enjoy the content in theatres with great joy,” he added.
The movie is directed GL Sethuraman, best known for his work in Lollu Sabha as one of the writers, and produced by VTV Ganesh, who also plays a crucial role in the film, which is all set to hit screens on December 22nd alongside Sivakarthikeyan’s Velaikkaran.
Starring Vaibhavi Shandilya as the lead heroine, Sakka Podu Podu Raja also has Robo Shankar, Vivek, and Powerstar Srinivasan to provide comic relief.
Simbu has composed the music for Sakka Podu Podu Raja, marking his debut as a music composer. It must be noted that it was Simbu’s Manmadhan, through which Santhanam first faced the arclights.
“I’m not sure how Simbu was with others, but we had a lovely experience working with him for the film. He took a day’s time to say yes to compose music. Once he agreed, he delivered his tunes very quickly and mucb before the deadlines we had set. He was the first one to say that the film has come out really well after finishing the background score,” said Santhanam.
Recently, the anti-GST dialogues in Mersal were vehemently opposed by the Tamil Nadu BJP politicians, who also attacked Thalapathy Vijay pointing out his religion. Santhanam says humour should be in a way that those who are at the receiving end should also enjoy the content.
“Be it the pun or satire it should also be enjoyed by the person who receives it. Goundamani sir’s success is because he knows the knack. We have made some humour on GST, but it won’t hurt anyone or anyone’s sentiments. Charlie Chaplin did a lot of such satire on Hitler. But Hitler himself enjoyed them. That’s how humor should be,” explains Santhanam.
Santhanam’s next two releases will be the long-pending Server Sundharam and the long-in-the-making Mannavan Vanthanadi.
