Sarath Mandava Interview: “Ajith sir is like a big brother & I learnt a lot about life from him”
Ko 2 has opened to decent reviews and positive response at the ticket windows. Director Sarath Mandava must be a relieved man as this is his first film as a director after having worked as an associate in Unnai Pol Oruvan and Billa 2. Sarath chats with Kaushik LM for Only Kollywood in this interview.
So how did Ko 2 begin?
“I really liked the main idea and potential of the Telugu film Prathinidhi, written by Anand Ravi. I then rewrote the script, and RS Infotainment and Bobby Simhaa liked it. The project was underway quickly. Actually, I initially planned this film with Vijay Sethupathi. Chakri Toleti and Yuvan were supposed to produce the film but it didn’t work out.”
With Prakash Raj, Ilavarasu and so many established actors at your command, how was the experience directing them?
“All these senior actors were very cool. A director is like a mirror, and actors will reciprocate to him based on how he is. If you give them good respect, they’ll invariably impress you with their performance and variations. During edits, it’ll really help us in picking the right shot.”
Working for a big banner like RS Infotainment in your very first film ?
“I have worked in some really big films like Unnai Pol Oruvan and Billa 2. So, I had good experience in scheduling and planning a project. Elred sir is someone who doesn’t think about expenses. He is a passionate producer and will insist on spending money if he likes the content. There was no wastage from my end and they were very happy with the on screen output.”
The Superstar Rajini influences in Bobby Simhaa’s performance seem obvious. Your take on this?
“I have also heard a lots of comments about this. Actually, he worships Rajini sir and regards him very high. I have told him to avoid influences but somehow Thalaivar’s shades will keep coming back. It is habitual for him. We have controlled a lot but it is tough to keep it in check. This is not intentional as that’s how Bobby is, in real life too.”
Your biggest learning from director Chakri Toleti?
“One can’t learn creative processes from someone else. Creative aspects are based on one’s brain and one has to just unleash it. From Chakri, I got the hang of man management, how to interact with people, how to convince them etc. Direction is also about project management and he is a master in that.”
Sarath’s slam book entries..
“KV Anand – He is a master film maker and a big cameraman with great command over his craft. He is the lecturer and I am the student. There are no questions of comparisons between Ko and Ko 2. I have just tried to match Ko to an extent.
Kamal Haasan – He is a human encyclopedia loaded with such rich information. Raaj Kamal Films gave good freedom to an assistant director like me, and made me work like an executive producer for Unnai Pol Oruvan. It was a great opportunity.
Ajith – Ajith sir is like a big brother and I learnt a lot about life from him. He will never show work tension to his family and made
me realize the importance of family. He is a gem and there is a lot to take away from him. There is no need to talk about his acting and performance skills as he is at a certain level. I traveled with him for about 16 months to places like Dubai and Georgia. He is very down to earth, patient, follows the system and doesn’t use any extra privileges as a celebrity.”
What next ?
“I have two films in the final stages of planning. My next in Tamil would have Bobby as a police hero pitted against a young, big Telugu hero as the villain. By Oct-Nov, we plan to start.”
Best wishes Sarath.
Interviewed by Kaushik LM
