Our country is one of the youngest in the world. Our youngsters need to be told inspirational stories.Collection: Inspirational
I'd love to take up organic vegetable gardening, do anything that involves learning.Collection: Gardening
There is a cheat inside everyone.
I have been a huge fan of Gautham; I remember him editing 'Kaakha Kaakha' and I used to pray for it to become a superhit.
I adore Vetri's work since 'Polladhavan;' I have even called him in the middle of the night to tell him what an amazing film he has made.
I wrote 'Paava Kadhaigal' the same way I wrote my feature films 'Irudhi Sutru' or 'Soorarai Potru.' I was more honest in this film rather, because you can afford to be real and get away with it.
I interviewed around 20 women boxers and all of them told me they learnt boxing to get a job. At one point, I asked one boxer if she had the passion for sports. She told me 'put some food in my belly and I'll talk about passion.'
I revisit stories and see if they are still living and breathing, because if you do a film you live with that story for another year. I can't do a film in six months and scoot.
I've been in the industry for 17 years. I am over that phase of wanting my first watch, car etc.
If at all I make films till I die, I want to make ones that last.
Every year, I go to Suriya's house to tie Rakhi on Raksha Bandhan. On one such day, he asked me if I have a script in hand and that's when I gave him the half-completed script of 'Soorarai Pottru.'
I love Aparna Sen. I've watched '36 Chowringhee Lane' too many times to count.
Cooking is my vice.
I used to be a huge fan of Francis Ford Coppola.
There is a deep sense of satisfaction in knowing that you know how to do your job and can go on to the next film with confidence.
You can never predict success. You can never predict another person liking what you are doing. But if you are an interesting storyteller and if you strike the right chord, perhaps you will be understood.
I think direction per se is your voice, your style.
I have this huge dossier on sports that I had collected over 10 years. Every human interest story has been cut out and filed away.
While working on 'Yuva,' I wanted Suriya to be the best among all the three actors in the film. I have always loved him as an actor.
I myself have been an underdog. I never got anything easy in the film industry.
The other day, someone told me that all my life I will be telling the stories of underdogs. Their stories always appeal to me.
Chennai has changed a lot. I knew Adyar as a village which has now become the heart of the metropolis. But my heart still beats for the old Madras.
Even now I stay in a small village called Nanmangalam near Pallavaram. The place is so calm and beautiful and it is close to the city too. So I have no problems in living there.
Thanks to the magic word 'success,' which changes anyone's fortunes for good, I am not the same Sudha as I was seven years ago.
It's criminal to make a film and not see it release.
I can't make a movie where I can't learn. I'd die of boredom.
I loved Kathryn Bigelow's 'Zero Dark Thirty;' my favorite films are 'The Godfather,' 'Kill Bill: Volume 2'... I dig Tarantino's works.
Directing Suriya is a joy. He was my first and last choice for the role of Capt. Gopinath.
I've lived in Chennai from childhood. But, honestly, I didn't know the Royapuram side at all.
A director is a director. Man or woman should matter little.
After watching 'Pagal Nilavu' I decided Mani Ratnam should be my mentor and joined him.
We are a film-crazy family.
Mani is not just my Godfather. He is almost like a father to me.
'Drohi' is a thriller, quite action-oriented, at times, even violent, but blood will not be spilt at the drop of a hat.
I have made an honest attempt in 'Drohi.' Thanks to the support from the producer Mano Akkineni and the lessons I learnt from Mani sir, the film has come out well.
The traits I picked from my conversation with Captain Gopinath was his honesty. He was completely possessed at each stage by what he was doing. When he was in the army, he was possessed there. He was possessed when he started Udupi hotel or while doing agriculture. He is a perfectionist and he is very impatient.
Each story in 'Paava Kadhaigal' explores human relationships from a perspective that it has never been looked at before - how far would one go in the name of honor.
It really feels special to know that 'Irudhi Suttru' has been selected to be screened at Tokyo Film Festival. I see this honor as an impetus to continue doing my good work.
It's easier to lose weight and have a physique of a 19-year-old, but it's not easy to look 19.
There's so much drama in the lives of boxers. It's a contact sport and everyday they beat up people for a living.
Directing a movie is one of the toughest tasks.