When he was a student of engineering, Ashok watched Anbe Sivam. Till then, he had been a fan of stars, not actors, and mass fare versus classy outings at the turnstiles. As he left the theatre in his hometown of Salem, it rained, and he waited in the foyer, only to hear everyone else badmouth the film. He was hurt that a sensible, sensitive movie was being dissed. That day, Ashok, a member of the audience, was reborn.
He went back and watched movies made by the masters across the globe, and starring performers. He educated himself in engineering by day and in cinema during his free time. The passion to make movies stayed with him through stints in the software industry, and a course in a film institute in Chennai. Finally, in 2013, after he was married, Ashok took the plunge. Some short films later, he took part in Naalaya Iyakunar, and made films including Mann, about a farmer and his son who aspires to be a pilot, and reached the finals in 2013. All these experiences and his education have been put up for public scrutiny with Peechaankai, which released yesterday.
The trailer of the film puts it in the quirky zone. And, the audience has been educated about Alien Hand Syndrome (AHS). “The first feature script I wrote was a psychological thriller, but my third script was filmed first! When I approached producers with my short films, they all felt that I must make my debut with a commercial film. That’s Peechaankai,” says Ashok. The film, shot in 38 days in and around Chennai, revolves around a left-handed pickpocket and what happens when he develops AHS. “I was very impressed by Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom and wanted to write a script based on a medical condition. That’s when I chanced upon AHS. Then I wondered whose life would change dramatically if the hand developed a mind of its own. I thought a pickpocket would suit the story, as the character would allow me to add elements of crime and a dash of darkness, besides some slapstick humour,” says Ashok.
For casting, the young team drew up a list of character requirements, and waited patiently till the right person came along. Lead actor RS Karthiik has been a part of Ashok’s short films too, and the director had always wanted to work with him. “Many of our actors were young and hungry for work. It helped the creative process,” he says.
Since it was his first feature, Ashok shot the same script as a half-hour film, so that the transition to making a full-length film was easier. “Pace is very important in this film, and I wanted to see if it worked like I’d imagined it. The film goes through different paces, but every scene has a funny moment,” he shares.
Peechaankai’s music by Balamurali Balu has been well received. Ashok says Balu worked extra hard to come up with a different kind of theme for every character. “We recorded the music after the rough cut. Based on that, we re-edited the film, so that the sync is better.”
It took a bad review for a good film to set Ashok on the path of cinema. He hopes good reviews for good films will bring other hopefuls to the industry.