Vijay Antony interview on ‘Hitler’: I don’t have any political agenda

Vijay Antony in a nonetheless from ‘Hitler’
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

Vijay Antony is inarguably a trendsetter; in any case, his largest hit tune as a composer, ‘Naakka Mukka’, begins with a line prophesying it to be the “large hit of the 12 months” and for his latest movie’s promotion, he has pulled off one thing distinctive. The standard PR-driven interviews of celebrities for promotions occur on the similar spot, giving them a template look. Perturbed by this, Vijay, together with an artwork director and his group, created a dynamic set-up the place the whole feel and appear of the interview room is modified for each interview, and the whole lot from the chair and promotional posters within the background to the lights are modified to ensure every video appears to be like distinctive.

“As we develop and acquire data in cinema, I’m additionally studying how vital publicity is. I realised in my earlier movie interviews that each one of them occurred in the identical room, and people movies appeared weak and lacked depth. I wished to present the standard individuals see in movies wherever I seem, and preserve a regular throughout these promotions too,” says Vijay who’s gearing up for his newest launch, Hitler.

Vijay nonetheless persistently releases a number of movies yearly, a follow that was prevalent a few a long time in the past amongst most actors. He calls it a product of circumstances past his management, “The movies I produced have been launched on time, however a few of my different movies have been delayed. So when they’re lastly launched, the span between the movies will get lowered. Although that was not the plan, I don’t see something improper with it.”

Vijay Antony
| Photograph Credit score:
Johan Sathya Das

“If the movie is sweet, it would change into a blockbuster regardless of its launch date. Viswasam and Petta which have been launched on the identical day, and each turned hits. If two Rajini sir or Vijay sir movies come out on the identical day, they are going to change into blockbusters. It’s content material that issues probably the most. I make sure that no less than a niche of 4 months is there between two of my releases; that’s when a movie could be promoted nicely,” he provides.

Taking part in the satan’s advocate, I ask Vijay if this would possibly result in over-exposure and he retorts the way it boils all the way down to the energy of the content material. He solutions, “No matter how usually your titles launch, what the film talks about and whether or not it’s entertaining for the viewers is all that issues. All I care about throughout narration is how good the story and screenplay is. In Romeo, the feminine lead character doesn’t like her husband and people round him would make enjoyable of him. However the husband loves her and sacrifices loads, so I see Romeo in the identical vein as Pichaikkaran,” says Vijay as he segues into why that’s the USP of Hitler. “If a wrongdoer calls one other man a nasty particular person, then who’s he? He should be an excellent man. For the evil-doers, this movie’s protagonist is a Hitler.”

“If Mani Ratnam sir had given an opportunity to an individual (Hitler’s director Dana SA) to help him, it means there’s loads of worth in him. I loved his earlier movie Vaanam Kottattum and if he’s coming to me with an motion script, I believed I may settle for it with confidence,” says Vijay who calls Hitler a political movie. “I personally don’t have any political agenda and I really feel the director would additionally say the identical. The movie solely options political characters and their workings,” he provides.

“A movie that runs nicely is what I’d name a business movie. Romeo is a movie the place I attempted comedy after India Pakistan. Pichaikkaran was excessive on feelings and Kolaigaran was a thriller. I don’t care a couple of movie’s style,” says Vijay. Ask him how he differentiates his characters in all of the thrillers he’s acted in — a style he appears to choose — and he replies, “I don’t do something. There’s discuss that I intervene in a movie’s manufacturing. But when I’m the producer, I have to take heed to the story and work out the price range; generally, I’m the music director and at instances editor as nicely. So I keep on with what I ought to be doing, however I don’t give any enter on how a movie ought to be.”

Vijay Antony
| Photograph Credit score:
Johan Sathya Das

Vijay can also be a producer who has predictions on how the business will form itself quickly, “There received’t be something referred to as big-budget movies sooner or later, as most movies would depend on robust content material as a substitute. Solely inexperienced producers would possibly discover themselves locked in by giving big salaries to actors. There have been instances when a high quality movie like Sethudidn’t discover consumers for a 12 months, however quickly, those that perceive the craft and enterprise will succeed.”

Vijay, whose interviews are going viral for the philosophical ideas he infuses them with, concludes by saying, “We’re all like cotton balls bursting from the plant, being taken the place the wind takes us. Once we attempt to go in opposition to it and fail, we go into melancholy and anxiousness. Each scenario will change us, however now we have to maintain going by means of them. Once we hold our concentrate on one specific side, we’d lose the higher ones that come our manner. So protecting expectations low and dealing in the direction of what we would like seems like the way in which to go.”

Hitler is releasing in theatres on September 27, 2024