31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Today, audiences don't have patience to sit through a film with a long runtime: Arul Ajit
Arul Ajit is making his directorial debut with an investigative thriller, titled Kayilan. The film, which was previously titled Idumbankaari , is led by
, who plays an NIA officer, and Ramya Paandiyan, whose role is that of a news channel's editor.
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Explaining why the film's title was changed, Ajit says, ' Kayilan means a person with zero errors. We started the film three years ago and the audience's taste changes every year. So, we thought the title had to be catchy and easy to pronounce,' the filmmaker shares.
'MANOBALA SIR COULD PLAY A HUMOROUS ROLE AND ALSO CONVEY A SERIOUS MESSAGE'
Apart from the leads, a prominent actor who will be seen in the film is late actor Manobala.
'He dubbed for the film one week before his passing. He knew the pulse of directors because he himself was one and a producer, too. Even though he played a small role, his guidance was of great help to us. His death was a big loss for the industry,' he shares, adding, 'No one can take his place because he could play a humorous role and also convey a serious message through his character.
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'THE CONCEPT OF SPOON-FEEDING ISN'T THERE IN FILMS ANYMORE'
Delving into how different investigative thrillers have become over time, Ajit says, 'I really like modern investigative thrillers like Por Thozhil and Irumbu Thirai .
They are fastpaced, unlike erstwhile films of this genre.
The concept of spoon-feeding isn't there anymore. Today, audiences are interested in what happens next and don't have the patience to sit through a film with a long runtime. So, the faster the film, the better.'
'A VERY EDGE-OF-THESEAT THRILLER CANNOT CATER TO ALL CENTRES'
Ajit says he was clear about the kind of a film he was setting out to make and its target audience. 'The production house said we could do a commercial film that also has a message. But it shouldn't come across as preachy. When we make an edge-of-the-seat thriller, it cannot cater to A, B and C centres. So, our target audience is a certain age bracket,' he reveals.
