Debutant director Veludoss Gnanasambandam is thrilled with the positive reception for his film, Aakam, which, according to the makers, is getting more screens this week.

The filmmaker who worked as an associate with director Kalanjiyam, says that choosing North Madras as the backdrop of his film was the producers’ choice. “I originally had South Madras in mind for my script, but they suggested this change. It meant a slight alteration to the script, but in hindsight, it was the right choice.”

The film was shot live in North Madras, which Veludoss feels, made his film feel real. “The filming was demanding as the unit had to shoot amidst a noisy crowd. But then, that’s the price you pay for realism.”

He says the inspiration for his plot stemmed from his own experience, when he saw a mother and her teenage son dancing merrily at the funeral of a relative. “My protagonist frets and fumes at his life, but the girl in his life tries to make life better for their child,” he says.

The director says that his next film will also be about the poor.