Few filmmakers leverage their police background to tell stories of sociopolitical importance as effectively as Tamizh. Both his films, Taanakkaran, which he directed from his own screenplay, and Sirai, for which he served as a writer, offer an unflinching look at the systemic rot in the law enforcement system and the issues that plague society. Unlike many typical commercial entertainers that use cops as macho heroes, Tamizh’s films have them as characters hailing from marginalised backgrounds and ground them in a gritty reality. In an exclusive conversation with CE, Tamizh says, “Many films have cornered minority communities, leading them towards a space of aversion against cinema. I wanted to break this stereotype through my films and make the audience feel empowered enough to confront social injustice.”
While Tamizh acknowledges the need to create these films, he also recognises the importance of making them commercially viable to ensure that producers and heroes continue to show faith in such projects. “Audiences will come back for the film only if it has some commercial value. I was very conscious of ensuring that there are no boring elements while writing Sirai.” There are songs, comedy elements, and a romantic angle placed organically in Sirai. This is an admirable change from his previous film, Taanakkaran, which, while compelling, had songs and a subtle romance element that didn't organically fit in with the narrative. The filmmaker agrees with this assertion, and candidly admits, “I could not divide Taanakkaran appropriately enough for the organic placement of songs because of its massive canvas. Further, the decision to bring in a female actor for a key supporting role was a last-minute choice, considering the commercial viability. Many critics told me that it would have been even better without that romantic angle.”
While Sirai is a significant improvement over Taanakkaran, Tamizh reveals that it is a natural progression in his craft and not the result of a calculated decision to correct and fix past missteps. However, he has always paid heed to a suggestion by Vetri Maaran, whose work his films resemble in spirit. “While working under him, Vetri Maaran sir used to tell me, ‘Show everything that happens in a police station just like that without any change.’ I follow this advice when I write the story for a police drama,” the filmmaker shares as he credits his mentor’s influence on his writing process. Tamizh is also known for his portrayal of a corrupt police officer in Jai Bhim. However, the filmmaker says that he has seen worse people than that during his tenure in law enforcement, which has inspired him to do films such as Taanakkaran and Sirai.
That said, not everything shown in Sirai happened in the same way in real life. “The film echoes reality in just the part where a police officer (Vikram Prabhu) helps a young convict (LK Akshay Kumar) tell his side to the judge and plead for mercy,” says Tamizh, who has no qualms admitting that the tortuous training methods he showed in Taanakkaran only account for a fraction of the reality. “If anything, I have only shown less of it in Taanakkaran. The reality is twofold. In the 1980s and 1990s, trainees suffered way more than our generation. If we listen to the stories of those people, we will have tears in our eyes. Nowadays, training methods have become far less gruelling. If I had shown the whole truth in Taanakkaran, the Censor Board would not let me go,” the filmmaker quips.
On the other hand, he also expresses his gratitude to the audience for ensuring Sirai's success. “We have the classiest audience in India because they celebrate a diverse set of films. Take Sirai itself, for instance. We are able to make such a film because of the faith we have in the audience here. If we give them an interesting film, they will definitely come to the theatres to watch it. At the same time, if a film is too formulaic, it might not suit their sensibilities,” Tamizh adds.
Speaking of which, Sirai also throws darts at the commercialisation of cinema, noticeably at one point where the film subverts the usual trajectory of a cop drama and Vikram Prabhu’s police officer humourously asks a young kid whether he watches too many cop films. Speaking about the treatment of these characters, the filmmaker opines, “Many films deify police officers. The truth is that there are no such cops in real life. There are limitations to inspectors, deputy commissioners and even commissioners. Many do not realise this and write stories with characters having unchecked power.” He goes on to add, “It makes you laugh when a film glorifies even an ordinary police officer. I write such stories with characters who only do things that are in line with the constraints of their rank.”
That said, Tamizh does admire cop dramas with commercial elements as long as they do not take the extreme route. The filmmaker says he is a massive admirer of Shahi Kabir, another police officer-turned-screenwriter-director. “I have seen all of his films, and they stun me. Whether it be Nayattu, Ronth, Joseph, or Officer on Duty. His films are so perfect and true to reality that you want to revere them. I have taken inspiration from such films and confidently written stories for my films.”
Up next, Tamizh will offer to the audience a film with a story unlike his filmography thus far. Speaking of Marshal, starring Karthi, he says, “Two production schedules of the film have been completed. After the Pongal season, we are getting into the third one, with a plan to bring it to theatres in Diwali this year.”
Meanwhile, Sirai is set to start streaming on ZEE5 from January 23 onwards.