Director Ranjit Jeyakodi, who is almost a week into filming his next with Arjun Das, throws more than a few adjectives to define his film, to emphasise how it is beyond the boundaries of its genre. “It is a wholesome, light-hearted, family entertainer, and there is of course romance.” The director refuses to define his film within the conventional framework of one particular genre. “Tamil cinema is its own genre. And so is every other language’s film industry in India."

Ranjit’s observational skills turns inwards as he explores the one aspect threading its way through his filmography. “At the core of my films, you will always find a question,” he says, before adding, “Puriyatha Puthir (2017) revolves around the question, would you treat your loved ones the same careless silly way you treat others in the name of closeness? And for Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum (2019), is it really love when we can suddenly hate our partner? How far can we go for revenge? Is the question at the heart of Michael (2023).” The upcoming yet-to-be-titled film is also spun around a question but the director admits it might be too early to talk about plot intricacies. 

While his stories are chasing questions, Ranjit’s casting goes after contrasts. The director says he cast Vijay Sethupathi for Puriyatha Puthir at a time when the actor was not known for “urban, upper-class roles.” And he roped in Harish Kalyan when he was not known for doing “rugged aggressive roles.” before Ispade Rajavum… The same goes for Sundeep Kishan who has not done a full-fledged action film before Michael. Ranjit continues, “Arjun Das is a charming guy who always sports a smile when you meet him. He is the exact opposite of the kind of roles he is usually seen in. I wanted to bring that aspect of him in my film.” The director then adds that he first narrated an action film to Arjun Das before deciding against it. 

Ranjit says he always wanted to make a film with a huge ensemble cast, and this time around, he wanted to explore a lighter tone. The yet-to-be-titled film also stars KS Ravikumar, Preethi Pagadala, Yogi Babu, Bala Saravanan, and takes place in cities like Trichy, Chennai, and Mumbai. “There is an element of travel in the film as well,” says the director before concluding, “I’ve always wanted to surprise the audience with what I can do. This film with Arjun Das has a lighter tone than I’m used to. I’m not sure how to describe it with a genre. So let’s just say it’s a ‘happy film.’”