Santhosh Nayaranan on his favourite collaborators: Pa Ranjith, Nalan Kumarasamy and Karthik Subbaraj

Santhosh Narayanan, who spoke in a Twitter space interaction organised as a part of his birthday celebrations on Saturday, was answering questions from the audience. Answering to the question on how he adapts to a culture or setting that is alien to him in a film, Santhosh said, "Empathy is the key. You can't have art when you refuse to celebrate the differences. I try to understand the story of the soil and learn from the local music talents."

He then spoke about his frequent collaborators in directors and shared why they are important. Santhosh started with his debut film's director Pa Ranjith. "He always believes in the spirit of unity and often says,' Makkal ellarum onna aaganum maame.' Though his anger on inequality is projected outside, the creator in him as powerful as his identity as a social reformer." About Nalan Kumarasamy he said, "He is one of the most positive souls I have ever met. He trusts everything with all his heart. He loves people and believes it is filled with good, giving people." Finally, the composer opened up about Karthik Subbaraj and called him the most important filmmaker of this time. "He is a perfect balance of class and mass cinema. He is the most necessary filmmaker of our times."