Director SJ Arjun : Soodhu Kavvum 3 will be about the triumph of virtue

A decade after the success of Nalan Kumarasamy's dark comedy film Soodhu Kavvum, the makers announced a sequel starring Shiva in the lead. The Soodhu Kavvum 2 teaser, which was recently released, tells us that the sequel has retained the wackiness of the original.

Soodhu Kavvum 2: Naadum Naattu Makkalum is expected to release this summer. Director SJ Arjun, who directed the 2017 action comedy, Yung Mung Sung, is helming the upcoming sequel. In a freewheeling chat with CE, Arjun talks about his Soodhu Kavvum 2 experience, casting choices, how far he was allowed to experiment, and his approach towards filmmaking.

Arjun has developed the script for the sequel based on an original idea by Nalan Kumarasamy. On why he chose to direct a sequel to a well-known film instead of working on his original ideas, Arjun says, "I was planning to work on an original script before I was approached for the Soodhu Kavvum sequel. I opted for it as I may not get this opportunity to work on a franchise like this again."

He then goes on to explain the difficulties of adapting to the sensibilities of a celebrated film. "Though I was excited, I wasn't sure how well I would fit into this world. I told producer CV Kumar to let me finish the writing first before seeing if I was the right person for the job. Whenever I came up with a scene, he would tell me if it fits the mood of the Soodhu Kavvum franchise. Nalan Kumarasamy's assistants were also of great help when I was in the scripting stage, which took me three years to finish," he elaborates.

Opening up on his casting choices, he says replacing Vijay Sethupathi's Das was challenging, but the script required it. Arjun then talks about how he prepared his cast for their roles. "To keep it simple for the newcomers, I gave them descriptions about their characters first and then narrated the story once they were clear about their roles. Shiva's Gurunath will look fresh. I have pruned his innate humour. He will sport an aged look, he does something he hasn't done," he adds.

Shiva, in a recent media appearance, revealed that Soodhu Kavvum 2's story unfolds in different time periods. When asked if his experience working as a writer in Mark Antony, which also deals with several timelines, helped design the world of Soodhu Kavvum 2, the director explains, "The film takes place from 1987, 2008, and the present. Though the idea of equipping characters with various weapons is similar to Mark Antony, Shiva's Gurunath doesn't even harm ants. Since Soodhu Kavvum 2 revolves around three time periods, Gurunath is impacted by the deeds of Arumai Pragasam (Karunakaran) and Das (Vijay Sethupathi), thereby establishing a connection with the first part."

Arjun was also part of the writing teams of Raatchasan and Indru Netru Naalai. As someone who has worked in both lighthearted films and gripping thrillers, we asked how he alternates between the contrasting moods of the different genres he has worked on. "I don't believe in sticking to one genre. I have three scripts of different genres with me now. I will go with the one the producer prefers." He then adds, "I don't have a reservoir of movie ideas. I gather plotlines from things I read on the go."

On what awaits fans of the original Soodhu Kavvum in the sequel, Arjun says, "Part two will replicate the absurd humor and other entertaining factors of the first installment." In addition to that, he says that the film has an important point to convey about current issues. "The film will also contain a message regarding the upcoming Lok Sabha elections." However, he assures that the message will be organic and not preachy.

Regarding the future of the Soodhu Kavvum franchise, Arjun replies, "The title Soodhu Kavvum is derived from the Tamil maxim 'Dharmathin Vaazhvu Thanai Soodhu Kavvum Meendum Dharmame Vellum', the Dharmame Vellum part is what part three will be about." When asked if the third addition to the franchise would be about the retribution for all the wrongdoings committed by the characters in the first two films, the director says "yes" and signs off with a smile.