Didn't make compromises, I was aiming for 'A' certificate: Hot Spot director Vignesh Karthick

As Hot Spot is gearing up for release this Friday, director Vignesh Karthick got candid with CE. He opens up about what the film is and how he wants the audience to approach it.

We asked if Vignesh had treated the movie like an anthology, as the trailer shows four couples facing different conundrums. He says, "While I have made the movie with four different stories, there is a common thread bringing the stories together."

Elaborating on the four stories, he added, "One story is about a newly married couple doing a role reversal, with the husband tying the knot and starting to live in his wife's house. This story questions the norm that necessitates a girl to live with her in-laws and adapt to their conditions in the snap of a finger. So I wanted a male to go through this exercise in order to understand the pressure a woman faces." He further added that another story of an over-possessive boyfriend will take a feminist angle.

When asked if the film will also speak from the point-of-view of the men to even things out, Vignesh denied saying, "I believe in equality in the strictest sense. One-upmanship attitude is wrong both in a man and a woman. These two stories will be told with a feminist undercurrent."

Talking about the other two stories, the Adiyae director says the segment with Kalaiyarasan talks about the toxicity of reality shows and how they take away a child's innocence. "Children are made to say jokes laced with sexual innuendos in some shows and are made to stay late hours depriving them of sleep. This story talks about the perils of raising a child in a world designed for adults." According to the director, another segment of the film talks about the controversial boundaries of endogamy.

Vignesh believes all the stories and their resolutions will impart an important message to everyone of every age. " I am mindful of all the social media backlash. But the movie will have answers to all their questions and objections."

Unlike many directors, who would prefer a commercially viable censor rating like U/A, Vignesh says he wanted an A certificate. "I know my target audience is above 18, so I wanted an A certificate all along. I made no compromises to obtain a U/A certificate. Hot Spot may undergo a few more cuts for the television, but I want to primarily cater to the theatre and OTT audience," Vignesh signs off.