In recent times, Tamil cinema has explored delivering mind-bending high-concept films with varying levels of successes. One of the highlights of this phase was Venkat Prabhu-Silambarasan TR's Maanaadu (2021). Interestingly, the time-loop film based the science on the supernatural. In Adhik Ravichandran's Mark Antony (2023), which once again dealt with the idea of time, its loop and travel, wasted no time in explanations and drew us right into the world that had equal amounts of science, cacophony, and comedy. Debut director Rajavel's Housemates, without a star-driven cast, mixes horror and science without compromising on the entertainment value. "Honestly, I was looking for an easy way out, but I wasn't able to find any spiritual stories that aligned with my story," he begins.
Rajavel reveals that Housemates didn't start off on the idea of the sci-fi-related aspect. "I had written down multiple ideas. We had one thing clear: Kaali Venkat sir's family and Darshan's family live in the same house, but there's a catch. I was finding justifications for this catch to make sense. That was when I included the sci-fi part of it. Given the exposure to all the global content, I was hopeful that people would understand," says Rajavel, addin that he would have still proceeded with Housemates even if he hadn't cracked the scientific aspect. "I believed in the emotional core that the universe decided to converge the lives of these families for a greater purpose. That was enough for me to go ahead with the film anyway."
In addition to the risk of trying to sell the idea of a simple sci-fi film, Housemates also has a 30-40 minute long red herring involving clichéd horror routine in the first half. In fact, these clichés almost made the audience dismissive of the film. But Rajavel believes that it was a necessary gamble. "I had to take that risk. I knew that people would forgive me for those portions with my interval reveal. Also, as a writer, I respect people's intelligence. Had I depicted apparitions or a gory-looking ghost in pursuit of making the first 30-minute horror stretch interesting, that would be taking the audience for granted. Also, it would make the first and second halves look like two different films, creating a dissonance in the audience. So I had to restrict myself to the scares generated by the pulling of the cupboard, the TV switching on automatically, and the tap turning on and off by itself. That way I can link these oddities to the second half and justify my concept."
Rajavel confesses that he is not a fan of horror movies and that he has only watched a few films of the genre. This is a shocking statement on several levels, as he flirts with horror in Housemates and was also a part of the writing team of the successful and novel Ajay Gnanamuthu film, Demonte Colony. "Unique concepts and stories within the horror genre fascinate me. But I am not a fan of the genre. At least not the ones with the clichéd possession-exorcism storylines. The horror employed in Demonte Colony and Housemates is unique. Truth be told, I watched a lot of popular horror films only before I wrote Housemates. Films such as The Sixth Sense and Insidious define my taste in the genre."
Recounting the multi-pronged challenges he faced during production and post-production, Rajavel says that it was an enriching experience on the whole. The film demanded peculiar performances, and he credits his stint as an assistant director with Ajay Gnanamuthu for his preparedness. "Performance-wise, the actors faced teething troubles as they had to emote facing a wall with no reaction on the other end to respond. I did a test shoot with my assistant directors and made them enact the interval scene. I used the footage as my instruction manual to let the actors know exactly what I needed. There was confusion for 3-4 days, and from then on, it was smooth sailing. On the post-production side, I had to ensure that Kaali Venkat sir's portions were in sync with 2012 Chennai. Despite most of the drama unfolding within the confines of the home, there is a substantial amount of outdoor scenes as well. Focus was needed on the CG front, where cars and bikes of the current period had to be cut out. Also, the metro rail works in the background, too, and had to be removed. So it was a task. Having worked in close quarters with Ajay Gnanamuthu sir, seeing him get involved himself hands-on in every department, it wasn't too much for me to handle."
A grateful Rajavel says that a fair share of the praises hailing Housemates as a unique film goes to his mentor Ajay as he always encouraged out-of-the-box ideas. He thinks that being a good writer with interesting ideas is the first step and a non-negotiable step in becoming a good director, and that Ajay always gave him a free hand as a writer. "My Demonte Colony experience helped in setting the mood for creating scares in Housemates. Though horror is not my cup of tea, Ajay sir's innovations within the genre kept me invested. As a part of his writing team, I never faced any creative inhibitions; I could discuss all sorts of fresh ideas with him. This platform he laid to express myself freely, encouraged me to hone myself as a writer. More than anything else, I want to be known for my writing. A well-written script can any day compensate for an average making, but not the other way round."