Elan made his directorial debut in 2018 with Pyaar Prema Kaadhal, and now made his debut as an actor with the recently released Pyaar Prema Kalyanam, which he also helmed. “I always wanted to be in front of the camera. I wrote Pyaar Prema Kaadhal with myself as the lead. The estimated budget for that film at the time was around 2 crores. Nobody was willing to invest that kind of money for a newcomer lead actor back then. So, I decided to prove myself as a director first. Luckily, I was able to do that with my third film,” says Elan.
Pyaar Prema Kalyanam flips the conventions and looks at the trials and tribulations the groom has to go through when he moves in with his in-laws instead of the bride. Elan says he sat down with his mother and his sister-in-law and heard both sides of the argument for research. The director-turned-actor also reveals that he worked with an acting coach and rehearsed with his co-star Saanve Megghana to prepare for the role. Saanve adds, “Sometimes, when I am delivering a line to Elan’s character, he would just blankly stare. I later realised that he has switched to director mode and is focusing on whether my performance was working or not. That was distracting at first, but then he learned how to switch modes with ease.” Being in front of the camera for the first time, Elan was surprised by the world of actors. “I used to question why actors needed so many breaks, but once you have to be in front of the camera, every small discomfort shows on your face. If you don’t have good sleep, if you don’t relax, the fatigue shows up on camera. So, you need your naps and showers. I get it now,” says Elan.
On the other hand, Saanve’s preparation was less about acting skills and more about language skills. “My mother tongue is Telugu, so I initially struggled with Tamil. Even during the promotional rounds for Kudumbasthan I used to get nervous. But, since then, I have started taking lessons for Tamil and now I am much more confident, enough to dub for my own lines,” says Saanve. Speaking about the themes of the film, Saanve says, “Any marriage would only survive if the couple discuss their preferences before they tie the knot. Something as important as who should move into whose house should be discussed beforehand to avoid drama. Any story needs a conflict to drive the narrative and this simple miscommunication provides that in the film.”
As a self-proclaimed fan of composer Yuvan Shankar Raja, and as someone who recently took the plunge into acting from behind the camera, Elan gives a curious reply about whether he would like to have Yuvan on board as an actor in one of his films. Elan replies, “This might surprise you, but I actually told Yuvan sir that he should never become an actor. Being a prominent figure in the film industry, he would constantly get acting offers. But I know that he is not interested, and I don’t want the peer pressure to get to him. Also, music is his strength, so let him do what he is most comfortable with.”
Pyaar Prema Kalyanam skipped theatres and started streaming on Netflix. Speaking about the OTT experience, Elan says, “I am disappointed that I won’t get to hear the live audience reaction, but OTT is the future. Theatres won’t disappear, but both will thrive.” Elan further denies any creative restrictions from the streaming platform. “They have their own standards, but they did not make any changes to the script.” Even though he finally realised his acting dreams, Elan is clear about his plans for the future. “I will never give up direction. My dream is to direct one film and act in one film every year, but we will see where it goes.” Currently working on an action-drama, Elan’s dream project happens to be further down the road. “I would love to remake the 1967 film Athey Kangal, and make it an ensemble murder mystery in the lines of the Knives Out franchise.”
