Director Ponram is collaborating with actor R Sarathkumar for the first time in his career in the upcoming film Kombuseevi. If the promotional materials for the film are anything to go by, Sarathkumar is playing a character with an element of humour in the film—a refreshing change of pace for the actor after his recent appearances in serious roles. Even Ponram had this image of a serious actor in mind when he approached Sarathkumar for a role in Kombuseevi. "I was scared to meet him for the first time to narrate the story," Ponram said while speaking exclusively to CE about his upcoming film. He went on to add that Sarathkumar has a childlike enthusiasm about him. "Sarathkumar sir is always in a jolly mood. He stays a child for most of the time," the filmmaker revealed.
While Sarathkumar also played a minister with a casteist mindset in the recent blockbuster Dude, breaking out of his recent serious actor image with plenty of humorous moments, Kombuseevi's production started before its release. The film, which also stars Shanmuga Pandian in the main role, is slated for a December 19 release. Reportedly, it tells the story of two friends in Usilampatti, played by Sarathkumar and Shanmuga Pandian, who employ violent ways to keep their village safe. During their conversation with CE, Ponram also talked about the meaning of the word Kombuseevi and how it is placed in the film. The filmmaker revealed that the element that the film is named after is placed in a way that signifies the sense of fervour among people. "When our country evolves, certain rules and regulations will be brought. Everyone will have a sense of fervour at the time they get engaged with the changes," Ponram revealed before saying that the Kombuseevi element represents this aspect.
