Director Elan, who made his directorial debut with Pyaar Prema Kaadhal, is now all set to make his acting debut with his third directorial venture, Pyaar Prema Kalyanam. The film is gearing up to premiere on Netflix on August 21.
Ahead of the film's premiere, the filmmaker has opened up about Rajinikanth’s larger-than-life influence on Tamil cinema, his own childhood ambition to become an actor and the personal reason behind making Star. In a recent interview with Sudhir Srinivasan, Elan also explained why his films tend to be more story-driven despite being centred on protagonists who aspire to become heroes.
Discussing why many up-and-coming actors, like Pradeep Ranganathan, seem to emulate Rajinikanth, Elan said the superstar’s influence is so deeply ingrained in audiences that even the smallest mannerisms can evoke him. He pointed out that while making his own film, he would consciously check every shot to see whether he resembled Rajinikanth.
“Even if you simply stand still, people feel that you look like him,” Elan said, adding that he and his team consciously tried to find a way around those familiar associations. According to the director, Rajinikanth possesses a quality that cannot be easily explained. “There is a kind of magnet in his name itself. It is an unexplainable magnet,” he said.
Elan, however, clarified that his filmmaking sensibilities do not necessarily stem from the conventional template of a Rajinikanth film. He said his preference is for stories that bring out the actor in a star rather than relying solely on hero elevation. Interestingly, he revealed that Thalapathi is among his favourite Rajinikanth films, particularly because it showcases the performer beyond his superstar image.
The filmmaker also praised Rajinikanth’s recent work, saying he enjoyed his performance in Coolie and particularly appreciated the actor’s look and the different shades he brought to the role. “Even in his latest film, Coolie, I thought Rajini sir performed very differently and wonderfully. He looked fantastic too. I really like films like that. So maybe because of that difference in taste, my films also end up being the way they are," he said.
Elan stars alongside Saanve Megghana, Radikaa Sarathkumar, Geetha Kailasam, MS Bhaskar and Elango Kumaravel, among others, in Pyaar Prema Kalyanam.
