Dragon Director Aswath Marimuthu Dissects His Craft

Ashwath Marimuthu, Unplugged: The Dragon Director On Making An Audience Favourite

'Heroes might get a second chance in movies, but not real people,' the filmmaker tells Subha J Rao in this freewheeling chat.

ASHWATH MARIMUTHU’s Pradeep Ranganathan-starrer Dragon joins the list of rare films that have dropped on OTT (Netflix) even while doing very well in theatres. The story of a student trying to be cool in college and skipping classes, but finally getting back to earn his degree has struck a chord with many, across rural and urban settings. At one level, if the film is about youth and second chances, at others, it is about parental acceptance, how teachers can be positive influences, and how even when love flies out of the window, care remains. Individuals on social media have shared how they were inspired to clear their college arrears after watching the film.

The filmmaker was a finalist in Naalaya Iyakkunar , the seminal TV show that set about identifying tomorrow’s directors for Tamil, and he made his debut with the much-acclaimed Oh My Kadavule , which also spoke about getting the opportunity to set right a wrong. In fact, after Dragon ’s release, many have gone back to revising his shorts from the show. Edited excerpts from a freewheeling conversation:

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Both your features have been about second chances. If one was for love, the other is for education. Do you personally believe in second chances?

I don’t. Which is what my films say. Heroes might get a second chance in movies, but not real people. I’d rather people are aware of their surroundings, be wise and figure life out.

Dragon elicited polarised reactions, especially after the trailer and the release. Did any reaction move you immensely?

I cut the trailer the way I did because I did not want the surprise to be revealed. Which is why the perspective about the movie changed upon release. It was made with a lot of compassion. People felt it was justified when Raghavan had to get back to college to rectify his past.

The feedback has been amazing among youth and family audiences. A 70-year-old grandmother, a cancer survivor, saw me at Apollo Hospital and told me she had watched the film in the theatre and that it had restored her faith in humanity.

The middle class audience loves the film because, at some level, it shows that it was possible to be successful without hurting others on the way to the top. It also speaks of the dignity of labour and hard work.

What kind of freedom does commercial success give you in terms of pushing the envelope when it comes to stories and budgets? I remember creative producer Archana Kalpathi mentioning in passing that the next time around, there’s no ceiling on the budget when it comes to you…

Ah! [laughs]. Archana ma'am said that yes, but as a creator, I need to stick to a budget. She trusts me to not go over budget. After a success, budgets will become bigger, your value increases, but at the end of the day, what the budget is will be decided by the scope of the film. I can also make a film with a much lesser budget than Dragon . The content will decide the budget, not the other way around. That will not work. I will stick to what people call my success formula.

The pivot around which the film revolves after a point is Principal Mayilvahanan, played beautifully by Mysskin . This is also the kind of subtle role he’s really not got so far.

I wanted to showcase a well-read [he browses an Osamu Dazai manga in the car] person, a righteous guy. And I wanted him to be subtle. I did not want him to open his eyes fully, like in other films, and wanted him to be subtle, with a matte spectacle frame. Also, when you cast Mysskin, you can write his character as being unpredictable, and no one will really mind. Raghavan can be the hero on paper, but it is the principal who helps him see the hero inside him.

For instance, I could not have cast someone like Nasser sir and write that the character will give his daughter in marriage to his former student. Because he does not give you the vibe of unpredictability. I can do that with Mysskin, because he’s so unpredictable in real life. His personal image adds to the role.

The same applies for Mariam George sir, who plays the father Dhanapal. His body language is enough to show you how naive he is. These two characters are important for the film shaping up the way it did.

Let’s speak about Principal Mayilvahanan. He’s not a negative character, but he creates turmoil in Raghavan’s life. There’s a quiet dignity about him, he’s almost a father-figure. He’s conscientious, and your writing respects that.

After I wrote Raghavan’s role, when I was creating his universe, Mayilvahanan walked in. I liked the premise — a principal and a student who had thrown away his ID card meeting at different phases of life. The principal is someone with a firm sense of right and wrong, he’s ethical, and even though he’s overturned Raghavan’s life, he does not want him to fail. He sees his students as his children, and does not want them to falter. He just wants Raghavan to raise an edifice on a proper foundation, with an original degree.

You’ve said parts of Dragon are drawn from your life. You’d also posted about crashing in friends’ rooms, as in the movie, and they helping you with money to make short films.

Yes, those are indeed from my life. Also, both the principal’s character and the father are based on people I know — my college principal and my father. I got the dressing style for the principal, with the trousers tucked in, and a golden spectacle frame from him. The loose checked shirts, the cloth jolna [ jhola or bag] and the gait for Dhanapal came from my father.

Speaking of Dhanapal, we have not seen too many instances of father-son bonding on screen. This was refreshing in a very understated way.

That’s again my life. He’s a child born after a delay, and so the parents dote on him. They pin their hopes on him, but there’s no pressure. My father would always tell me that “It’s okay, look after your health, that’s important.” even during crises. That’s the kind of father I have seen and experienced, which is why Dhanapal is written that way. He’s someone who accepts his son, without judgement.

Ashwath, you’re known for taking along your people, be it composer Leon James, actors from Naalaya Iyakkunar to Oh My Kadavule! , or Pradeep who is your friend from college. This fierce loyalty, where does that come from?

Simple. I think that you cannot leave behind people who were with you at your weakest. When no one else was willing to work with me, Leon gave me his all for OMK , and that music was lovely. Why break that combo? He understands that I tell a story through a song. When you communicate an idea to the composer, he will give you his 200 percent. Now people don’t want to break this combo, but I want Leon to work with other directors too, the same way he wants me to work with other composers. It’s a beautiful process.

I think taking along your people is a reflection of the person you are. I don’t like letting people down. Now, I am in a position to lend a hand to some people, and I must. As for Pradeep, after giving a 100-crore hit in Love Today , he wanted to work with me. I think I’ve given him a film that meets my sensibilities, but also one that satisfies his Love Today fans.

Two hits, the latest of which is a blockbuster… is it pressure or responsibility?

I would say, it is a pleasure. The audience backs someone trying to tell a certain type of story, with a certain responsibility in place. What else does a director need?

Watching Naalaya Iyakkunar , your clarity of thought at that young age, despite no real experience in the industry, shone. Even recently, KG Jayavel, who produced the show, spoke about it. Where did that come from?

Ah, I’m grateful people feel that way. I think I was driven by the desire to make movies with the available resources, and had to take decisions on a daily basis. It is also how one is raised, and the emotional backing they have. That removes confusion.

OMK was remade in Telugu ( Ori Devuda ) by you, and in Kannada too. There were plans for a Hindi remake. But, in today’s world, do you see the need for remakes?

The Hindi version to be helmed by me did not materialise, but I hope the film does get made by someone. That said, right now, I think rather than taking films across languages, it makes more sense to create content in one language, and take it across. For example, Dragon is doing well in Telugu and Hindi too. Even OTTs are looking at pan-India appeal in terms of rooted content.

Of the two heroines, Keerthi has an arc, where she moves on from the past, and steps in to help. Some in the audience have had an issue with her returning in another role in Raghavan’s life despite being treated badly. Do you think there’s an intent-perception mismatch for some?

I don’t think so at all. My intention when writing and public perception are not mismatched. It is like crime and punishment. Raghavan knows he did wrong, and is grateful for Keerthi’s help. She’s being celebrated for how she puts the past aside to help. A young lady wrote in saying she did something similar. What Keerthi does is her being human.

In a recent post, after the film hit 100 crores, you’d mentioned ‘will correct the mistakes in this film for my next’. In hindsight, what would you have done differently?

You always consider feedback from your current film into the next. What I got from the audience who appreciated the film was that they did not relish certain words used. I’d put them in for originality and to sound real, but now realise that some sections preferred I tone that down. That’s something I will do in the future. I also got feedback that the audience does not want me to change my style for stars. And I think I will stick to that, because ultimately, we make films for the audience.

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