Following the audio launch of the upcoming Kollywood gangster drama Jagame Thandhiram, director Karthik Subbaraj, actor Dhanush, composer Santhosh Narayanan, along with others who are part of the project like Arivu and Vivek, took part in a Twitter Spaces session hosted by stand-up comedian Alexander Babu on Monday. Dhanush, who plays the lead role in the movie, joined the session from the US, where he is shooting for the upcoming Hollywood movie The Gray Man.
Speaking about Jagame Thandhiram, the actor noted that he wants the movie to have a sequel. Dhanush, who plays the role of a quirky gangster named Suruli in the movie, said, “I love the character. I always ask Karthik Subbaraj to direct a sequel. I am confident my fans as well as cinema lovers would enjoy this film.” Speaking about Suruli, Dhanush also revealed that his character might be influenced by Superstar Rajinikanth. “I am a huge fan of Rajini sir, and so is Karthik. In my earlier projects, I made a conscious attempt to ensure that it doesn’t happen. However, for Jagame Thandhiram Karthik said ‘Let Rajini be there’,” he expressed.
Jagame Thandhiram is scheduled to release on OTT platform Netflix on June 18. Both Dhanush and Karthik Subbaraj shared their thoughts about the OTT release of the movie. Dhanush expressed his disappointment that the film couldn’t be released in better circumstances, but he is happy about the movie entertaining and providing respite to people during such distressing times. Although Karthik Subbaraj had similar thoughts about the OTT release, he said, “Netflix has really broadened the scope of the film. The market is no longer limited to Tamil Nadu or India alone.”
The makers had initially intended for Jagame Thandhiram to get a theatrical release last year, but postponed its release in view of the pandemic. They opted to release the movie on Netflix due to the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the second wave of the pandemic and the lockdown restrictions. While answering questions related to the digital premiere of the movie, Karthik revealed that only five out of the eight songs from the album will be streaming on Netflix. Citing the reason behind the decision, he said, “Unlike watching movies in theatre, audiences can pause and play the movie or take breaks in between as per their convenience. Cutting down the number of songs was a creative decision we took after taking into account the viewing experience for audiences.” However, he observed that the movie will also be released on television, and added that there is a possibility of the movie releasing in theatres in the future, if the COVID-19 situation improves.
Few reports indicate that Jagame Thandhiram’s Twitter Spaces session, which started at 8.30 pm on Monday and went on for over two hours, might have set the record as the highest attended Spaces session so far, with 17,000 listeners tuning in at one point. This is probably the first time that a leading Indian film star is using Twitter’s audio-only feature, Spaces, to interact with the cast and fans. Apart from discussing the movie, Dhanush sang a few lines from the romantic number ‘Nethu’ and also spoke about the other projects he is currently working on.
Sharing his experience about shooting for The Gray Man, Dhanush said, “It has been a good learning experience. We had to undergo training for a month to shoot action sequences. I miss Chennai and home food. I’ve been staying here for four months now. I could have travelled back and forth if not for the pandemic. I will be wrapping up in a couple of weeks,” Dhanush told listeners.
Answering a question posed by fans on his plans to turn to filmmaking, Dhanush replied that he has a script and is interested in directing movies. But, he added, he is also trying to capitalise on his opportunities as an actor, and is currently held up with the saqme. “I don’t see myself directing a movie for the next three years,” he stated.
Bankrolled by Sashikanth under Y Not Studios, Jagame Thandhiram stars Dhanush, Game of Thrones actor James Cosmo, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Kalaiyarasan, among others, in important roles.