Even as director Selvaraghavan is gearing up for the release of his film NGK on Friday, he addressed a number of topics surrounding the film as well as the Tamil film industry in a chat with TNM. NGK, starring actors Suriya, Rakul Preet and Sai Pallavi, comes after a three-year gap for the director who has a cult following among audiences.
Selvaraghavan recently apologised for the ‘Adida Avala’ song from his 2011 film Mayakkam Enna, which was slammed for its misogyny. Asked whether more filmmakers should similarly engage critics and audiences on their art, Selvaraghavan said, “When you are making a movie and you know something like that may affect women— I think we made a mistake. We filmmakers should be socially responsible also. Maybe when we make a movie in the future, we should be careful. We, filmmakers, should be a part of society also. People relate to movies a lot here. So even in NGK, Suriya doesn't smoke and drink. I'm not saying protagonists shouldn't smoke, I'm not talking about that. When it comes to women, every filmmaker should be responsible for their films.”
Giving his take on the Me Too movement which took the film industry by storm last year, he said, “It's good actually. It's not happening only in the films. It's happening in every field. Wherever we see, it's there. Because films are much more, people see it. I saw it with my own eyes, it's there everywhere. So it's good (that) women come out and talk and have the courage to say that. I think it's a very important movement for our country and I really think every woman should come out and speak more on it.”
“This is the time. Every time something like that happens, I understand how many things they are bound to, (that) they should be scared of their husband or politically... But I think they should come out and speak. The people who are responsible should be punished. That's what I think," he added.
In light of the Me Too movement, would he take the stance that he will not work with proven perpetrators of sexual harassment? Selvaraghavan said, “Definitely. It's not only me. Everybody around the world. We shouldn't work with people like that. I personally feel stricter laws also should come. I was telling everyone around me, from when I was in college. I think for rape he should be hanged or shot. Of course, it's my opinion.”
In the run up to the release of his film, promotional posters initially carried the name of lyricist Vairamuthu, who has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct. His name seems to have been dropped in later promotions. Responding to whether the lyricist was dropped after the Me Too accusations, Selvaraghavan said, “It was never like that. When the whole thing happened, we (were) already working with someone other than Vairamuthu sir actually. So it was never that. The whole issue happened after we had finished work. Already album had been composed.”
Watch the full interview here: