Gautham Vasudev Menon’s films seem to have a timeless quality, making them seat-fillers even after a decade of release. His films, including, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) and Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), were recently re-released to packed theatres, with fans enjoying and celebrating the film on social media years after original release.
The director tells us that he doesn’t really know how such celebrations make him feel. “When I am making something, it’s not like I know this will work or that we will create magic in the theatre. We make a film and everyone puts in a lot of effort. That said, when my previous films are celebrated even after years, I feel there is a certain payoff that we are receiving now for the kind of work we put in the past. And the payoff is not through box office numbers but just as works of art.” This reception in a way also motivates the director when it comes to releasing his much-delayed films now.
His spy thriller Dhruva Natchathiram has been in the pipeline since 2019 and came very close to release late last year. On the other hand, his upcoming action drama Joshua Immai Pol Kaakha was also long-delayed due to COVID-19 and is finally set to see the light of day on March 1. Speaking about the delays and how they might have affected the film’s production, GVM says, “Be it Dhruva Natchathiram or Joshua, despite the delays, there were no changes made in the screenplay or script. In fact, the producer of Joshua (Ishari K Ganesh) backed the film; he was rock solid and knew it was an experimental film from the very beginning.”