Read the full article on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/southern-lights-the-super-deluxe-expectations-from-the-aaranya-kaandam-filmmaker-baradwaj-rangan-tk/
In which I attempt to get a grip on the huge buzz surrounding the second film from Thiagarajan Kumararaja.
It’s only natural that the trailer of a film starring Vijay Sethupathi gets a lot of attention. As I write this, the Sindhubath teaser has just dropped, and it’s big news. So it’s not especially surprising that the Super Deluxe promos were greeted ecstatically. For it isn’t just Vijay Sethupathi. It’s Vijay Sethupathi playing a transgender character. Sindhubath is basically Vijay Sethupathi saying “Look, I can do all this action stuff that the really big stars do.” But Super Deluxe is him saying “I’d like you to show me another actor with the balls (and the prowess) to pull this off.” That’s surely exciting. But reactions to the trailer have gone beyond “this looks exciting” to “I’m going to light a couple of agarbattis and kneel and perform a pooja to these 2.03 minutes”. This must have taken even Thiagarajan Kumararaja by surprise.
2.5 million views in the 24 hours from its launch on February 22. Close to 7 million views now. If that many people had watched the terrific Aaranya Kaandam, upon its release in 2011, the film would have been a sizeable hit. I did the math. Even at the average ticket price of Rs. 50, 7 million tickets works out to Rs. 35 crore. For a Vijay/Ajith movie, this would probably amount to FDFS popcorn sales, but we’re talking about a film starring… Jackie Shroff! Ravi Krishna! Yasmin Ponnappa! Sampath Raj! Guru Somasundaram! Even if you stood outside the theatre handing out free popcorn, you might have had trouble getting viewers into an FDFS show. This was a word-of-mouth movie. But few people mouthed the word, and it bombed.
Continued at the link above.
Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
Baradwaj Rangan 
bart
March 13, 2019
BR saar, TK legend dhan.. Aaranya Kaandam apram indha trailer podhum..
“Aval Appadithan” is the only remarkable movie of Rudraiya but we still refer to him, don’t we? 🙂
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praneshp
March 13, 2019
I hope super deluxe does well commercially, even if it doesn’t live up to critical expectations. I distinctly remember watching AK with a friend in an empty theater at sathyam , especially that mass scene where sampath starts a fight beetween two gangs.
I’m looking forward to watching super deluxe with the same friend, hopefully in a theater full of cheering fans.
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brangan
March 13, 2019
bart: The Rudraiah example is exactly the “danger” I am talking about when I say ” I’d rather have a great body of work than one great movie.”
Aval Appadithan to… Gramathu Athiyayam to… oblivion!
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vinjk
March 14, 2019
I haven’t watched Aaranya Kaandam. I watched the trailer of Super Deluxe once and haven’t watched the interview of the writers yet. But this article makes me want to watch all of it!
I think your article, except for the last two paragraphs, has only added fuel to the fire!
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bart
March 14, 2019
I agree.. Aana TK oru legend dhan 🙂 🙂
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Recovering Macaulay Perapulla
March 14, 2019
After reading this moving account of her father Rudhraiah from his daughter, I definitely resonate much deeper with your emotions here.
https://www.thehindu.com/thread/reflections/article9357726.ece
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(Original) venkatesh
March 14, 2019
C Rudraiah was the first name that came to mind. A phenomenal start and then complete wash out.
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Kay
March 14, 2019
I was reminded of this article.
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Sutheesh Kumar
March 14, 2019
I watched AK 3 times and all the 3 times there were no more than 10 audiences for the shows and I remember feeling bad this movie was going to tank. The scenes between Guru Somasundaram and his son are superb!
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Bee
March 15, 2019
Couldn’t agree more. We in Tamil cinema are too quick to diss or praise a filmmakers. Let them take their time and make 6 or 7 films before lifting them onto a pantheon.
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Eswar
March 16, 2019
Nice build-up BR 🙂.
I am not entirely sure about the body of work. From an audience point of view it may makes sense to see more of the creator. But for an individual, the creator, it could be a lot of pressure. Why does the creator has to prove himself in every work? If someone has only one story to tell and has told it, phenomenally or not, what is the need for him or her to keep saying more. I haven’t watched your interview with Thiyagarajan Kumararaja(TK) yet. In a different interview he said
”I’m only doing this film to be able to afford to go back to chilling.” .
This attitude, I think, is fantastic. Especially from someone who had provided a stunning first work. He appears to be sincere in what he is doing but at the same time unaffected by others expectations. This is a great trait not just for an artist but for anyone. It’s easy to lose this sense of balance and fail to live, not just while pursuing a passion but even in doing a day job.
As TK said in that same interview
”Yes I have another couple of scripts, but what’s the hurry?”
I would prefer TK chilling and making movies at his own pace, instead of having a large body of word because the rest of the world is in a hurry to pronounce its judgement.
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Mank fan
March 16, 2019
BR so you’ve finally joined the sethupathy bandwagon, this is going to perplex some of ur fans. Apart from fahadh faasil, I can’t think of another mainstream actor who is as self-aware, assured and tenacious as VJS in indian cinema today.
I think this one is going to be a cracker of a film, tough to tame expectations after the trailer and your interview.
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vijay
March 17, 2019
As long as his friends can help pay his bills, TK’s life is the sort of life you want to lead 🙂
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Uncouth Village Youth
March 19, 2019
I watched Aranya Kandam recently. A terrific movie – but strictly a one time watch. Some of the IR songs and the traffic sounds that were used in the first half – yeppa chancea illa. Each character was true to form and held its own. Kaalayan, Kodukkapuli, Sappa, Subbu – was truly blown away. I don’t know why, even with the moderate success ,TK is directing a movie after 8 long years. I mean, when lesser directors keep getting movies LR & C. Same with Yasmin Ponnappa – why did she just drop off the radar?
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bart
March 25, 2019
The countdown clock has started ticking internally since weekend 🙂
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Sakkaravarthi Kaliannan
March 25, 2019
At least my expectation is 0, since the movie will not be releasing in Malaysia. Guess I’ll have to satisfied with “Pottu”……sigh
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