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EXCLUSIVE: Seththumaan director Thamizh says Perumal Murugan's short story was haunting him for a long time
Thamizh reveals he didn't think of the target audience while making the movie but the whole intention was to keep it as realistic as possible.
Terrific punchlines and well-written dialogues are the highlights of this socio-political film titled, Seththumaan. Based on a short story by writer Perumal Murugan, the film touches upon some realistic, powerful topics on food, politics of caste, and education. Director Thamizh, who hails from Erode District, in an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla reveals Perumal Murugan's short story Varugari was haunting him for a very long time.
Seththumaan is Thamizh's first feature-length film as a director and it received a fabulous response at the International Film Festival of Kerala and Chennai International Film Festival, where it won an award. "After I finished ready the book, it was haunting me since a very long time. The man in the movie is stabbed in front of his grandson with no one around. The thought of his grandson's future triggered me to take this story forward," reveals Thamizh who left his home after graduation and shifted to Chennai in pursuit of his passion for cinema.
Thamizh reveals he didn't think of the target audience while making the movie but the whole intention was to keep it as realistic as possible. More of what he witnessed and experienced in real life. 
"I'm the director and I'm the audience. I have made this movie for my satisfaction and I strongly believe a certain section of people always tap for this kind of subject. I feel this subject will interest those people also. I had no target audience while making the film but the film is for me particularly and I'm happy with the accolades the movie has gotten from the audience already. Many commercial films are having unrealistic things and that doesn't interest me. I wanted to keep the subject real," says Thamizh who previously directed 3 short films called June 12, One Message Received, and Selfie.
Sharing a bit on what caught his attention and how he prepped up for the film, the director says, "I pre-planned things before shooting for the film. Like visiting the locations before, visualizing the scenes there and all was done before the film started. Yes, a lot of scenes might not go with the flow in the final edit or they are a bit long so we have to cut them. Otherwise, there are no sentiments attached while on the edit table."
"Any debut director will doubt in the mind but after the final edit, I had a bit of perception that this will do good. When I saw the film at KIFF along with the audience, I was amazed to see what I thought of has reflected well, in terms of tears and claps by the audience. I felt fulfiled!," Thamizh signs off revealing further he has already started working on his second feature film that will have romance, humour, and something that he has experienced.
Seththumaan is backed by Pa Ranjith's Neelam Productions and is streaming now on SonyLIV.
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