Chennai: Director Nag Ashwin recently shared his experiences and thoughts on filmmaking during an interaction with college students. He emphasized that to succeed in the industry, one must give their best effort in every project, whether it’s a short film or a feature film. Ashwin highlighted the significant impact of books, stating that they influence him more than films, and advised aspiring filmmakers to read extensively. He also stressed the importance of writing stories that resonate with the audience, making even simple plots engaging and comprehensible.
Reflecting on his work in Kalki, Ashwin explained that each scene required substantial behind-the-scenes effort, and what might appear as a simple action sequence is the result of immense hard work. He acknowledged that the pressure of directing a large-scale film like Kalki was not only his but was shared by the entire team. Ashwin emphasized that listening to the advice of the team was crucial to the film’s success.
When asked about his process for selecting actors, Ashwin revealed that he writes the story first and then chooses actors based on the characters. He shared that for Kalki, he initially selected Amitabh Bachchan for a role before choosing Prabhas. Ashwin also spoke about the films he would have liked to direct, mentioning Khaleja and Dear Comrade as projects where his editing could have added value.
Ashwin discussed the challenges of creating new stories, admitting that it can be difficult to come up with fresh concepts due to the prevalence of similar ideas in the industry. He recounted an experience from 2008 when he wrote a story based on dreams and memories, only to see a similar concept in the trailer of Inception. Despite these challenges, Ashwin stressed the importance of originality, believing that films should explore untold stories and ideas. He also expressed his love for comedy films, particularly those directed by Jandhyala.
