When Vishnuvardhan released Pattiyal a week ago, he didn’t expect the film to be a sensation. Like his last film, Arindum Ariyamalum, this one has no big stars either. And yet, it had an unprecedented opening across the state, especially in the cities, surprising the industry.
A beaming Vishnuvardhan speaks about the film, his apprenticeship under Santosh Sivan, working as a child artiste in Mani Ratnam’s Anjali, and more.
Were you expecting this kind of a response to Pattiyal?
To be very frank, I wasn't. It is a big surprise for me. In fact, we had advanced the release date as we didn’t want to compete with big films. We had just three days of publicity. I don’t know what the reason behind its success is.
I am a filmmaker because it gives me happiness. Even the success of Arindum Ariyamalum surprised me. I don't make films with the aim of making super hits. For me, making a movie is a lot of fun, and I enjoy the process.
Text: Shobha Warrier | Vishnuvardhan photograph: Sreeram Selvaraj | Design: Reuben NV