When I got the idea, I felt it would work well with STR sir: Ramkumar Balakrishnan

Time of India

05-05-2025

After the acclaimed Parking , director
is now all set to start the shoot of his next film, which will star
,
and
in the lead roles. In a short interview with us, the filmmaker talks about why he wanted to do a film that's in a totally different genre to Parking , what made him rope in STR and how Santhanam agreed to be part of this project…
'I WROTE WITH STR IN MIND'
The filmmaker begins by saying that his new film, referred to as #STR49, will be set in a college in Chennai and STR would be playing the role of a college student.
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Quiz him why he chose the star, and he says, 'When I got the idea, I felt it would work well with STR sir, but didn't know whether that would materialise or not. Still, when writing, I did write with him in mind. Luckily, I got a chance to narrate the script to him, and he, too, loved it. It all felt like a dream.'
He says that the script needed a star like STR. 'I needed to tell a lot of backstories to narrate this story. But when a star like him plays this character, I don't have it,' he says.
He adds, 'STR's screen presence and the fact that he is going to play a college student again help elevate my idea. I've enjoyed his films like Manmadhan and Vallavan in which he played a college student, so this film will help connect him even more with the Gen Z kids. He will be sporting a stylish look in the film, different from his current look.'
'SANATHANAM SIR'S CHARACTER IS NOT ONE THAT EXISTS FOR THE SAKE OF COMEDY'
Ramkumar has pulled off a casting coup by getting Santhanam, who has only been playing lead roles for almost the past 10 years, to be part of this project.
Sharing how he got the actor on board, he says, 'I'd worked with Santhanam sir in Dikkiloona , so we know each other. And after watching Parking , he used to reach out to me and praise me now and then. I felt he'd be right for a role in this film, and since he has a good impression of me, he agreed to listen to the narration. Moreover, Simbu sir and he share a great bond, and they have been meaning to work together again.' He clarifies that the actor's will not be a comedian role.
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'This will be a second lead type of role, which will also have moments of emotion, and not a character that just exists for the sake of comedy,' he says.
'I WANTED TO MAKE AN OUT-AND-OUT ENTERTAINER'
Ramkumar says his film 'will be totally different from Parking '. 'I didn't want to be slotted as a filmmaker who makes films only in a specific genre — thriller — so I decided to do a big-scale out-and-out entertainer led by a star that would offer a complete theatrical experience.
My only motive with this film is to fully entertain the audience,' he signs off.
'Sai Abhyankkar has composed all the songs'
On getting hotshot composer Sai Abhyankkar to do the music, the director says, 'I've found Sai Abhyankkar's songs very interesting and Simbu sir, too, suggested we roped him in for the music. He's very sweet and comfortable to work with. We have finished composing the songs and the lyrics are getting ready now.'