Director Sudha Kongara, who first garnered attention with her Tamil actioner Drohi (2010), has helmed several widely acclaimed films, including Irudhi Suttru/Saala Khadoos (2016), the segment “Ilamai Idho Idho” in the anthology film Putham Pudhu Kaalai (2020), Soorarai Pottru (2020) and the segment “Thangam” in the anthology film Paava Kadhaigal (2020). Now, after a gap of four years, she has made a comeback with the Akshay Kumar-starrer Sarfira, a remake of her Soorarai Pottru.
Kongara entered the film industry in 2002 by penning the Indian English film Mitr – My Friend, helmed by Revathi, which won three National Film Awards. She then worked with ace Tamil filmmaker Mani Ratnam as an assistant/associate for years before making her debut as a director. It was during her stint with Ratnam that she met actor Suriya as the actor played a key role in the director’s experimental political actioner Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004, which was simultaneously shot in Hindi as Yuva).
Kongara recently shared her experience working with Suriya in both Aayutha Ezhuthu and her own directorial Soorarai Pottru, attesting that the actor works on bettering his performance consistently. “Suriya seems like he’s just sitting there, quietly. I have seen his process, though I don’t know if I should share this. I have seen him standing near a wall and saying his dialogues (to it). He’s prepping continuously and he gets better and better with takes; he feels that. I don’t feel the same, but he does and will ask for one more (take),” she said during a chat with India Today.
Recalling an incident from the sets of Aayutha Ezhuthu, Kongara said, “I was the AD (in that film). Suriya’s first shot with Mani sir was, he had to open a door upon hearing a knock on it. The guy did 26 takes. Mani sir was like, ‘I am okay with it,’ but he kept saying, ‘Sir, I will try like this; for this character, this would be better. Little more, little more’. And he did 26 takes or something. It’s a joy to work with him. He’s never going to tell you, ‘this is enough’. In fact, I had to tell him, ‘No Suriya, you cracked it, leave it!’ He doesn’t give up. I just love that quality about him.”
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Inspired by the life and journey of GR Gopinath, the founder of Indian low-cost airline Simplifly Deccan, Soorarai Pottru was released through Amazon Prime Video owing to Covid-19. The movie opened to widespread acclaim and won five trophies at the 68th National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film, Best Actor and Best Actress. Sarfira, however, opened to mixed responses and has been struggling at the box office.
Besides Suriya, Soorarai Pottru also featured Aparna Balamurali, Paresh Rawal, Mohan Babu, Urvashi and Poo Ramu in key roles. While Rawal reprised his role in Sarfira, the movie also starred Radhika Madan, Seema Biswas and R Sarathkumar in pivotal roles.
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