Having entered the Rs 100 crore club, team Thangalaan are a happy bunch. However, the journey of the Pa Ranjith film is far from over. The stars of the film, Vikram and Parvathy Thiruvothu, accompanied their director to Mumbai for a press conference ahead of the release of Thangalaan’s Hindi version. The Hindi version is expected to hit theatres on September 6, and it was a rather upbeat atmosphere at the press meet.
When asked about the theme of the film, and its experimentation, Ranjith said, “I wanted to use the magical realism to connect this film with the audience. The story of Thangalaan has antecedents in mythology. But what is mythology? Isn’t it history with a bit of belief and faith. I wanted to tap into that to say the story of Thangalaan.”
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Thangalaan is a period film set in the c0lonial era of India, and explores how the mining of gold in the famed Kolar Gold Fields happened. Just like all Ranjith films, Thangalaan too sparked important conversations about the oppression of the voiceless, and platformed their struggle. A few songs and the trailer were screened for the media, and Vikram, who was last seen in the Ponniyin Selvan films, was asked about the physical and mental transformation he had to undergo for the film. Starting off by showcasing his sardonic wit, Vikram spoke about his Thangalaan, who sported a loincloth for most of the runtime. “It wasn’t just me right? Except Daniel and his team (who play Britishers), most of the men in the film wore similar clothes. We were shy initially, but after a point, we started ribbing on others for being so overdressed. It was the purest form of going back in time. I miss not being in that right now.”
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Delving deeper into the kind of mental transformation required for becoming the Thangalaan envisioned by Ranjith, Vikram said, “I looked the part by becoming lithe, and wiry, almost like a person who only survived on one square meal a day. But mentally, to discover Thangalaan, his ambition, his bravado, his vulnerability, I spoke a lot with Ranjith. We knew the performance must be unique. After a lot of internalising, we were in total sync. It is very liberating to have this relationship with Ranjith. All of Thangalaan is inspired by him.”
Parvathy, who starred opposite the late Irrfan Khan in Qarib Qarib Singlle, was asked about a similarity between him and her Thangalaan co-star Vikram. “Generosity,” said the actor, who further divulged, “Irrfan sir used to help me out with a lot of things, to ensure I got into the space. He made sure everyone felt good to be on the sets.” Drawing parallels with how Vikram used to make the shooting spots convenient for all the actors, Parvathy said, “He had this habit of handing out native toffees. It brightened everyone’s mood. He used to enquire about everyone, and you knew it wasn’t just a superficial act. There was genuine concern, and he had everyone’s back. In fact, in that sense, he was our Thangalaan, our leader.”
Summarising her takeaways from working with Irrfan and Vikram, Parvathy said, “People may not remember what you did to them, or what you spoke. They will always remember how you made them feel. That is greatness.”
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