Arya is the man of the moment after the stupendous success of Boss Engira Baskaran, which the trade feels is all set to be the biggest hit of the year so far.
Made on a budget around Rs 6.5 Crore, and brilliantly marketed by Red Giants as a “Rom Com” (Romantic Comedy), the film as per trade sources is likely to do business worth Rs 18 to 20 Crores from theatricals alone.
The blockbuster has given small films in Tamil a new lease of life. Everybody in Kollywood is happy with the success of this family hit, which is also getting repeat audiences and has done very well in the multiplexes and single screens. Arya has all reasons to smile as his last film Madharasapattinam is slowly but surely turning into a hit.
Excerpts of an exclusive interview with the new star of Kollywood.
What is your state of mind after Boss Engira Baskaran has been declared a blockbuster by the trade?
I am extremely happy and am enjoying every bit of attention that I’ve been receiving. Ultimately every hero works hard to get that elusive blockbuster and now I have also achieved it after five years. With this film, I have reached out to women, family audiences and masses alike.
They say it’s your first blockbuster hit. Please comment
The film is a big morale boost for me and it has come at the right time. I think our audiences were waiting for a good full-length clean comedy and they accepted it with both their hands. In Bollywood we have Akshay Kumar doing such slapstick comedies and if such film can work big time there why not in Kollywood?
What according to do worked big time for the film?
It’s the clean comedy content and director Rajesh’s packaging. My chemistry with Santhanam worked big time. So far, Santhanam was used only in comedy tracks and given lengthy dialogues. But in Boss Engira Bhaskaran he had a character to play who dominated my Boss character in the first half and in the latter part he suffered for helping me. When I heard the script from Rajesh for the first time, I knew the film would work and I decided to take the risk.
Critics say that songs could have been better?
First and foremost it is a comedy film and in such genre one should not look for a great script, logic, songs or perfection. I think the song of Yuvan were in sync with the comedy and has been appreciated.
Do you think that the release time also worked in favour of the film?
Yes, you are bang on it. I have to thank Red Giants who were bold enough to release the film two weeks ahead of Enthiran and later the Rajinikanth biggie got pushed by a week to Oct 1, giving our film a clean three weeks run at the box-office. It was a bold decision that paid off handsomely.
Why did you decide to buy the film from Sreenivasan the original producer?
I saw the double positive of the film along with Sreenivasan who I know since Naan Kadavul days and he was generous enough to give the film to me when I asked him. But all credit goes to Red Giants who took the film to places with some superb smart marketing and gave it a good opening.
Are you launching your brother Satya?
No, he is being launched by Mirchi movies with Kathal to Kalyanam.
After comedy worked big time for you, will you be doing more films in such genre?
No I will be doing films in different genres. My next release Chikku Bukku is a pure romantic film while Avan Ivan is again a comedy film which will be 10 times more hilarious than Boss. Bala is trying out something very different and working out something different from his morbid tales and it is shaping out well. After that I will start work on Cloud Nine’s Lingusamy’s pucca action commercial film Vettai with a Rs 25 Crore budget which will take me to the next level. So my hands are full.
Do you think that now with success, you’re a threat to the reigning top young stars of Kollywood?
(Smiles) No one can be a threat to anyone. Every actor comes with a shelf life and career graph. Rajinikanth will never be a threat to Kamal Haasan or Surya be a threat to Vijay. Everyone has their own career graph and there are enough films for all.