When the netas meet Uncle Sam

Arun Vaidyanathan, director of the new Mohanlal-starrer Peruchazhi, talks about the rib-tickler

August 28, 2014 06:30 pm | Updated 06:30 pm IST - Thiruvananthapuram

Mohanlal with Aju Verghese and Baburaj in Peruchazhi.

Mohanlal with Aju Verghese and Baburaj in Peruchazhi.

For a state that’s so keyed into politics, it’s not often that we come across an all-out political satire as Peruchazhi or an incorrigible politician-hero of the likes of Jagannathan, the lead character in the film, played by Mohanlal. What makes Peruchazhi quite different from its handful of predecessors, according to its director Arun Vaidyanathan, is that it is a “mass masala entertainer,” a spoof on how a politician from Kerala ends up being the chief political adviser to a state election campaign in California and the havoc he creates while chasing success there. “It’s an unpretentious, fun film that you would enjoy watching with your family, munching on popcorn,” says Arun.

Jagannathan, apparently, is equally unpretentious. Going by teasers and trailers, he is suave and sophisticated, as sharp as he is puckish,as dapper in a dhoti as he is in a tailored suit, and, supposedly, as the title hints, is as wily as a bandicoot. The hero and his sidekicks, Jabbar Pottakuzhy (Baburaj) and Vayalar Varkey (Aju Varghese), are all set to take American politics – and Malayali audiences – by storm as Peruchazhi , hits theatres today.

“The theme of the film requires us to compare the political system of two of the world’s biggest democracies – India and the United States (U.S.),” says the New Jersey-based Tamil director, who debuted in filmdom with the dark Tamil flick Achchamundu! Achchamundu!

“Either we like the U.S. or we don’t, but everybody’s fascinated by the country, its culture and its politics. Peruchazhi doesn’t glorify the U.S. political system or the Indian one. Both systems have their pros and cons. I’ve always been fascinated by how Cho Ramaswamy’s cult Tamil socio-political satire Muhammad Bin Tughluq still rings true in the present political system and wanted to make a humorous film on those lines. On that note, Peruchazhi is vastly different from that film or any others in the genre. It has a pan Indian narrative. It’s also different because a superstar has done the spoof; for one, not many stars of the likes of Mohanlal are self-deprecating enough to wear a burlesque superman costume on screen!” he says.

Fellow New Jersey resident and scenarist Ajayan Venugopalan, who wrote the dialogues of the film, adds via email: “Though India is a vibrant and mature democracy, there are still many things appalling and funny about our vote-bank politics. It’s silly how politicians can fan the minor differences between us for votes. The American democracy has it own flaws and an Indian politician can find the loop-holes in the system. That forms the crux of the film.” The film has been produced by Sandra Thomas and Vijay Babu, under the banner of Friday Film House.

But Peruchazhi is not only a political satire, insists the director. “It’s a comedy film with a message, much like the rib-ticklers of Steve Carell, Robin Williams, Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey and so on,” he says.

Peruchazhi is also a celebration of Mohanlal, and is said to incorporate references, from the actor’s popular films to even a song on the punch line ‘Po Mone Dinesha.’

Surprising, considering Mohanlal was actually not the first choice to play the role. “The script found the actor. I wrote it in Tamil and English. I wanted the character to be an international franchise so I named it ‘Ulaganathan’ – conqueror of the world. It was my wife Rajitha, a native of Kozhikode, who pointed me towards Lal sir. She is a huge fan of the superstar and through her I’m familiar with the star and I’ve seen a lot of his movies, particularly his comedies. When I showed the script to Lal sir, he was equally excited. It was only later that I came to know that Jagannathan is the name of one of Lal sir’s most popular characters [ Aaram Thampuran ].”

Now though, Arun can’t stop gushing about his star. “The character that I wrote shows Lal sir in all his glory and he, in turn, gave life and charisma to Jagannathan in so many ways that I had never imagined. He is truly a director’s delight. He gives suggestions but never alters anything without clearing it with me, which is one of the greatest qualities of an actor. He’s also incredibly punctual. He always, always reports on time and in full costume to boot. He’s also incredibly patient on set, game for even 11 costume changes in the space of a day!” Go on, grab your popcorn…

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