Gautham Menon on 'Thala55' and tiff with Suriya

There���s a lot of buzz about the upcoming Ajith-Gautham Menon film. Pretty much everything about the film is being kept under wraps. We nail the elusive Gautham for a chat, and get him talking about this film, Ajith, Suriya and more. Gautham maintains, ���I cannot reveal anything about Ajith���s role, because the treatment of the film is such that during the first 45 minutes, the audience will be guessing who the man is.It���s a character-driven film and Ajith���s character, Sathyadev, is also a good sketch for a sequel. And if things go well, I can even come up one.��� But he gets candid about everything else. Excerpts...
Finally, a film with Ajith. How did it happen?
I wanted Ajith to act in Kaakha Khaakha and had approached him first. Then, it went to Vikram and then, finally Suriya. I was also supposed to do a film with Ajith when he was about to start Asal, then again, during Mankatha. We discussed a project, but couldn���t start it. I don���t have any reason as to why it didn���t happen, it just didn���t. Now, when the Suriya project was shelved and I was wondering what���s next, Ajith���s film came my way.
When Suriya released a statement saying he was walking out Dhruvva Natchathiram, why didn���t you react?
He���d stated that I didn���t tell him the script. But the question is, whether I didn���t tell him the script at all, or didn���t tell him the one he���d like to hear. I was disappointed, but only for three hours. After that, I just moved on. That night itself we started the Simbu film. The next week we started filming with Ajith. Since then things have only got better, so I thought why even talk about it.
Will you work with Suriya again?
Right now, I don���t see that happening. Somewhere two people have to connect. Whenever I write a script, Trisha has been my first choice for lead because we have a good connect ��� like I feel with Ajith and the comfort level that I always feel with Simbu��� till I feel that connect with somebody, I am not looking to work with that person.
Have you gone out of your comfort zone and added commercial elements for a mass hero?
When we sat and discussed the project, Ajith told me, ���let���s make a film that you are comfortable with���. Even if I try to infuse extra commercial elements just for him, he usually says no to it. And also, I don���t know how to commercialise anything, I have never done that. There is absolutely no pressure on me from any side.
Romance is your forte. Can we get to see a romantic Ajith?
Yes, absolutely. The audience will get to see a romantic Ajith in this film. We���ve shot a romantic song, Mazhai Varapoguthey, recently with Ajith and he has done it beautifully.
You haven���t announced a title for this film, yet.
We have a title, but we want to wait before announcing it. There is so much buzz around it and this is exactly what a hero���s film is all about. We are planning to release the film this December and the audio launch in November ��� we���re planning to announce the title around this time.
We���ve heard that Ajith doesn���t want his character���s name highlighted in the title...
What you have heard is true...
When will you start working on the Simbu film again?
I have got just 30 days��� shoot left for that film. I will re-start it as soon as I finish the current one. I know there are rumours that it has been shelved, but as I said earlier, I should be either rich or weird to drop this film. I am neither, so I will definitely start that film in December.