'I'M NOT DISAPPOINTED'

'I'M NOT DISAPPOINTED'

…says MUK's director-producer Elred Kumar, adding that the film's innovative marketing made it the talk of the town

M Suganth

Muppozhuthum Un Karpanaigal (MUK) might have generated a mixed response with the critics, but Elred Kumar, the director of the film, says he isn't disappointed. "I accept the mixed reviews but in a day when films crash and burn at the box office in their first week, my film, which did not have major stars, generated the best opening among the week's releases. Also, there is a talk around the film, both positive and negative, and for a film to be talked about in the public space a week after its release is an achievement in itself," he explains.
He claims that people in the industry are looking at the film and its performance as a mystery. "The questions that are being raised by people in the industry are why I opted for such a subject, whether this film demanded this kind of a budget and why we needed the 360-degree promotions that we have carried out for the film," he says.
He goes on to answer these questions. "Today, the opening weekend of the film is when a producer recovers his investment and you need this kind of hype and promotion to generate that opening. Atharva and Amala Paul are not A-list stars, but the amount that we would have paid for a big star went towards promoting the film," he says.
Describing the film's script as unconventional, he explains that he wanted to make his debut with a film that wasn't run-of-the-mill. "I didn't want to restrict the film to a single genre. That is why the film was part romantic musical and part thriller. The initial promos would have given the vibe of a romantic film but we wanted to keep the thriller aspect a surprise for the audience," he says.
Now, the director intends to send the film to various film festivals. "The content has international appeal and the film is also top notch technically. So, I'll be coming out with a Director's Cut for the film fests," he adds.

Atharva and Amala Paul in a still from
Muppozhuthum Un Karpanaigal

Elred Kumar