"VIJAY IS A LIGHTNING STAR, AJITH IS MASSSSSS, SIVA IS A VERY GOOD FRIEND"

Interview Team : Arvind Sundaram, Jyothsna, Jeya Suriya, sivashankar
Ruben, not only a stylish film editor, but also a trailer specialist, talks about his working experience in Remo, and his other upcoming projects including AK57, Simbu's AAA. He also talks about Ilayathalapathy Vijay, Thala Ajith and Sivakarthikeyan. 

Remo has got sky high expectations. Did you expect that the film will earn this kind of expectations and hype?

No, we didn't expect this kind of expectations for Remo

No, we didn't expect this, but we did know that the film will have a certain level of expectation for the fact that experienced technicians like P.C.sir and Resul Pookutty sir were part of the technical team.


Remo's runtime is close to 150 minutes, and there are 7 songs in the film. Will these songs affect the flow of the movie in any way?

No song is wrongly placed in the film

Definitely not! It will not hinder the flow of the movie. The songs visuals will be a mix of montages and choreographed dance sequences. Only Daavuya is fully choreographed, but no song is wrongly placed.  It will surely be entertaining and engaging.


The lady character has been revealed in the posters and trailer. Is there any other suspense element for the audience to watch out for?

There are many other interesting elements too, other than the lady character, which will be a treat for the audience

The lady character travels throughout the film. So, we wanted to reveal that character in the posters and trailer. But there are many other interesting elements too, which will be a treat for the audience. Only the lady character has been revealed, but what he does, in that makeover will be interesting.


For the first time, you are editing a Sivakarthikeyan's film. How was the experience? Tell us about his screen presence.

Sivakarthikeyan's screen presence will be one of the highlights of the movie

Actually, Siva is a long time friend of mine. We were supposed to do a film together in his starting days, but due to reasons, the film didn't take off and we are joining hands only now. Remo's editing was very much challenging. I was very much excited when I saw the rushes. The lead hero is a guy who is dressed up as a female nurse. So, we have to select the right shots, right frames to capture the perfect expressions. Sivakarthikeyan's screen presence will be one of the highlights of the movie. It will surely work 100% in the favour of the movie. Each and every section of the audience will like his performance.


Remo trailer had 4 Rajini references and 2 Ajith references. Was that intentionally placed in the trailer?

Superstar Rajinikanth, Ilayathalapathy Vijay, and Ajith are his inspirations

No, it was not intentional. The main plot of the movie revolves around a man, who aspires to become a successful actor. Stars like Superstar Rajinikanth, Ilayathalapathy Vijay, and Ajith are his inspirations in the film, and when that is the case, there will be obvious references. These references will come along with the movie.


Vedalam had 12 cuts in one second in the teaser. Remo's trailer too had a similar kind of cut in the end. Can we call this style of edit as your trademark?

Fast cuts will enhance the curiosity factor for the audience to watch the movie

Yes, maybe. When I was working as an assistant editor, I happened to see this particular trailer from the Hollywood film 'Apocalypto'. I liked the style of cut and got very much inspired by that trailer. The cuts will be so fast that you cannot blink your eye even for a second. These fast cuts will enhance the curiosity factor for the audience to watch the movie. If needed, in the future too, these similar kinds of cuts will be there.


Rumors say that Remo is mightily inspired from Tootsie.  Is it so?

Remo will have shades of Avvai Shanmugi

Remo isn't inspired from any other film. If you say Remo is an inspiration of Tootsie, then you'll have to say every film is an inspiration of some or the other film. Because, every film's base concept is good vs bad, rich vs poor. So, this idea is wrong, but Remo will have shades of Avvai Shanmugi.


How different is Remo to you, compared to your other movies?

Editing Remo was a very big challenge, as I said earlier. I know Bakkiyaraj since the Raja Rani days, and he has a very good editing sense. I was able to see his sense of clarity while editing the film. It has reflected in the making of the film. He completely trusts and gives full freedom to me. Work in Remo was a totally different experience and I enjoyed it.


People tend to say, "If the running length of a movie is long, the edit could've been crispier". How do you see this?

Raja Rani's runtime was 2 hours and 40 minutes, but no one felt that the edit could've been crispier

This is a misconception. Of course, crispier editing will be a big support for the movie. But when you take the case of a film like Avatar, it has to be three hours. You cannot tell that story in 90 minutes or 120 minutes. Raja Rani's runtime was 2 hours and 40 minutes, but no one felt that the edit could've been crispier. A lengthier film will be engaging if the content is strong and the screenplay is interesting. Dhoni is a recent example for that. The editing pattern has to be faster. Each scene has to be treated as one single movie, only then the film will have its overall look.


You have worked with Vijay, Ajith and Sivakarthikeyan. Tell us about all the three

Vijay is a lightning star, Ajith is masssssss.....

I will explain it in one word for each of them.

 

Vijay - lightning ( he does everything in a flash of a second, like a lightning)

Ajith - Masssssss....  (whenever he appears on screen, his mass level is appealing)

Sivakarthikeyan - Very good friend


How is AK57 shaping up? Have you started to edit the film?

AK57 will give you an international look and feel

No, I am yet to sit for AK57, but I've seen the rushes, which look very stylish. The visuals will give you an international look and feel. It is shaping up well and will be completely different from the duo's previous outings Vedhalam and Veeram.


About Simbu's Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan...

AAA is an experimental, youthful adult comedy entertainer

AAA is an experimental film. It will be a youthful adult comedy entertainer with trademark touches of Adhik Ravichandran and Simbu.


Going by the rumors, if Vijay 61 is directed by Atlee, will you be editing the film?

If Atlee happens to direct it, yes, I will edit the film.


Your upcoming projects...

I am done with the edit of Vikram Prabhu's Veera Sivaji. The other films which are under the edit table are Simbu's AAA, Jai - Anjali's Balloon, AK57. I am also part of Vishal's Irumbu Thirai.

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