Karthik Subbaraj

Iraivi' is about women, men, and their priorities. It talks about women's freedom, how men look at it, and how women use it. It's neither preachy, nor is it about women's empowerment.

I started learning filmmaking by joining a weekend film school in Bengaluru. I made some amateur short films that got appreciation from people around me.

Filmmaking is never easy as long as you continue learning from the process.

I started as a short filmmaker and found that one of the toughest challenges was getting your film to be watched. I would enter it in competitions and release it online, but getting a mainstream theatre-going audience to view the film is difficult.

When I thought of writing for Rajini sir, I told myself it will be a really cool character with a very happy-go-lucky attitude. We took such a character and placed him in a strong story, and I believe, as a combination, it has worked wonders.

On an average, any short film will cost at least Rs. 60,000. Apart from film festivals, where is the avenue to get that money back?

Luckily, 'Petta' encompasses all the dimensions of Rajini sir's performances. His main strengths are his charm, style, and the fun that he represents.

For any actor, voice is his strength.

I didn't foresee troubles in my second film.

I grew up idolising Rajinikanth, and I've always wanted to see him in a certain way. When I knew I was going to write for Rajini sir, I wanted to show him in the most stylish way and bring back his mannerisms and machismo.

I basically like the unpredictability factor. When I watch a film, if it becomes predictable, I lose interest in it.

If one makes a short film with reasonable technical finesse, it will cost between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. one lakh. That's a lot of money for someone starting off.