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Updated - November 03, 2026 06:11 pm IST

Sundar C; Nayanthara in a still from ‘Mookuthi Amman 2’ | Photo Credit: Thamodharan B/The Hindu and Special Arrangement

Any avid Tamil cinema fan would agree it wouldn’t be far-fetched to call Sundar C synonymous with masala cinema. However, the filmmaker surprisingly seems quite wary of using the term ‘masala’ to describe his films — he calls them ‘entertainers’. “When I entered films, I had serious plans about the films I wanted to make. But I realised the kind of films I wanted to make and the films audiences liked were different. So, like Rajinikanth says in Sivaji, “Singa paadhai-ah, poo paadhai-ah?,” I had to choose between making the films I liked and making the films audiences liked. I chose the latter,” he says. And in a career that has now spanned over 30 years, Sundar’s conviction in his route only seems to have strengthened.

In fact, he doesn’t even believe in what people say is the ‘trending’ formula in commercial filmmaking. “They say songs aren’t in vogue, but songs in Kalakalappu, Madha Gaja Raja, and the Aranmanai franchise are all hits. So if a song is good, has nice visuals, and is placed aptly, the audiences will like it.” He points Madha Gaja Raja, which became a blockbuster despite releasing after a 13-year delay, to support his statement. “It’s all about the screenplay. The audience should be excited to know what happens next. Even if they anticipate it, we should package and present that idea interestingly.”

Published - November 03, 2026 05:38 pm IST

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