The Greatest of All Time director: 'Suriya's Masss, Naga Chaitanya's Custody flopped because...'

As filmmaker Venkat Prabhu gears up for the release of his latest venture, The Greatest of All Time, starring Thalapathy Vijay, he has taken a moment to reflect on his career, discussing both his successes and his missteps. Known for delivering blockbuster hits like Chennai 600028, Mankatha, and Maanaadu, Prabhu has also faced his share of failures. In a candid conversation during the promotional tour for his upcoming film, the director opened up about the lessons he's learned from his experiences in the industry.

Venkat Prabhu is widely regarded as a director who understands the intricacies of mainstream commercial cinema, often delivering movies that resonate with a wide audience. However, even a seasoned filmmaker like him isn’t immune to making decisions that may not always hit the mark.

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Reflecting on the box office failure of Custody, Venkat shared that the original concept was significantly altered during production, which he believes led to the film's downfall. "The initial idea for Custody was this: a cop from a lower caste faces harassment and gets a chance to save a big criminal, bringing him to justice. The twist was that both the cop and the criminal belong to the same caste, creating a conflict between duty and personal identity," he told Galatta Plus. 

"Since I did it mainly in Telugu, they (producers or star cast) didn't agree. They wanted it to be in a commercial space. I don't have a lot of grasp on the sensibilities of Telugu cinema, so I was not able to make a film that appealed to either Tamil or Telugu audiences," he added. 

Venkat also acknowledged that his attempts to cater to different sensibilities sometimes diluted his original vision, leading to films that failed to connect with audiences. Discussing Massu Engira Masilamani (Mass), Prabhu revealed that the film's tone shifted drastically from what he had initially intended. "I wanted to make Mass as a simple film, like The Sixth Sense, where a guy gets to see and talk to ghosts after an accident. But Suriya sir's team felt the film should have mass elements like Mankatha. I changed a lot of things, and I treated it like 80s movie. I think our original ideas die when we start making changes to adjust to certain things."

In contrast, Venkat noted that his most successful films were those where he remained true to his initial vision, without making compromises. "I didn't change anything for Chennai 600028, Mankatha, or Maanaadu. I did what I imagined. When I tried to accommodate other requests, my vision got disturbed," he admitted.

With The Greatest of All Time, Venkat is confident that he has stayed true to his creative instincts. "In The GOAT, my idea remained intact. I made the movie that I pitched to Vijay and the producers. Neither Vijay sir nor the producers asked me to change anything," he added. 

The Greatest of All Time is due in cinemas on September 5. 

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