Sundar C interview: 'Commercial films bring audiences to theatres, yet so-called reviewers criticise them'

While non-Tamil films were ruling the TN box office and Kollywood movies were experiencing a dry spell, Sundar C’s Aranmanai 4 defied expectations and emerged as a clear winner. Sundar C, who credits the success of his film to family audiences, is now even more confident about the Hindi success of Aranmanai 4. 

Despite critical reviews, the fourth installment of the horror drama film series has struck a chord with audiences, making the film's success even more special. As the Hindi version of Aranmanai 4 hit the big screens today, Sundar C spoke about the horror drama franchise and his plans to expand his presence in Bollywood.

Excerpts from the interview:

When Aranmanai 4 did well at the box office, many viewers felt it ended Kollywood's dry spell. How does it feel that your film is responsible for this?

Yes, in the first four months of 2024, Tamil cinema was experiencing a dry spell at the box office. In fact, one of the prominent people from the theatre industry revealed to me that if the trend continues until May, most theatres might have to shut down due to the significant drop in revenue from Kollywood films. I was worried about the continued decline at the box office. However, when Aranmanai 4 released, I was extremely happy about the overwhelming response from day one itself. The success of Aranmanai 4 is not only a victory for the team but also for the entire Tamil film industry, as it prompted audiences to return to theatres.

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Hindi horror commercial films are known for their grandeur and scale. With Aranmanai 4 getting a Hindi release, what are your expectations from the Hindi-speaking audiences? Do you think the film will get the same love it did from Tamil audiences?

I am very confident that the Hindi version of Aranmanai 4 will receive the same reception as it did here. Now that the elections and IPL are over, people will definitely come to theatres to watch the film. Another important point is that Aranmanai 4 is mainly aimed at family audiences, especially women and kids, so the film will be enjoyed by audiences no matter what language they speak. I believe that audiences' tastes in cinema are the same regardless of the language. Gone are the days when we had to cater films according to the preferences of different regions. Nowadays, even Hindi films are adopting the South Indian style of presenting cinema, so Aranmanai 4 will definitely do well in the northern belt as well.

You spoke about your plans to expand the Aranmanai series with a fifth installment. What are your plans for making an even bigger project now that Aranmanai 4 has become the first in the series to enter the Rs 100 crore club?

Yes, actually. The success of the first part only paved the way for the second installment. Likewise, for all other installments in the franchise. But the most important thing for me was to not begin the next part immediately. I don't want to cash in on the success of the new film and make a namesake add-on. Firstly, I must work on a good script for the fifth installment and that may take some time. If you see, I began the series in 2014, and it has taken almost 10 years to make the fourth part of the film. Hence, I don't see myself making the fifth film for the next 2-3 years, since I also need to meet the expectations of the audiences. 

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Do you believe there is still a lack of appreciation for commercial films? Or do you think commercial films are only celebrated during a dry box office period?

Yes, absolutely. People have always looked down on commercial films. As a commercial filmmaker, I am used to receiving judgements. Commercial films bring audiences to theatres and generate revenue for the industry, yet these are the films that so-called reviewers criticise. When a slow-paced film is released, these so-called intellectuals call it great, but they don't give the same reception to commercial films because they fear their intellectual credibility will be questioned. So, whenever I begin a film, I always tell my artists not to pay attention to the reviews. The box office numbers will speak for themselves.

Having created a highly successful horror movie series in Tamil, have you considered making a Hindi horror commercial film? If so, which Bollywood actor would you like to collaborate with?

To be frank, I have received many offers from Hindi makers, but due to my busy schedule in Tamil, I have had to turn them down. However, I have recently received a couple of interesting offers for Hindi films that I am keen on working on, and I will soon provide an update on my Hindi debut. As for which actor I would like to collaborate with, I would love to work with all the actors. The thing is, I don't choose my artists based on their fame; after finishing the script, I always look for who would suit the character the most. Right now, I do have a few heroes in mind, but let's see where it all goes.

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