Vijay Antony is inarguably a trendsetter in the Indian cinema industry. Known for pushing boundaries, he has once again done something remarkable for the promotion of his recent film, “Hitler.” His biggest hit song as a composer, “Naakka Mukka,” set a precedent by proclaiming itself as the “massive hit of the year.” This time, for the promotion of “Hitler,” Vijay has chosen to create a dynamic and unique set-up for his interviews.
The usual PR-driven interviews of celebrities often take place at the same spot, giving them a uniform, template-like appearance. Dissatisfied with this repetitive format, Vijay teamed up with an art director and his team to ensure that each interview for “Hitler” feels fresh and unique. The entire look and feel of the interview room is changed for every session, including everything from the chair and promotional posters in the background to the lights, thus giving each video a distinct appearance.
“As we grow and gain knowledge in cinema, I’m also learning how important publicity is,” Vijay explained. “I realized in my previous film interviews that all of them happened in the same room, and those videos looked weak and lacked depth. I wanted to give the quality people see in films wherever I appear and maintain a standard during these promotions too,” stated Vijay, who is eagerly preparing for the release of “Hitler.”
Despite the rigorous promotional activities, Vijay still manages to release multiple films each year, a practice that used to be common among actors a couple of decades ago. He attributes this to circumstances beyond his control, saying, “The films I produced were released on time, but some of my other films were delayed. So when they are finally released, the span between the films gets reduced. Though that was not the plan, I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
When asked about the potential for over-exposure due to frequent releases, Vijay maintained that it all comes down to the strength of the content. “If the film is good, it will become a blockbuster irrespective of its release date. Viswasam and Petta were released on the same day, and both became hits. If two Rajini sir or Vijay sir films come out on the same day, they will become blockbusters. It’s content that matters the most. I make sure at least a gap of four months is there between two of my releases; that’s when a film can be promoted well,” he explained.
Playing the devil’s advocate, the interviewer questioned Vijay about whether releasing films in close succession might lead to over-exposure. Vijay retorted, “Irrespective of how often your titles release, what the movie talks about and whether it’s entertaining for the audience is all that matters. All I care about during narration is how good the story and screenplay is.”
Speaking about the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) of “Hitler,” Vijay drew a parallel to his earlier work, “Romeo.” “In ‘Romeo,’ the female lead character doesn’t like her husband and those around him would make fun of him. But the husband loves her and sacrifices a lot, so I see ‘Romeo’ in the same vein as ‘Pichaikkaran’,” he said.
. “If a wrongdoer calls another man a bad person, then who is he? He must be a good man. For the evil-doers, this film’s protagonist is a Hitler.”
Vijay also discussed his collaboration with director Dana SA, who assisted Mani Ratnam, a highly respected filmmaker. “If Mani Ratnam sir had given a chance to Dana to assist him, it means there’s a lot of value in him. I enjoyed his previous film ‘Vaanam Kottattum’ and if he’s coming to me with an action script, I believed I could accept it with confidence,” Vijay said, candidly. He emphasized that despite being a political film that features political characters and their workings, he has no personal political agenda.
“A film that runs well is what I would call a commercial film. ‘Romeo’ is a film where I tried comedy after ‘India Pakistan.’ ‘Pichaikkaran’ was high on emotions, and ‘Kolaigaran’ was a thriller. I don’t care about a film’s genre,” Vijay shared. When asked about how he differentiates his characters in the numerous thrillers he has acted in, he responded, “I don’t do anything. There’s talk that I interfere in a film’s production. But if I’m the producer, I need to listen to the story and work out the budget; sometimes, I’m the music director and at times editor as well. So I stick to what I should be doing, but I don’t give any input on how a film should be.”
Looking ahead, Vijay spoke about his predictions for the industry, believing that the focus will increasingly shift towards strong content rather than big-budget films. “There won’t be anything called big-budget films in the future, as most films would rely on strong content instead. Only inexperienced producers might find themselves locked in by giving huge salaries to actors. There were times when a quality film like ‘Sethu’didn’t find buyers for a year, but soon, those who understand the craft and business will succeed,” he predicted.
Vijay ended the interview on a philosophical note, a characteristic that has made his interviews go viral. “We are all like cotton balls bursting from the plant, being taken where the wind takes us. When we try to go against it and fail, we go into depression and anxiety. Every situation will change us, but we have to keep going through them. When we keep our focus on one particular aspect, we might lose the better ones that come our way. So keeping expectations low and working towards what we want feels like the way to go.”
“Hitler” is set to release in theatres on September 27, 2024.
