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I thought of a cinematic universe even before Lokesh Kanagaraj did: ‘Indian 2’ director Shankar

In an interview, the veteran filmmaker discussed his plan to unite three of his popular heroes for a project.

Published Jul 03, 2024 | 5:29 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 03, 2024 | 7:22 PM

Director Shankar opens up on cinematic universe. (X)

Before Lokesh’s Cinematic Universe (LCU) gained prominence, the concept itself was unfamiliar to Tamil film enthusiasts. Director Shankar recently revealed that he had conceived the idea of a cinematic universe, even before LCU gained popularity.

In an interview, the veteran filmmaker discussed cinematic universes and his plan to unite three of his popular heroes for a project.

“In 2008, while filming Enthiran, I had an idea for a movie, involving three lead actors of my films; Indian (1996), Mudhalvan (1999), and Sivaji: The Boss (2007). It was a fleeting concept that excited me. I shared it with my assistant directors, but their response wasn’t positive,” Shankar recalled, adding he then shared the idea with some senior technicians.

“Since it was from me, they couldn’t openly diss it, so they simply smiled and left. I didn’t get any encouragement. Some years later, I watched The Avengers (2012). That’s when I urged my assistants saying, ‘If you have an idea, act on it promptly because similar ideas are being explored worldwide’. Being the first to execute it is crucial.”

Currently, Shankar, Kamal Haasan, and Siddharth are on a promotional tour in Singapore and Malaysia for Indian 2, scheduled to release in theatres on 12 July. The film is a sequel to the National Award-winning film, Indian.

The movie also features Rakul Preet Singh, Gulshan Grover, the late Nedumudi Venu, Delhi Ganesh, the late Vivekh, Jayaprakash, the late Manobala, Kajal Aggarwal, Bobby Simha, and Priya Bhavani Shankar.

In a surprising twist, Kamal Haasan revealed that he agreed to star in Indian 2 solely because of his love for Indian 3. “Honestly, I accepted to do the second part only because I’m a huge fan of the third installment. My preference lies in Indian 3. I’ve been praising the film myself, and I’m anxious because there’s a six-month wait for it.”

During the audio launch of Indian 2, Shankar revealed that he opted for a third part because he felt one film couldn’t completely capture the essence of his content. Both Indian 2 and Indian 3 have been shot simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Shankar is also working on the Telugu film, Game Changer, starring Ram Charan and Kiara Advani.

(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)

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