The deafening silence of critics at ‘Eli’ press show killed me, recalls director Yuvaraj Dhayalan

Defeaning silence

Team ‘Irugapattru’. (X)

Yuvaraj Dhayalan speaking at the event said, “Eight years ago, after the press show of Eli, actor Vadivelu — who played the lead in it — and I stood outside waiting for the critics to come out. However, that day nobody came out. So, Vadivelu Annan and I entered the hall and got on the stage. Vadivelu Annan asked me to seek the media’s opinion about the movie.”

He said, when he asked the audience what they thought of the film, there was a deadly, deafening silence.

“I have seen such silence after some films. Movies like Bala’s Paradesi (2013), Ameer’s Paruthiveeran (2007), and Mysskin’s Anjathe (2008) evoked a similar response,” the filmmaker said.

“If the audience stays silent after a film, it can mean only two things — it must either be a world-class film, or it must be the opposite. I took the latter to be the reason for their silence,” he recalled.

Yuvaraj Dhayalan then explained in detailed the trip back home: “We got into the car and left Prasad Studio. Even before the car could reach Kaveri Street, I felt immense discomfort. So, I requested Vadivelu Annan to drop me off there and told him that I would walk. I walked a long distance. I walked a long distance away from the film industry.”

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‘Wasted three hours of your life’

The director further tried to explain his state of mind. “The deafening silence of the critics that day killed me. It did not let me sleep. “‘Kadanpattan nenjam pol kalanginan Ilangai vendhan‘ (the King of Lanka was in an agitated state similar to the one who was in debt and fearing a debtor). I was in a similar state,” he recollected the phrase from Kamba Ramayanam (the Tamil version of Ramayanam penned by Kambar).

“I felt distraught that I had borrowed three hours of all your valuable time and had not been able to make it worthwhile,” Yuvaraj Dhayalan said, with tears welling up in his eyes.

After Eli’s release, the filmmaker said that he tried for an year to bring out a movie that would entertain the audience but in vain.

‘Had quit filmmaking but for Thangaprabhakar’

A poster of the Tamil film ‘Irugapatru’. (X)

After a year, Yuvaraj’s college senior Kamal Das called him to check what he was doing. “I told him that I had quit making films,” the director said.

The senior told him to visit a place the next morning. “I realised it was a production house, only after I reached there. Kamal Das introduced me to producer Thangaprabhakar and asked him to give me a film. I was taken aback. I told the producer that I did not know Kamal Das was bringing me to him to ask for a film. I told the producer I did not want to embarrass him.”

Yuvaraj Dhayalan further added, “My first reaction was to get out of the place. I had faced so much humiliation after Eli that I decided I would run away from the industry. I did not want to be humiliated anymore. But producer Thangaprabhakar asked me to forget what had happened and offered to discuss story ideas, if any.”

Yuvaraj stated that the production house pursued him for a year to come back to the writing mode.

“When I asked their executive producer Krishna why they were being so kind to me, Krishna said that they were willing to bet big on me since producer Thangaprabhakar had seen a spark in me. I am here today because of these people — Kamal Das, Producer Thangaprabhakar, and executive producer Krishna,” he added.

Irugapattru marks Yuvaraj Dhayalan’s comeback film. It revolves around three couples and explores the reasons behind the conflicts in marriages.

The movie has been produced by Dream Warrior Pictures and music by Ghibran and is scheduled to hit screens on 6 October.

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