Amidst all the speculations, director Chidambaram has revealed that his next directorial venture will be a Hindi film.The filmmaker, known for ‘Jan. E. Man’, ‘Manjummel Boys’ and the recently released ‘Balan’, said in a recent interview that the film is currently under development and is expected to start production next year.The director shared the update in a conversation with Variety. He also explained that the project required a lot of planning, especially since it was mounted in Hindi. As a result, the development process took longer than usual.
The casting process is already underway
Talking about the project, Chidambaram revealed that the preparations are progressing steadily. He said that he has been traveling to Mumbai regularly for the past two years as the work goes on behind the scenes. According to the filmmaker, casting is currently underway and remains one of the main reasons for the extended timeline.Sharing an update, he said, “I am doing a Hindi film. It is being developed, and I think it may go on the floors by the end of next year. The casting process is going on, and I have been going to Mumbai every month for the past two years, but since it is a Hindi film, it will take time. Meanwhile, I think I will fit in a Malayalam film.”While waiting for the Hindi project to take shape, Chidambaram completed work on ‘Balan’.
Why is a Hindi film important to him?
The filmmaker also spoke about his long-time ambition to direct a Hindi film. He explained that the language offers filmmakers the opportunity to reach audiences across the country while also providing bigger budgets and wider visibility.Explaining his vision, Chidambaram said, “It’s always a dream for directors in the South to make a Hindi film, because it’s a national film, and we have a bigger audience, a bigger budget and a bigger voice.”
The director of “Balan” believes that cinemas are here to stay
Chidambaram also shared his views on the future of cinemas. Despite the rapid development of OTT platforms and changing viewing habits, he believes that audiences will continue to embrace the theater experience.Sharing his thoughts, he said, “I think people will go to theatres. When COVID-19 hit, we thought theaters were over, but that’s not true. Look at the collection of ‘Dhurandhar’ films and other films like ‘Jailer.’ The ritual of seeing something together never goes away. When television came, we thought it was the end of movies and theaters. Then, when cable TV came, we thought that would be the end of movie theaters. The same thing happened when OTT came, and the pandemic followed. The collective experience of watching a film will remain. A film or a play, I think the format can change. Maybe it will be 3D or holographic or a VR experience, but the collective viewing experience, I think it’s here to stay.
‘Balan’ continues its steady box office run
Chidambaram’s latest Malayalam film ‘Balan’ continues to perform consistently at the box office.According to Sacnilk, the film has collected approximately Rs 45 lakhs (India net) on Day 12. The India net collection of the film has reached Rs 16.43 crore, while the worldwide gross collection now stands at approximately Rs 30.24 crore.