Kaakha Kaakha, one of the most talked about and successful Tamil films in recent times, was Gautam Menon's second film. It was the first ever film made on an encounter specialist; much before the deluge started on Indian screens.
Apparently, when Kaakha Kaakha hit the screens, Mumbai filmmaker Feroz Khan bought the rights to the film and asked Gautam Menon to direct it in Hindi. Then came an offer to remake the film in Telugu.
The latest is an offer to make the film in English in Hollywood! While the screenplay of the English version is being prepared in Los Angeles, Gautam Menon has completed the Telugu version of Kaakha Kaakha and is working on a romantic film in Tamil.
His first venture, Minnalae, was a big hit at the box office, though it bombed when it was remade in Hindi (with Madhavan and Dia Mirza).
In an exclusive interview with Shobha Warrier, Menon talks about the Hollywood offer and why he is not so excited:
The news is that your highly successful Kaakha Kaakha is going to be made into a Hollywood film. From Tamil to Telugu to now English, how did all this happen?
After we made Kaakha Kaakha in Tamil, my producer [Kalaipuli S] Thanu was keen to see it made in English. He kept telling me we must meet people in Hollywood. I was not so keen because my career is just starting here. I have made only two films so far, so I thought I should establish myself here first.
But Thanu was persistent. He hired a consultant, Mohan Narayan, who knew some people in Hollywood and arranged a meeting for us with some Hollywood producers. So the three of us went to LA some time in mid-2003, and met screen brokers Andy and Bonnie Sanders, who in turn took us to four-five producers. They were not A-list producers, but independent filmmakers. We had four-five meetings. At each meeting, we had to show the DVD of the film, present our profiles, and talk about our film and India. They were quite impressed with whatever we had shown them.
Frankly, I was not too keen, but their response to my work made me sit up. They were extremely appreciative of the film and my capacity as a filmmaker and Thanu's role as the producer.
You showed the clippings of your film to the producers. How aware were they of Tamil films?
They didn't know anything about Tamil films. They knew 'Bollywood'. We had to tell them we were from south India and our film was made in one of the south Indian languages. They were surprised to know that the Tamil film industry is as big as the Hindi film industry. They only knew Mira Nair [Salaam! Bombay, Monsoon Wedding] and Shekhar Kapur [Bandit Queen, Elizabeth, Four Feathers].
I showed them clippings from Kaakha Kaakha and Thanu showed them a clipping of Aalavandhan [Thanu produced the film for Kamal Haasan. Hindi viewers know the film as Abhay]. They were surprised to see the quality of the films made here [in the Tamil film industry].
Who will produce the film in English?
Thanu told them he would partially support the production and asked them whether they were willing to tie up with him. All four of them agreed to produce the film.
Are you writing the screenplay of the English version too?
No. I am not familiar with the living environment there. I can write a film based here. I gave them the sketch and they have already started writing the screenplay. I am putting it on hold as I am doing a couple of films here. They have been pestering me to go there and start working on the film. I can do that only next year. By then, I will finish my commitments here.
Anyone in your place would have given preference to a Hollywood production.
It is a big break, I agree, but I have to understand the way they work, and they work differently. I am quite comfortable here. There, they plan for the film for almost eight months and then they shoot for another eight months. The script has to be very correct. It can't be done the way it is done here. Once the script is ready, I will start planning, which will probably be by next year.
Is it true that the story is going to be about a Russian commando fighting Chechen rebels?
We thought of a couple of options, and finally zeroed in on a Russian cop and Chechen rebels. It could change we have not confirmed it yet.
How excited are you about your first Hollywood film?
It is pretty exciting. Meeting all those people, finding out their thoughts are all very exciting. I never had any Hollywood ambitions, especially at this stage of my career. I am just following the career paths of Ram Gopal Varma, Mani Ratnam and Priyadarsan, and modelling my career after them. I want to make films here first, and then maybe go there.
I got a little confident only because of their response to my film. Even so, I think I should establish myself here first. If I were a big director here, my making a film in Hollywood would have created a lot of buzz over here.
What exactly do you think might have impressed the producers in Hollywood?
They said it was a stylishly made film. They even told me it was as good as a film released there. I told them I worked on a very tight budget and would have made a bigger film if I had more money.
If you see the Telugu version, you will be surprised. I had more money to spend, so I have made a slicker and better version. See the irony. The same producer is willing to spend more money now, not only for the Telugu version but for the English version as well.
Didn't he have confidence in you when you were making Kaakha Kaakha?
No, no. He didn't have that much money when we were making the Tamil original.
What about the Hindi version which you were to make for Feroz Khan?
I backed out of that because I don't want to do the same thing all over again. One of my associates might direct the film.
Would you feel fresh when you make the same film for the third time in English?
That will be totally different. The screenplay is different, the settings are different. Only the basic structure will be the same.
Have you started thinking about the Hollywood project?
Not exactly. I think of the project only when I open my mailbox as they keep updating me on the screenplay. Otherwise, my mind is on the projects I am doing here. I have just finished the Telugu version of Kaakha Kaakha, to which I have made a few structural changes. Then, I am making a love story, Chennayil Oru Mazhakalam.
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