Directing a film in two languages a joy and challenge: Sudha Kongara on 'Soorarai Pottru', 'Sarfira'

MUMBAI: Directing a film in two languages is a rewarding as well as a challenging endeavour, says director Sudha Kongara, who helmed the Tamil hit "Soorarai Pottru" and its Hindi adaptation "Sarfira".

"Sarfira", fronted by Akshay Kumar, released in theatres on Friday. It is the Hindi remake of "Soorarai Pottru", featuring Suriya. Inspired by events from the life of Air Deccan Founder Captain G R Gopinath, the 2020 original won five National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film and Best Actor.

Kongara said the toughest part of making a film in different languages is to ensure that the essence of the story "remains intact".

"Directing the same film in two languages is both a joy and a challenge. The joy comes from being able to present the story to diverse audiences and witnessing how different cultural nuances can bring new dimensions to the narrative...

"Working with different actors on reinterpretations of the film brings fresh perspectives, personalities and nuances to the characters, which can be equally enriching and refreshing,” the filmmaker told PTI in an interview.

The plot of the two films revolves around the protagonist, who sets out to make the common man fly and in the process takes on the world’s most capital-intensive industry with the help of his family, friends and sheer willpower.

Both Tamil and Hindi versions stay true to the narrative and spirit of the story, said the director, adding there are subtle differences in the execution to cater to respective audiences.

In "Soorarai Pottru", the name of the main lead played by Suriya is called Nedumaaran Rajangam or 'Maara'. In the Hindi remake, the character played by Kumar becomes Vir Mhatre.

Aparna Balamurali essayed Maara's wife, Sundari 'Bommi' Nedumaaran. The role has been played by Radhika Madan with a different name (Rani Mhatre) in "Sarfira". Paresh Rawal has starred in both versions.

"The actors, Suriya and Akshay and Aparna and Radhika had completely different takes on their roles, which have come out in their respective performances. Also, ‘Sarfira’ focuses on the entrepreneurial mindset of the current generation,” she said.

Kumar’s versatility as a performer and his passion for bringing stories of unsung heroes to the big screen made him the ideal choice for the Hindi adaptation, added Kongara.

“When I approached him with the script, he was immediately intrigued by the story and the character of Vir Jagannath Mhatre. He also had a lot of new ideas and inputs on how to make his character and ‘Sarfira’ different from the original and more suited to the Hindi market which has made the film richer.”

The success of “Soorarai Pottru” laid the groundwork for “Sarfira”, she said.

“The universal appeal of the story prompted me to make the film in Hindi. The protagonist’s journey is not just a regional tale but a story of hope and perseverance that can inspire people across India and cut across demographics,” added the director, who Hindi cinema directors Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Zoya Akhtar, Kabir Khan, Neeraj Pandey, and Shimit Amin.

Kongara said the language of cinema transcends barriers.

“As a filmmaker, the language doesn’t matter to me. If I get to work in Odisha cinema, or in Kannada I would love to make films in those languages too. In Hindi films, I would love to work with Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Shefali Shah, Tabu, Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, and work with Paresh Rawal again as he’s a master.”

From delving into his memoir "Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey" to unravelling the intricacies of the aviation industry, the director said she spent almost a decade on researching the subject because she wanted to authentically capture Gopinath's incredible journey.

"The film required that kind of investment in terms of research. Like, reading his autobiography, meeting him, understanding the aviation industry, and delving into the socioeconomic factors that influenced his decisions.

"What particularly resonated with me was his determination to make air travel affordable for the common man. His belief that everyone should have the right to fly, and the sacrifices he made to turn this vision into reality made an impact on me and became a central theme of the film," she said.

The recurring motif of overcoming insurmountable odds is a hallmark of Kongara's work and it is evident in films such as “Soorarai Pottru” and 2016's “Irudhi Suttru”.

"It’s a theme that’s close to my heart. These stories resonate with audiences because they reflect the universal human experience of facing challenges and overcoming them with perseverance and grit," she added.

With “Sarfira”, the “dream” of a theatrical release became a reality for the director, who couldn’t release “Soorarai Pottru” in cinema halls owing to COVID-19 pandemic. The Tamil film got a direct-to-digital release on Prime Video.

“There is a unique magic and communal experience associated with watching a film in a theatre. The big screen allows for a different level of engagement and emotional connection. I am excited to see 'Sarfira' resonate with audiences in theatres,” Kongara said.

“Sarfira” also features Seema Biswas in a pivotal role.

The film is produced by the late Aruna Bhatia of Cape of Good Films, Suriya and Jyotika's 2D Entertainment, and Vikram Malhotra-led Abundantia Entertainment.