Filmmaker Pandiraj, gearing up for the release of his 11th directorial Thalaivan Thalaivii this Friday, July 25th, opened up to Cinema Express about the evolving landscape of Tamil cinema and his place within it. Known for his stronghold on family entertainers, Pandiraj acknowledges the importance of star-driven projects like Jailer and Vikram, but celebrates the space now created for smaller, content-driven films such as Tourist Family, Lubber Pandhu, and 3BHK.
Despite being branded a “family padam” director after the success of Kadaikutty Singam and Namma Veetu Pillai, Pandiraj insists his films are deeply rooted in realism and cultural authenticity. “My films are documents of Tamil life,” he says, referencing the Parotta master character in Thalaivan Thalaivii as a rare, grounded protagonist.
However, he laments the industry’s obsession with box-office numbers and audience labeling, stating, “It’s disappointing that many cinema conversations boil down to numbers.” He believes audiences aren’t demanding formulas, they just want to feel connected.
For Pandiraj, co-existence is key. “If someone wants pizza, let them have it. But don’t force it on those craving a bowl of rice,” he quips, reminding us that there’s room for all kinds of cinema in Tamil Nadu’s rich cultural fabric.
Thalaivan Thalaivii has officially cleared the censor board with a UA certificate and a runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes. The film is now set for a worldwide theatrical release this Friday in both Tamil and Telugu.