Karthi's 'Japan', which will head to theatres on November 10, is directed by Raju Murugan. Dream Warrior Pictures, which has famously produced 'Oke Oka Jeevitham', 'NGK' and, most importantly, 'Kaithi', is bankrolling the heist comedy actioner. In this interview, producer SR Prabhu talks about his latest outing at length.
Co-starring our own Sunil, among others, 'Japan' is about a notorious master thief who steals jewels worth Rs 200 Cr. He is then sought to be rounded up by the police, making his situation tight.
'Japan' is a character-driven movie. I am confident that it will leave a lasting impact. We have seen Karthi's 'Evvarra Meerantha' one-liner from his early movie become a meme trend in the Telugu States. I am confident that some portions of 'Japan' will enjoy a similar level of popularity.
It is true that people expect actioners to be serious these days. 'Japan' is a comedy thriller but the protagonist himself doesn't do comedy. He is a serious man. What generates comedy is the way he looks at things in life. While being a heist film, 'Japan' is thoughtful and raises questions concerning humanity.
Director Raju Murugan's ideas, as a writer and a filmmaker, are quite unique. It was Karthi's wish (after informal discussions involving him and the director) to work with Raju. The character of Japan will be etched in the minds of the audience. As a producer, I prefer variety. That's why I have done a large set of films whose genres are different from one another. That's what made me go for 'Japan'.
Karthi's get-up and voice modulation in 'Japan' are amusing. Since the time the trailer was released, the audience have been thrilled to watch the movie on November 10.
Anu Emmanuel's character is going to be unpredictable. Japan comes across a set of interesting characters and Anu's character is one of them. Her screen presence is limited, though. We are glad that she agreed to do this film.
As for composer GV Prakash, his music has always been distinctive. (The producer hinted that the background score is going to be top-notch). Cinematographer Ravi Varma is extremely talented but has done only a few films down South. We approached him with the offer and he told us he would be available only for 10 days in a month. We were ready to shoot 'Japan' only for those 10 days. He is a great technician.
Akkineni Nagarjuna sir is releasing 'Japan' on Annapurna Studios. (The producer hinted that Nag is surprised by the kind of films Karthi has been doing. The two actors have had a strong bond since 'Oopiri', the 2016 release).
We have films coming up with Rashmika Mandanna and Keerthy Suresh in the coming years. Rashmika's 'Rainbow' is a sci-fi romance. Keerthy's film is an action thriller. 'Kannivedi' is the title of her film.
