What are the advantages you felt you had because you used theyyam as the backdrop?
I had many advantages. Emotions in Othello are expressed through words but as I used theyyam and made Perumalayan an artiste, I could achieve emotions through expressions. I could also show his two minds, which I would not have got if I had used any other backdrop.
Would you be making films based on any more plays of Shakespeare?
I made Kannagi which was an adaptation of Anthony and Cleopatra. Next in my plan is Julius Caesar. Also in the pipeline are Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. I am looking for the proper backdrop, which I want to be rooted in our culture.
Are you amused at the hype about Vishal Bharadwaj's adaptation of Othello, now?
(Laughs) I made Kaliyattam in a language spoken by the people of a small state and Vishal's film is in Hindi. But Vishal had asked for the DVD of my film through a friend of his. He wanted to see Kaliyattam.
When I made Kaliyattam, there were not many television channels. Today, there are hundreds of them looking for news, and they show this as a big event. If I had made the film today, perhaps I would have got more exposure.
Our main disadvantage is that we make films in a language which is spoken by only very few people in India. Naturally, you will not get much exposure.
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