S Shankar reveals why he decided to make 'Indian 2' into two parts: 'Each part has its own strength'

S Shankar reveals why he decided to make 'Indian 2' into two parts: 'Each part has its own strength'

Kamal Haasan’s 1996 cult classic film ‘Indian’ is returning with a much-awaited sequel, ‘Indian 2’. The film is set to hit theaters on July 15, and prior to the release, the makers hosted a grand trailer launch event in Chennai on June 25. While addressing media personnel during the event, Kamal Haasan and Shankar talked about how they decided to release the film in two parts.

Kamal narrated that splitting ‘Indian 2’ into two parts and deciding to release ‘Indian 3’ in the future was purely a director’s choice. He added that he can only talk about his movie ‘Vishwaroopam’, which was a blockbuster hit in 2013 and had a sequel in 2018. The 350-page script was done in two parts.

“On day one, I've told my crew that this is going to be in two parts. We embark on a journey today to make two films. You'll be paid as such. But I'll be shooting sporadically back and forth between the two films,” Kamal added. He believes in the decision that Mr. Shankar has made. No one has to guide him on that as he had a firm belief about his script and its length.

Shankar explained that part one only revolves around one state. That part one itself is a three-hour, 20-minute film. But now the story spreads all over the country to all the states. So naturally, the story became big. “Actually, our initial idea was to do only one part. After I started filming and when I sat in the editing room, all the scenes from my point of view came out very well. If, for the sake of it, you have to make it in one part, if I compressed the whole thing, the soul of each and every scene, the feel of every scene would have been lost,” Shankar clarified.

He thought that all the scenes looked good and weren't boring. “I was able to see there are two parts in that story and each part has its own strength, whole form, engaging scenes, and a start, a body, and a climax and finish. So it evolved automatically into two parts,” he mentioned.

Kamal further appreciated the efforts of both the producers and the director of the film. “The tenacity of purpose of both the director and the producer has to be applauded even before the film becomes a hit. That I owe to them. So this is that applause for them because it's very easy to let go. Let me leave this and go to another one. They didn't do that because all of us were working, we had other films to do, and even he had other films but not to let go of the child, not to orphan this child was a decision taken by Lyca Productions and Mr. Shankar.”

‘Indian 2’ will be released in theaters on July 12.

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