Second attempt is as important as the first in every field. Director Anand Shankar is brimming with hope that his second directorial Iru Mugan` with a stellar lead cast of Vikram,Nayanthara and Nithya Menen will more than live up to the tremendous pre-release buzz.

In this exclusive Red Carpet Interview to IndiaGlitz, this young filmmaker who made a stunning debut with 'Arima Nambi' speaks at length about 'Iru Mugan' his first film with a big star like Vikram. Excerpts

What is the highlight of Iru Mugan? How is it different from your Arima Nambi?

We can`t compare Arima Nambi` and Iru Mugan`. Arima Nambi` is more like a thriller which happens in one night. Iru Mugan` is very different in a sense that its got a bit of science fiction in it. Its a bigger action film. Its something when I started writing itself it was supposed to cater to a larger audience.

You are saying that Iru Mugan` is a commercial entertainer?

This is definitely a commercial entertainer but I have tried to cut off a lot of cliche from it. And I have also tried to add a little bit of new elements in the sense the story would have something different in it. I wanted to do a commercial film with a twist. Something like added flavour to it. There is a huge set of audience which probably do not approve a regular commercial film. So I wanted them to like this film also.

Is it an A class commercial cinema or does it cater to B and C centres also?

Because the film is looking stylish and posh, people might think it is an A centre film which is actually not true. We have done it in such a way that it actually reaches all the audience. It might look like an English film because we shot it abroad. But the content is told in such a way that everybody would enjoy it. And we haven`t taken the audience lightly. We have actually researched on it and we have done some stuffs and I think that will be appreciated.

Tell us about Vikram`s two roles as Akilan and Love.

It was interesting for me. Mainly writing Love (character) itself was so much fun for me. These guys are so different from each other. Akilan is a RAW Agent who doesn`t follow rules. He is gonna stab and hit people even before he talks to them; very violent kind of a guy. The protagonist is someone who is a nice protagonist like a police. He is good, he is cold in a very different way. This other guy, the antagonist is something which I really liked because he is very unique. This guy is somebody who is very unpredictable.

The trailers simply rocked. In that you had given extra footage to Love? Do you feel that the Love character was revealed a little too early?

In the trailer he comes actually only in five shots. Its a two minute trailer. So it still feels like Love was shown so much because that character has so much of impact.

Tell us about Vikram.He specialises in these kind of roles. When you cast Vikram, did you look at its commercial angle?

Yeah I did. But its not just that commercial angle. There are a few big actors in the film industry. So if I actually wanna do something here, I need to give them something they appreciate. Because they do a lot of films. Like it should be something like the audience and them (the stars) actually need to love that film. It should be a milestone (in their career). If it is, then I will be happy. That's what is going to elevate me also. When it comes to Vikram, I have done my first film and immediately I`ve got a big actor`s dates. But that`s not the end of it. End of it is when the film is going to come out and when people are going to question me as to what have Idone with Vikram. Even before I gave him the line, the script was developed for him.

There were rumours that you even approached another actor for this film?

No. I had this character in place. And I knew I can`t cast someone else. When it is Vikram sir, I have this advantage of asking him to do things. Go into different looks, try something crazy... things that might not work for everybody. When you have him, you might as well experiment. It was good for me because I never had to control my writing. I never had to think who can do this.

So, back of your mind when you wrote the story it was Vikram throughout?

Idea was there much before. When I knew Vikram came on board, I wrote it differently.

There has been criticism that the LGBT community is a little pissed off with the trailer of the movie. What is your comment?

To start with, Love is not a transgender or anything like that. If some one dresses up as a nurse people think that he is a cross dresser. He enters a hospital and instead of beating up people, he changes himself dressing up like a nurse. I am revealing this to you. There is nothing more to it. In no part of the film we have insulted any community. We don't have anything were we make fun of somebody. When you have the hero, who is really rough and hard and everything, this guy (Love) is more cat like; he is smooth in what he does. Akilan will just go and bash up people, break doors and enter this place. This guy will jump in through a small door, he will change himself like one nurse. It is for that contrast that we actually created this. When people watch the film they will just love it and go. Nobody will complain. There is no mentioning of anybody there in the first place.

How did Nayanthara come on board?

When I had the script in place, when I was discussing with Vikram it was Nayanthara that came to (our minds). We were planning on casting her only. Not just because she hasn`t worked with Vikram. The film calls for something for Nayanthara. When you see the film you will know that. That screen presence and whatever she has. She has that aura, she has that huge popularity with people. I wanted her on board.

Again with lot of budgeting, the canvas itself is big. I needed big technicians, big actors. I still wanted to shoot aborad. Then everything becomes bigger.

RD Rajasekar is the cameraman. Then it really became a big budget movie?

Yeah. RD, I had because he worked in my previous films also. When my producer Shibu sir came in, he took it to a different level. He said this film needs to be done big.and I am gonna do it. It happened that way and I am happy.

Harris has been in out of form but in this film, the Halena` song has put him into a new level. What about the music of the movie?

If you inspire him with a good story, any music director will be able to (deliver). He was very excited about this