R.S. Prasanna, the director of the hit Tamil film Kalyana Samayal Saadham, is in a happy space. His Hindi film debut, Shubh Mangal Savdhan’s trailer was launched amidst positive reviews.
The movie deals with a rather sensitive issue of erectile dysfunction. “Yes, that is a problem that a few men do face,” says Prasanna. “But generally, people do not like to even discuss it. No one will like to discuss it so lightly, as this is supposed to be a taboo topic in society. People don’t even consider what the particular individual may be going through. They don’t consider the unhappiness that a person faces.”
He adds, “Look, for ages women who were unable to conceive were looked down upon by people. Discussing such problems are considered to be stigma in society. Little do they consider, or try to solve such cases. Blaming women for being unable to conceive is yet so common. We need to go to the core of such problems and try to make people happy.”
The director asserts that sex is a biological need. “The film is an ultra clean one. You know, my male protagonist in the film cannot even have sex,” he smiles. “The film is about the reaction of people when a couple is about to get married. How they start joking around differently with their own kith and kin, giving the boy and girl an insight into married life.”
He adds that for some, it can also be an emotional need, he adds. “However, for a large number of people, it’s a way of procreating, which is also a common religious belief. Here in the film, we depict the importance of a couple being together, and what happens during the course of their togetherness.”
Reaching out to a wider audience seems to be Prasanna’s mantra. “Yes, after our Tamil outing proved to be a box office hit, I travelled to Mumbai and Delhi. Many of my friends in Mumbai were invited to watch the film. Director Aanand L. Rai also watched the movie. After a while, he called up my office and we decided to make the Hindi version. Shubh Mangal Savadhan’s culture is different from the Tamil one, so we brought in a few changes. I’m happy to be venturing into Hindi films with my second outing. I would love to take my ideas to a wider audience, and Bollywood is the best. I’ve not decided if my next will be in Tamil or Hindi.”
But will the climax bring a smile on the couple’s face, especially the protagonist who suffers from erectile dysfunction? “You need to wait and watch the movie,” Prasanna concludes.
