A SOLDIER'S LIFE

Director Rajkumar Periasamy speaks about his upcoming Sivakarthikeyan-Sai Pallavi-starrer Amaran, bringing Major Mukund Varadarajan’s life to screen, the help from the Ministry of Defence, and more

- PRASHANTH VALLAVAN

EVERY story is a reflection of reality. However, there comes a time when a person's life transcends the bounds of reality and shines as a consummate example of the indomitable human spirit. With Amaran, which is based on the life of Major Mukund Varadarajan, Director Rajkumar Periasamy has taken on the humongous task of bringing such a story to screen. On whether the real-life story had to adapt to the inherent exaggerations of a film's format, the director says, "No matter how much we try to exaggerate, no matter how hard we train the actors, we cannot match the life of army officers. Even if we try to exaggerate the stories, the real-life stories of these officers far exceed fiction." Rajkumar goes on to add how Sivakarthikeyan, who plays Major Mukund in the film, was instrumental in bringing the character to life. "He has given a subtle and grounded performance. There are three looks for Sivakarthikeyan in the film. You could see him evolve from a college student and a soldierin-training to a Major. I don't mean to heap praise on my own actor but I truly believe that his performance in Amaran will be spoken about for years," he says.