'Promotions can't save a bad film'

Archana Kalpathi, the creative producer of GOAT, shares insights on what goes behind the scenes to create a Vijay-starrer, understanding the pulse of the audience, and more...

- NARAYANI M

AS we sit down for an interview at her office, creative producer Archana Kalpathi says, "The exam has been written. We are just waiting for the results." Partly heaving a sigh of relief for the extensive work that has gone through and partly anxious for the reception, she opens up by saying, "We have shot the film for almost 150 days. Vijay sir himself has been on set for 120 days. This is one of the longest call sheets that he has ever given since it is a double role and a very challenging screenplay." From charting a budget, and ensuring funds to match Venkat Prabhu's vision, Archana has done everything in her power to make sure the film reaches its finish line.

In this extensive conversation, Archana gives a sneak peek into her job as a creative producer, curating promotional strategies, factors that go into releasing a film on time, the mutual trust her team shares, and more...

Excerpts:

Apart from the fact that Vijay is a bankable star and you are his fan, what was the one aspect that made you take on the project? The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) has a very interesting and racy screenplay. That was catchy for me. Like Ghilli and Thuppakki, you won't have a moment to pause. It is easy to make a film with a good story and screenplay, but it is extremely difficult to make a solid film with a big star since expectations are always sky-high. It is like writing an exam when you are the topper, you are expected to score big. In a smaller film, you can experiment and take risks, but for a film like GOAT, the script needs to be spot on. Even a small error will be magnified.