Amidst all the speculation, director Chidambaram has revealed that his next directorial will be a Hindi film.This filmmaker is known for ‘January’. E. Man’, ‘Manjummel Boys’ and the recently released ‘Baalan’ recently said in an interview that the film is currently in development and is expected to start production next year.The director shared the update during a conversation with Variety. He also explained that the project required extensive planning, especially since it was being mounted in Hindi. As a result the development process took longer than usual.
The casting process is already underway
Speaking about the project, Chidambaram revealed that preparations are progressing steadily. He said that he has been traveling to Mumbai regularly for the past two years as work continues behind the scenes. According to the filmmaker, casting is currently underway and is one of the main reasons for the extended timeline.Sharing an update, he said, “I’m doing a Hindi film. It’s being made, and I think it might go on floors by the end of next year. The casting process is on, and I’ve been coming to Mumbai every month for the last two years, but it’s a Hindi film and it’s taking time. In the meantime, I thought I’d fit in a Malayalam film.”While waiting for the Hindi project to take shape, Chidambaram finished work on ‘Balan’.
Why is a Hindi film important to him?
The filmmaker also talked about his long-standing ambition to direct a Hindi film. He explained that the language allows filmmakers to reach audiences across the country and provides larger budgets and greater visibility.Explaining his vision, Chidambaram said, “It’s always a dream for southern directors to make a Hindi film, because it’s a national film, and we have a big audience, big budget and big voice.”
The ‘Baalan’ director believes theater is here to stay
Chidambaram also shared his views on the future of cinema halls. Despite the rapid growth of OTT platforms and changing viewing habits, he believes audiences will continue to embrace the theatrical experience.Sharing his thoughts, he said, “I think people are going to theatres. When Covid-19 hit, we thought theaters were done, but that’s not true. Check out the collection of both ‘Dhurandhar’ films and other films like ‘Ziller’. All in all, the ritual of seeing something is no longer cut. When television came, we thought it was the end of movies and theater. Then, when cable TV came, we thought the theater would be over. The same thing happened when OTT arrived, and the epidemic followed. Watching a film will remain a shared experience. A film or a play, I think the format can change. Maybe it will become 3D or holographic or a VR experience, but the collective viewing experience, I think it’s here to stay.”
‘Baalan’ is running steadily at the box office
Chidambaram’s latest Malayalam film ‘Baalan’ continues to perform consistently at the box office.According to Saknilk, the film collected an estimated Rs 45 lakh (Indian net) on its 12th day. The film’s India net collection has reached Rs 16.43 crore, while its worldwide total is now around Rs 30.24 crore.
