‘Jai Mahendran has the potential for multiple seasons’

Do you get to do last-minute improvisations like in films, because corporate companies like Sony usually expect everything to be planned and approved before execution?

As long as the story doesn’t change drastically, they’re okay with minor improvisations like modulations in dialogue delivery or performance. But, there are also instances where some characters or the actor’s performance inspires us to develop them further.

Miya and Suresh Krishna’s characters in Jai Mahendran were extended like that. We loved what they brought to the table and wrote additional scenes for them. In such situations, I used to write scenes at night, get approval from the platform’s creative team, and then proceed to shoot.

Similarly, these platforms are also very particular about political and other sensitive content. This being a political subject, did you get any such guidelines?

Not really, because from the very first draft, this script was not about any one party or person. It’s based on collective experiences, which includes my own. There are no direct references to anyone. Of course, they have a legal team who constantly monitor things. Even if we use a party logo in a scene, we have to get their approval.

You’re also playing a full-length character in the series. Did you always have an interest in acting?

I did, but during my struggling period in cinema, I realised the importance of being focussed. So, I chose not to act, even in my short films, as I wanted to make it as a director first. It was only in my 4th film, I decided to try acting. This role in Jai Mahendran was initially written for someone else. In fact, when it was a feature, I wanted Saiju chettan to play this role and we had even discussed it. But, by the time the series was greenlit, he became bankable enough to lead a project.

We were looking for other options, but Srikanth insisted that I play the role. He felt my offscreen rapport with Saiju chettan would reflect well on the performance. I was still not confident to play a full-length character and add to that the anxiety of being a producer. But, I think it has come out well. It’s for the audience to judge now.