Academy award-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty says the upcoming Rajinikanth film, 2.0, features massive action sequences of international standard.
Directed by Shankar, 2.0 is a sequel to the 2010 blockbuster Robot. The sci-fi action-drama features Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as an antagonist.
Pookutty says he was amazed with what he saw when he visited the film set and will spend a lot of time creating the perfect sound for the movie.
“Technically, the action in 2.0 is a high level of achievement. I went to the set and what I saw was amazing. I’ve gone through the narration and the previews. Next year, most of my time will be invested in creating 2.0,” Pookutty said.
The 45-year-old sound designer feels the movie will consolidate the position of Indian films at a time when most Hollywood biggies are raking in huge money at the domestic box office.
“I think a film like 2.0 will consolidate our position from the international perspective of filmmaking. I have reasons to say this when you look at the last five years how Hollywood films are faring in the Indian domestic market.
“When Avatar came out, it collected nearly Rs58 crore [Rs580 million, Dh31 million] from the Indian market, last year Fast and Furious came and collected Rs108 crore [Rs1.08 billion] and when it came to Jungle Book it was nearly Rs200 crore [Rs2 billion].”
Pookutty has been associated with Indian as well as international films, ranging from Highway and Ra. One to Slumdog Millionaire and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
The acclaimed sound designer feels Hollywood biggies make huge money in India without shooting in the country and if Indian filmmakers don’t pull up their socks, the industry will be “doomed”.
“These films are taking away the resources from this country without spending a single penny on making of that film. It is high time that Indian filmmakers who want our film industry to survive, to look at this aspect and change our filmmaking to a different level.”
“People today are exposed to first-rate content. They are going to compare our product with what is coming out in the west. If we are not able to consolidate our domestic market, we will be doomed as an industry in the next ten years.”
It is in this regard, Resul says, that the Rajinikanth starrer will play a key role.
“That is where the sanctity of a film like 2.0 comes in. Someone like Shankar, Rajinikanth and Akshay have understood this aspect and have come together to make something. Looking at the product people will say ‘we can also make such films’,” he said.
2.0 sees the involvment of another Academy award winner — composer A R Rahman.
The film is being produced in three languages — Tamil, Telugu and Hindi — and is scheduled to release next year.
