HOW WILL SHANKAR TREAT NANBAN?

So far, we have only associated Shankar with big-budget, visually intimidating (yet pleasant) and out-of-the-world fantasies. Production budgets for all Shankar’s movies have been phenomenal so far, his latest Endhiran even touching new levels after being pronounced to be the most expensive film ever to be made in Asia. Even in the most simplest of stories (for instance, his Boys), Shankar’s creative side finds ways to incorporate tasteful CG works. There is a common adage among the Tamil film fraternity that the budget for his songs of a movie can be utilized to produce a full-length movie.

More than a storyteller, Shankar likes to visually entertain his fans. He is also an artist who likes to flaunt his creative skills, making his stories appear larger than life. His technique works because his execution style is impeccable, with the most minimal logical loopholes visible in his plots. His movies never let you question the practicality of his stories because you are so awed with the splendid visuals and the titillating music. Everything else is pardoned.

For these reasons, our skepticism about his adaptation (or remix is more appropriate, perhaps) of 3 Idiots is not exactly unwarranted. May be for the first time in his career (well, Boys is an exception), Shankar will bank his movie on a well-written story (by Chetan Bhagat). Major part of the success of 3 Idiots can be attributed to its thoughtful director Rajkumar Hirani (remember, another cinematic adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s book One Night at the Call Center bit dust despite the star power of Salman) and the brilliant and insightful combination of star cast Hirani brought to the table.

No doubt Shankar has the accomplished Vijay, the able and gifted Jeeva and the portly Srikanth in the cast list and they will lend him a helping hand in accomplishing Hirani’s success. His motley crew might carry off their responsibilities with ease but will Shankar prefer to be a storyteller this time or will the visual-monster in his come to the fore, drowning the prospects of making the story work? That’s only for time to tell.

But we know this. Shankar’s hands won’t be tied if he wants to inflate his production budget, what with the mighty Sun pictures already procuring the distribution rights of Nanban. They will only be too happy to lend Shankar a helping hand in augmenting the budget. Now that’s too much of a temptation to resist!