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A M R Ramesh

Ideally the initiative should have come from Kollywood to do a film on the action-filled days when the assassins of slain Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi went on hide. This factor was not missed by actor Nasser during the screening of the Kannada movie Cyandide for a special audience in Chennai few months ago.         Director A M R Ramesh, who made it possible is a gold medalist from the Film and Television Institute in Chennai. Focusing on the last 21 days in the lives of Sivarasan and other LTTE activists involved in the gruesome act, the movie earned critical acclaim in international film festivals and box office success at home.         The Tamil version Kuppi had a modest opening week response. Ramesh is now preparing to remake Cyanide in Hindi.         Talking to News Today, the director says that plans are on to cast         Amitabh Bachchan, Paresh Rawal and Tabu in pivotal roles.

        Of the spot-on choice of Marathi actor Ravi Kale as the one-eyed jackal Sivarasan, the director said that 'Kale impressed me in Sarkar and I found the connection in his looks to Sivarasan.'

        It took seven years for Ramesh to write the complete script illustrated with newspaper clippings, graphics and official photographs provided by the State police.

        What prompted him to do a movie on the killers of former Prime Minister, after so many years? 'When the gruesome act happened, I was in Chennai, studying at the film institute. I went round the city and was witness to the tense situation. At that time, it was playing in my mind as to who could have been behind it. When the killers were trapped in Bangalore, it shocked me no end, being my native place. After a few days I got to know that they were staying at Ranganath and Mridula's house. That was a bigger shock as I knew them for decades.'

        If that set the spark in Ramesh to bring the whole thing in celluloid , he had a lot of home work to do in getting the facts right and possibly from the horse's mouth. 'I interacted with Ranganath for over four years after his release from prison, met the police officers and researched newspapers. The personal information provided by Ranganathan and Mridula about themselves were important ingredients.'

        Ramesh's next priority was to get a good technical crew to assist him. He managed to rope in cameraman Rathnavelu, editor Anthony and music composer Sandeep Chowtha. The skilful handling of the script ensured no controversy.

        Deligted was Ramesh when the Censor Board gave the clearance sans any cuts. 'I shot for just 29 days. During the course of the shooting my father expired. I did the last rites and rushed back within hours.'

        Ramesh is also planning to do a movie on the forest brigand Veerappan.

        He was among those who had called on matinee idol Rajkumar, after his release from the clutches of Veerappan.

        Now after extensive research in Mettur and Sathyamangalam forests - considered to be domain of the Sandalwood Smuggler - he is ready. There is the assurance that it would be a neutral film without taking any side.