On the other hand, Saanve’s preparation was less about acting skills and more about language skills. “My mother tongue is Telugu, so I initially struggled with Tamil. Even during the promotional rounds for Kudumbasthan I used to get nervous. But, since then, I have started taking lessons for Tamil and now I am much more confident, enough to dub for my own lines,” says Saanve. Speaking about the themes of the film, Saanve says, “Any marriage would only survive if the couple discuss their preferences before they tie the knot. Something as important as who should move into whose house should be discussed beforehand to avoid drama. Any story needs a conflict to drive the narrative and this simple miscommunication provides that in the film.”
As a self-proclaimed fan of composer Yuvan Shankar Raja, and as someone who recently took the plunge into acting from behind the camera, Elan gives a curious reply about whether he would like to have Yuvan on board as an actor in one of his films. Elan replies, “This might surprise you, but I actually told Yuvan sir that he should never become an actor. Being a prominent figure in the film industry, he would constantly get acting offers. But I know that he is not interested, and I don’t want the peer pressure to get to him. Also, music is his strength, so let him do what he is most comfortable with.”
Pyaar Prema Kalyanam skipped theatres and started streaming on Netflix. Speaking about the OTT experience, Elan says, “I am disappointed that I won’t get to hear the live audience reaction, but OTT is the future. Theatres won’t disappear, but both will thrive.” Elan further denies any creative restrictions from the streaming platform. “They have their own standards, but they did not make any changes to the script.” Even though he finally realised his acting dreams, Elan is clear about his plans for the future. “I will never give up direction. My dream is to direct one film and act in one film every year, but we will see where it goes.” Currently working on an action-drama, Elan’s dream project happens to be further down the road. “I would love to remake the 1967 film Athey Kangal, and make it an ensemble murder mystery in the lines of the Knives Out franchise.”