Tamilrockers, the piracy web site, went from being a nuisance to turning into a critical menace to the Tamil movie trade in a matter of some months. At one level, the unlawful web site was releasing pirated movies on the day of the movie’s theatrical launch, surprising trade insiders. For a protracted whereas, it regarded like there could be no finish to the menace. But, issues modified for good after a collection of arrests of people that have been operating the infamous community.
Now, SonyLiv is developing with an online collection titled Tamilrockerz, which is predicated on a few of the actual occasions that panned out through the mission to nab the culprits behind Tamilrockers. With Arivazhagan of Eeram fame because the director, the collection has Arun Vijay within the lead function as Rudra, a police officer. In a free-wheeling chat with indianexpress.com, Arun opened up concerning the collection.
Excerpts from the interview:
First issues first, what can we anticipate from Tamilrockerz?
We just about know what unlawful web sites like Tamilrockers and movie piracy, on the entire, did to movie industries. Thoughts you, this isn’t simply concerning the Tamil movie trade, the collection is concerning the loss incurred by industries internationally. After watching the collection, I believe many would cease watching pirated content material. The collection goals to create consciousness concerning the havoc movie piracy creates within the movie trade. That’s the final word purpose.
Why is that this a collection and never a movie?
Truthfully, the content material wanted time as a result of it offers with quite a lot of actual incidents and folks. To construct many characters wouldn’t be doable with a movie. It will get into the entire facet of how their community functioned, which is fairly attention-grabbing. To deal with all these items, it needed to be made as a collection. Additionally, with a movie, there are quite a lot of restrictions about what may be stated. With this format, we have been in a position to operate with quite a lot of freedom. Personally, I had quite a lot of scope for my function, and folks will be capable of journey with my character Rudra.
That is your first internet collection.
True. I used to be initially skeptical concerning the format as a result of it’s an unknown territory for me. Nevertheless, with Arivazhagan and an iconic manufacturing home like AVM, who’re additionally making their collection debut, I acquired the arrogance. We have now achieved our greatest. The manufacturing home wants no introduction and residing as much as their title, they’ve made it with no constraints. Additionally, internet collection have a special attain. The viewers for this format is totally different. So, I can cowl this new demography with the collection.
Are you able to title a few of your movies that took a success due to Tamilrockers?
Not only one! All my movies have confronted the menace. Be it or a nasty print, we have been pissed off due to the menace. We nonetheless have a staff to take down piracy web sites, however they preserve cropping up as Telegram channels and whatnot. I hope we discover a fool-proof approach with advancing expertise to finish it as soon as and for all. On the finish of the day, all of it comes all the way down to the individuals and their decision to not watch pirated content material. The change ought to start from that finish as effectively.
As a society, we don’t look down upon watching pirated content material as a critical crime.
(Laughs) True. We (the Tamil movie trade) are all the time in awe of the Telugu movie trade for the way they have been in a position to management this menace. The explanation behind their success is the viewers and followers who have been cussed about not watching pirated content material. They needed to see their stars solely in theatres. Like, I stated the change ought to begin from inside. I hope this collection makes some impression on that entrance. It exhibits not simply the investigation but additionally the emotional facet of filmmaking and the loss incurred as a consequence of movie piracy.
Do you suppose because the introduction of OTT movie piracy has decreased?
Positively. Since there’s an choice for the viewers to observe it legitimately, lots of people are taking the proper route. These are people who find themselves not in a position to watch movies in theatres as a consequence of busy schedules. They didn’t have such an choice earlier than, now with OTT, they do.
Oh My Canine is the one detour out of your normal motion movies. Has the success of your Victor in Ajith’s Yennai Arindhaal (2015) made you select solely motion movies?
Motion is my forte, and there’s so much to discover in that zone. Nevertheless, I don’t thoughts doing one thing as poignant as Oh My Canine. I do realise content material is all that issues. So, I’ll attempt to be part of good content material.
Will we see one other antagonist function like Victor from you?
Folks preserve asking me if I’ll do a villain function once more, however it is dependent upon the function. I need to do one thing that surpasses Victor or one thing that’s on par with that function. I gained’t accept anything.
