Soorarai Pottru won big at the 68th National Film Awards. Sudha Kongara, the director and screenplay writer of Soorarai Pottru. Filmmaker Sudha Kongara expressed her happiness on her National Award. She said
“I feel exactly how Mara (Soorarai Pottru Suriya’s character) felt after taking off for the first time. I feel great that a mainstream film has won a National Award. It feels really good and I feel like I’ve done something good. It’s like validation. I feel good. I felt it was a story of every person with a purpose. We all have that ambition, it’s about the common man’s struggle.
I think it was the way they chased the small planes. Airports and runways and trying to get flights from Ministry of Defence and get NOC from them. Editing and writing such a strong female character in a male centric film was a challenge. I want a strong female character in all the films I act in. By strong I don’t mean a character written like Superwoman. I believe in the real woman, the woman I see everyday.
There were many difficulties in completing the film on budget. Shot in 56 locations over 60 days, it was like being in a new location every day. There were 93 speaking parts and the acting for them was difficult. Writing a screenplay that goes beyond the experiences of a man’s life and bringing it to a 120 page screenplay was very difficult, the writing itself was the biggest challenge.
I feel happy, validated and I feel lucky to have this talent. It’s a collaborative effort, and filmmaking is the most collaborative activity in the world. Everyone is good at work, good at what they do and getting rewarded for what they do. In the end it is peace.”
