Amid all the speculations, director Chidambaram has revealed that his next directorial venture will be a Hindi film.The filmmaker, known for ‘Jan. E. Man’, ‘Manjummel Boys’ and the recently released ‘Balan’, said in a recent interview that the film is currently under development and is expected to begin production next year.The director shared the update during a conversation with Variety. He also explained that the project required extensive planning, particularly because it is being mounted in Hindi. As a result, the development process has taken longer than usual.
Casting process is already underway
Speaking about the project, Chidambaram revealed that preparations have been progressing steadily. He said he has been travelling to Mumbai regularly over the past two years as work continues behind the scenes. According to the filmmaker, casting is currently in progress and remains one of the major reasons for the extended timeline.Sharing an update, he said, “I’m doing a Hindi film. It’s being developed, and I think it might go on floors by the end of next year. The casting process is on, and I’ve been coming to Mumbai every month for the last two years, but because it is a Hindi film, it’s taking time. In the meantime, I thought I fit in a Malayalam film.”While waiting for the Hindi project to take shape, Chidambaram completed work on ‘Balan’.
Why a Hindi film matters to him
The filmmaker also spoke about his long-held ambition to direct a Hindi film. He explained that the language offers filmmakers an opportunity to reach audiences across the country while also providing larger budgets and broader visibility.Explaining his perspective, Chidambaram said, “It is always a dream for South directors to make a Hindi film, because it’s a national film, and we have a bigger audience, bigger budget and bigger voice.”
‘Balan’ director believes theatres are here to stay
Chidambaram also shared his views on the future of cinema halls. Despite the rapid growth of OTT platforms and changing viewing habits, he believes audiences will continue to embrace the theatrical experience.Sharing his thoughts, he said, “I think people are going to theatres. When COVID-19 hit, we thought theaters were done, but that’s not true. Look at the collection of both the ‘Dhurandhar’ films and other films like ‘Jailer.’ The ritual of watching something all together is not going away. When television came, we thought it was the end of films and theatres. Then, when cable TV came, we thought that would be the end of theatres. The same happened when OTT came, and the pandemic followed. The collective experience of watching a film will stay. A film or a play, I think the format may change. Maybe it will become 3D or holographic or a VR experience, but the collective watching experience, I think it’s here to stay.”
‘Balan’ continues its steady box office run
Chidambaram’s latest Malayalam film ‘Balan’ continues to perform steadily at the box office.According to Sacnilk, the film collected an estimated Rs 45 lakhs (India net) on Day 12. The film’s India net collection has reached Rs 16.43 crore, while its worldwide gross collection now stands at approximately Rs 30.24 crore.
