Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

For a cinematographer, every frame has to be important.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

Luckily, 'Petta' encompasses all the dimensions of Rajini sir's performances. His main strengths are his charm, style, and the fun that he represents.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

A short film is not a shortened feature film. It has a soul of its own.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

Rajini sir has always been a part of my life from childhood. And I entered into filmmaking because I was influenced by his films.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

When I thought of writing for Rajini sir, I told myself it will be a really cool character with a very happy-go-lucky attitude. We took such a character and placed him in a strong story, and I believe, as a combination, it has worked wonders.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

I would like to direct good actors, and there are good actors who are stars.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

In India, we always look at feature films as a progression over short films. But, abroad, people make a living making short films. The revenue might not be as much as in feature films, but the return on investment is good.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

No, I am not after huge stars. But I have no reservations about working with stars.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

You need to be a good filmmaker to make a compelling two-minute film as well.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

Short films are good, especially since independent films are making waves now, more than before.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

'Iraivi' is about women, men, and their priorities. It talks about women's freedom, how men look at it, and how women use it. It's neither preachy, nor is it about women's empowerment.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

Rajini sir's character in 'Petta' is inspired from the same name from Tamil film 'Mullum Malarum.'

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

There are some stories that can be told in two hours and some in 20 minutes.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

When I was making short films for the TV show 'Naalaya Iyakunar,' I wasn't just competing but making films that I could potentially show at international festivals.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

I met Rajini sir after 'Jigarthanda,' and he said he liked my film. He told me I could approach him whenever I had a good idea. I had never thought he would listen to scripts from new directors. After the meeting, I wondered, 'Should I take his words seriously or not? Should I write something?'

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

Cinema is a visual medium one has to communicate through visuals, and therefore, dialogues should be less.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

You need actors and performers, but there has to be content in a film.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

I didn't foresee troubles in my second film.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

'Mercury' is about a big company exploiting a small town. There is a place in Tamil Nadu called Kodaikanal. It had a thermometer factory, which would dump the mercury into the river. This affected a lot of people. This incident is the inspiration for this film.

Karthik Subbaraj
Karthik Subbaraj

Once I heard Karunakaran was part of 'Lingaa,' I told him to somehow arrange for me to meet Thalaivar. The 'Jigarthanda' team met him when he was shooting in Shimoga. It was a memorable meeting, as he opened the door for us, sat, and answered whatever we asked him. And, I got to meet him twice in two days!