‘Whenever We Watched The Movie We’d Cry’

‘We
watched
the
film
many
times
but
each
time,
we
would
cry.’
‘During
the
editing
and
sound
mixing,
my
whole
team
would
cry.’
‘When
we
reached
the
music
composing
stage,
it
happened
again.’
‘Our
producer
said
it
is
too
much
to
be
crying
so
many
times.’
‘But
we
never
thought
the
film
would
be
such
a
big
hit.’

Earlier
this
spring,
a
small,
heartwarming
Thai
family
drama
went
on
to
break
box
office
records
across
South-East
Asian
countries.

Some
critics
have
referred
to
director

Pat
Boonnitipat‘s
debut
film

How
to
Make
Millions
Before
Grandma
Dies
as
a
tear-jerker.
Large
number
of
filmgoers
in
Thailand,
the
Philippines,
Singapore,
Indonesia
and
elsewhere
in
the
region
were
seen
crying
as
they
left
the
theatres.
But
it
is
the
film’s
theme
that
the
audience
have
connected
to
—
a
family
coming
together
in
the
wake
of
the
tragedy.

In
Boonnitipat’s
film,
a
78-year-old
first
time
actress

Usha
Seamkhum
plays
Amah,
the
matriarch
of
the
family
who
is
diagnosed
with
cancer.
Suddenly
her
scheming
teenage
grandson
M
(played
by
actor
and
singer
Billkin
Putthipong
Assaratanakul)
decides
to
take
care
of
his
grandmother.
His
intent
is
to
inherit
Amah’s
home.

The
old
lady
is
suspicious,
especially
when
her
other
adult
sons
also
start
to
pay
a
lot
more
attention
to
her.
But
in
time,
she
warms
up
to
M
and
the
two
develop
a
lovely
relationship.

Anyone
who
has
cared
for
an
ailing
family
member
or
have
warm
memories
of
their
grandparents
will
definitely
connect
to
Boonnitipat’s
sensitively
made,
charming
film.

Until
now,
the
director
has
only
made
television
series,
including
the
remake
of
the
hit
Thai
film

Bad
Genius.
But
with

How
to
Make
Millions…
he
had
transitioned
to
family
drama.

How
to
Make
Millions…
is
Thailand’s
official
entry
for
next
year’S
Best
International
Film
Oscar,
and
is
streaming
on
Netflix.

Boonnitipat
and
his
lead
actress
Seamkhum
have
a
warm
bond
and
it
shows
in
their
chat
with

Aseem
Chhabra:
“When
she
accepted
the
role,
she
did
not
know
her
head
would
be
shaved
off.
When
she
learnt
about
it,
she
was
afraid
that
her
hair
wouldn’t
grow
back.
I
tried
to
convince
her
that
it
would
certainly
grow
back.
But
she
accepted
it
finally
when
I
paid
her
more
money!”

Pat,
you
directed
the
Thai
series

Bad
Genius.
I
saw
the
film

Bad
Genius
which
was
made
before
the
series
and
now
it
has
also
been
made
into
a
Hollywood
film.
How
did
you
transition
from
that
thriller
format
with
teenagers
to
a
moving
story
about
a
family
and
its
matriarch?

Pat:
I
always
wanted
to
direct
this
kind
of
a
movie.
I
find
it
really
difficult
to
direct
a
slow-paced,
natural
film.
It
was
challenging
for
me.

But
as
the
director,
I
tried
to
stick
to
the
core
of
the
story.

You
have
to
really
listen
to
the
story
and
somehow
you
have
to
create
everything
based
on
its
heart.
I
tried
not
to
put
my
signature
on
it.

The
film
has
been
such
a
huge
success.
I
wonder
when
you
were
writing
the
script,
working
with
your
actors,
and
during
the
post-production
time,
if
you
realised
that
you
had
a
gold
mine
in
your
hand,
a
film
that
would
make
audiences
in
Asia,
especially
in
Thailand,
cry?

Pat:
This
was
my
first
feature
film
so
I
had
no
idea
about
what
kind
of
film
would
win
over
the
audiences.
My
crew
and
I
just
did
our
best.

We
had
to
watch
the
film
many
times
but
each
time,
we
would
cry.

During
the
editing
and
sound
mixing
process,
my
whole
team
would
cry.

When
we
reached
the
music
composing
stage,
it
happened
again.

Our
producer
once
said
it
is
too
much
to
be
crying
so
many
times.

But
we
never
thought
the
film
would
be
such
a
big
hit.

When
you
directed
the
scenes
with
Amah,
especially
when
her
health
deteriorates,
were
you
moved
by
her
performance?
How
did
you
get
such
a
natural
performance
out
of
her?

Pat:
She
is
really
gifted.
She
would
do
so
well
in
the
emotionally
intense
scenes.

For
instance,
the
scene
when
she
is
on
her
bed,
she
did
it
in
one
take.
When
I
said
cut,
I
noticed
the
entire
crew
was
crying.

That’s
when
we
knew
her
performance
had
worked.

I
know
this
story
would
resonate
very
well
with
Indians
and
other
Asian
audiences.
We
understand
relationships
of
families
and
with
the
grandparents
so
well.
But
do
you
think
this
is
a
universal
theme
and
that
people
in
the
West
would
relate
to?

Pat:
Right
now,
I
am
in
LA
promoting
the
film
for
the
Oscars
and
we
have
talked
to
many
Americans
from
all
age
groups.

Their
reactions
were
the
same
as
what
we
have
witnessed
back
in
Asia.
So
many
people
talked
to
me
about
their
memories
of
their
loved
ones,
parents
and
grandparents.

Usha,
you
have
three
daughters
and
four
grandchildren.
But
how
did
you
act
out
the
emotions,
especially
when
you
learn
your
character
is
dying?

Usha:
We
must
accept
that
death
is
inevitable
for
all
of
us.
While
playing
this
role,
I
began
to
imagine
that
my
time
had
come.

I
had
to
go
through
the
complex
feeling
of
accepting
that
one
day
I
will
leave
my
children
and
say
goodbye
to
my
loved
ones.

So
I
put
myself
in
the
shoes
of
someone
who
knows
that
their
last
days
are
here.

Usha,
you
are
78
and
this
is
your
first
role.
Do
you
want
to
act
more?
Are
more
roles
coming
your
way?

Usha:
I
want
to
play
other
roles
but
I
am
concerned
if
I
will
do
as
well
as
the
role
I
played
in
this
film.
But
I
am
still
waiting
for
offers.

If
anyone
is
interested,
I
am
available
to
act.

Pat,
would
you
cast
her
again
in
your
next
project?

Pat:
In
my
next
project,
I
will
have
her
play
in
the
entire
film.

Usha:
Will
I
have
to
shave
off
my
head
again
as
a
cancer
patient?

Pat:
That
is
your
fashion
style
(laughs).

This
was
our
joke.
When
she
accepted
the
role,
she
did
not
know
her
head
would
be
shaved
off.

When
she
learnt
about
it,
she
was
afraid
that
her
hair
wouldn’t
grow
back.

I
tried
to
convince
her
that
it
would
certainly
grow
back.
But
she
accepted
it
finally
when
I
paid
her
more
money
(laughs).

Usha,
there
are
actually
many
moments
when
you
have
to
work
so
hard.
Initially,
you
argue
with
M,
but
then
you
warm
up
to
him.
Then
the
cancer
sets
in.
Although
there
are
other
supporting
actors
in
the
film,
you
and
Putthipong
really
carry
it
on
your
shoulders.
How
did
you
bring
the
natural
tones
in
the
other
scenes
as
well?

Usha:
I
have
two
grandsons,
who
are
twins.
I
am
very
affectionate
with
them.

I
always
hug
them
and
kiss
them
when
we
meet.

M’s
character
is
very
similar
to
my
grandsons’
in
age.
So
for
me,
the
feelings
for
M’s
character
came
very
naturally.

Pat,
I
believe
you
are
of
Chinese
origin,
but
you
were
born
in
Thailand.
How
much
of
the
film
has
Chinese
culture
and
how
much
of
it
is
Thai?
Is
this
something
an
outsider
should
know,
or
it
is
very
subtle?

Pat:
Thailand
is
a
big
melting
pot.
Being
from
a
Chinese
family,
what
really
stood
out
for
me
was
that
even
though
we
lived
in
a
very
small
house,
there
were
30
people
living
there.

At
all
times,
one
would
have
to
talk
to
people
of
different
ages.

There
are
all
kinds
of
belief
systems.

If
someone
got
married,
and
the
new
wife
moved
in,
we
would
have
to
get
used
to
her.

It
was
a
very
unique
experience
and
I
wanted
to
bring
that
to
the
screen.

It
is
difficult
to
define
as
Chinese
or
Thai.
But
that
was
my
memory
from
childhood.

How
did
you
think
of
the
title?
It’s
very
catchy.

Pat:
The
first
draft
of
the
script
was
more
of
a
comedy.
At
that
stage,
our
script
writer
thought
of
the
title.

As
the
script
evolved,
the
genre
changed
but
the
title
remained.

We
are
not
very
good
at
English
and
didn’t
know
what
the
new
title
could
be.

The
Thai
title
is
very
simple.
It
translates
to

Grandson
of
a
Grandmother.

But
when
we
gave
the
script
to
our
agent,
he
fell
in
love
with
the
title

How
to
Make
Millions
Before
Grandma
Dies
and
insisted
on
using
it.

Having
taken
care
of
my
mother
a
few
years
ago,
I
really
connected
to
this
world
and
the
family
atmosphere.
The
emotions
were
so
believable.
I
saw
the
film
twice
and
loved
it
both
times.
So
congratulations.

Pat:
Usha
has
a
question
to
ask
you.

Usha:
You
watched
the
films
two
times.
Did
you
cry
both
times?

I
didn’t
cry
the
second
time
as
much.
But
I
enjoyed
it
more
the
second
time.
There
was
a
gap
of
about
three
months
between
the
two
viewings,
so
I
remembered
the
main
story.
I
was
moved
the
second
time
as
well
but
I
noticed
much
more
little
details.

Like
when
M
microwaves
the
tea
for
the
Gods
or
when
he
goes
to
get
fish
the
second
time
because
Amah
doesn’t
like
greasy
food.
And
by
the
time
he
comes
back,
Amah
has
eaten
the
greasy
fish.
If
my
grandmother
had
done
that,
I
would
have
been
mad.
M
looks
frustrated,
but
he
is
also
so
patient
with
Amah.

Okay,
Pat
and
Usha,
thanks
a
lot.

The
two
fold
their
hands.

We
Indians
also
do

namaste.

Pat:

Namaste!