‘Everyone Wants To Get Scared And Laugh About It’

‘Let’s
see
if

Subham
gets
the
audiences’
funnybone
and
their
terror-pulse.’

Samantha
makes
her
debut
as
a
producer
with
the
horror
comedy

Subham.

As
it
gets
ready
for
release
on
May
9,
she
tells

Subhash
K
Jha,
“It’s
important
to
remember
that
women
make
up
half
the
population
and
we
need
more
women
producers,
directors
and
storytellers
bringing
their
voices
and
experiences
to
the
forefront.”

“I
really
want
to
champion
projects
that
resonate
with
the
modern
woman.”

Your
debut
film

Subham
is
a
horror
comedy.
What
made
you
take
up
the
challenge
of
turning
producer
at
this
stage
of
your
career
when
you
are
rocking
as
an
actor?

You
can’t
expect
meaningful
change
without
taking
risks,
and
I
don’t
think
I
have
ever
shied
away
from
taking
risks.

More
often
than
not,
those
risks
have
paid
off.

Probably
after
15
years
of
learning
and
being
an
actor,
I
believe
I
have
gained
that
kind
of
insight
and
experience
needed
to
be
sure
of
the
stories
I
want
to
tell.

My
production
house
Tralala
Moving
Pictures
has
an
incredible
team.

Tralala
conveys
a
very
breezy
feel.

I
am
glad
you
got
it.

I
don’t
want
to
be
one
of
those
producers
looking
anxiously
over
my
shoulders.

With
my
team,
I
am
sorted.

We
are
committed
to
putting
out
work
that’s
intentional
and
never
middling
or
half-hearted.

Would
your
productions
reflect
your
identity?

My
identity
as
a
woman
will
naturally
influence
all
of
my
creative
choices,
and
I’m
proud
of
that.

I
believe
our
industry
needs
more
of
the
female
perspective.

There
aren’t
enough
women
directors
in
our
industry.

Cinema
is
still
incredibly
male-dominated.

I’m
not
saying
that
as
a
bad
thing,
it’s
just
important
to
remember
that
women
make
up
half
the
population
and
we
need
more
women
producers,
directors
and
storytellers
bringing
their
voices
and
experiences
to
the
forefront.

I
really
want
to
champion
projects
that
resonate
with
the
modern
woman.

I’m
really
excited
to
help
shape
stories
that
reflect
our
perspectives
with
authenticity
and
depth.

What
made
you
choose
newcomers
Harshith
Reddy,
Charan
Peri
and
Shriya
Kontham
in

Subham?

A
long
time
ago,
Gautham
Menon
decided
to
take
a
risk
on
a
newcomer.
His
choice
is
the
reason
I
have
a
seat
at
the
table
today.

Are
you
talking
about
that
powerhouse
performer
named
Samantha
Ruth
Prabhu?

That’s
right.

I
believe
it
is
my
responsibility
to
give
more
opportunities
to
newcomers,
to
people
outside
of
this
industry,
because
I
was
once
given
such
an
opportunity.

I’m
really
proud
of
these
kids
and
their
performances.

What
they
bring
to
this
project
is
indispensable.

The
newcomers
look
super
confident.

Certainly.
I
wasn’t
as
good
as
them
in
my
earlier
films.

Right
now,
all
I
have
to
do
is
push
this
film
a
little
and
spread
the
word.

After
that,
it’s
going
to
be
the
film
and
the
performances
that
take
it
forward.

Why
did
you
choose
the
horror-comedy
genre
as
your
production
debut?

Everyone
wants
to
get
scared
and
laugh
about
it.
There
is
a
primeval
urge
in
us
to
prod
elemental
emotions.

Let’s
see
if

Subham
gets
the
audiences’
funnybone
and
their
terror-pulse.

Finally,
the
nation
wants
to
know
why
Samantha
is
still
single.

Doesn’t
the
nation
have
anything
better
to
do
than
worry
about
my
love
life?