Arjun Das tells Lokesh Kanakaraj: This one is for you and because of you!
Chennai, July 3 (IANS) Actor Arjun Das, who is one of south Indian cinema’s fastest rising actors, has now penned a note of delight in the wake of his mentor, ace director Lokesh Kanakaraj praising him for his fine performance in his recently released film ‘Con City’.
Taking to his X timeline to post pictures of himself with his mentor and friend Lokesh Kanakaraj after the latter watched the film, a visibly touched Arjun Das wrote, “Got my brother, my mentor, my family to watch #Concity. He loved it and said he’s so happy that family audiences are coming to theatres to watch my film. But the best part was hearing him say that I made him proud. What more could I possibly ask for? From being the man who gave me my first break to saying these words today, this moment means everything to me. Thank you so much, machi, @Dir_Lokesh. This one is for you, and because of you.”
The film, which has taken a strong opening in its first week, has emerged a success.
It may be recalled that Harish Durairaj, the director of the film, had penned an emotional note of gratitude soon after a screening for the media, in which he had said that as the film geared up for its release, he had experienced something he had never expected — kindness.
Taking to his social media timelines to share a statement, Harish Durairaj told the audience that he had first walked onto a film set eleven years ago as an assistant director. “Today, my first film, CON CITY, releases in theatres. It’s an incredible feeling filled with excitement, gratitude, and a little nervousness,” he said and thanked his producers.
“My heartfelt thanks go first to Gunashekar M (Post Office) and Vijay MP (Silver Tree Studios). Without these two brothers believing in me, supporting me, and standing by my side, this journey to the big screen would not have been possible.Forever grateful,” he said.
The director, who is also one of the producers of his film, had confessed that there were days when he wondered if it was okay to take such a big risk.
He wrote, “There were mornings when I sat with the script and genuinely wondered if I had lost my mind. This was not just a film. It was my savings, my relationships, my reputation, and eleven years of everything I had learned poured into one single bet. Con City became the biggest risk of my life.”
However, the director had said, “Today, standing on the other side of that risk and seeing the love from the press, the warmth from audiences even before the first ticket had been torn, and the positivity surrounding this film in its final hours, I feel something I never expected. Kindness.”
“Fans who shared a poster, streamed a song, or sent a message saying they couldn’t wait to watch the film. To every person who watched an early cut and smiled. To every journalist who wrote about us with kindness. To every fan who shared a poster, streamed a song, or sent a message saying they couldn’t wait to watch the film, thank you,” he said and added that they had given him something no budget could ever buy.
“You made the risk feel worthwhile even before the result arrived,” he said.
Stating that he had always cherished the joy of walking into a theatre holding his father’s hand, while his mother and brothers walked alongside him, the director said that therre had been something magical about watching a film together as a family, laughing together, feeling together, and carrying those memories home.
“Con City was born from that feeling. While writing and making this film, I often imagined myself as that little boy again, walking into a theatre with his family, excited for an evening of pure entertainment. More than anything, I wanted to create a film that families could watch together and leave with smiles on their faces. In many ways, Con City is my attempt to recreate that feeling,” he wrote.
–IANS
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