Vignesh Raja on directing Dhanush in Kara and letting actors find the moment

There’s a method to madness in how writer-director Vignesh Raja speaks about his writing and filmmaking process. Even the frames in his debut film, 2023’s Por Thozhil, hinted at a man obsessed with precision and simplicity. He clarifies that this isn’t his way of coping with the chaos of filmmaking. “I like to design my films. There is a logical and psychological reasoning behind every scene. A director gets to decide what needs to be in or out of the frame, which is a huge responsibility. I make it a point to be very careful when it comes to designing the shots and ensuring the audience’s attention isn’t diverted,” says Vignesh, whose sophomore film, the Dhanush-starrer Kara, is set to release in theatres on April 30.

When we meet him, Vignesh seems visibly exhausted after a round of promotions and overseeing the sound mixing. “With Por Thozhil, no one expected much out of the film; Kara is bigger, and we are opening to a wider audience, so obviously the pressure is there,” he says, adding that working till the last minute helps as it keeps him occupied. Vignesh understands the visibility that a star like Dhanush brings to a project. “Films like Por Thozhil and Kara rely strongly on word of mouth because we are not giving you exactly what the film is. But a star like Dhanush brings in a base over which that can build. It is a cushion, but it also comes with its own expectations.”