‘Trisha Saw Something Groundbreaking and Potent in Our Script,’ Says Producer Sunder Aaron (EXCLUSIVE)

Sunder Aaron, Founder and Managing Partner of Locomotive Global and a prominent producer, speaks exclusively to Variety India about his first Tamil production, made in association with Panorama Studios and starring Trisha Krishnan. The untitled psychological horror, directed by Raja Krishna Menon, is currently being shot in London. Aaron discusses what drew him to the horror genre and his strong belief in the film’s compelling script. 

What prompted you to venture into Tamil cinema with this project?

This is not our first production in the South industry. We had created the Telugu series “Rana Naidu” for Netflix, featuring Rana Dagubatti and Venkatesh. But yes, this is our first Tamil production, and we are excited as the Tamil market is very distinctive and exciting for us. We are seeing many female-driven and horror films do well, and these are two aspects of our project.

How did the collaboration with Panorama Studios come about? 

It is a co-production with Panorama Studios, and we’re excited to build this relationship with them, given their proven track record not only with genre films, including horror, but also with regional cinema. 

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How did you zero in on the script and director Raja Krishna Menon? 

Vikas Sharma, who is the Head of Films at Locomotive Global, discovered the script. We are particularly interested in genre films like horror, and this script stood out to us. It was also workshopped at the Sundance Labs by Mike Flanagan, the acclaimed director, producer and writer known for his work in the horror genre. Raja Krishna Menon is directing the film, and we’re delighted that he responded to the script with the same enthusiasm that we did. He has made Hindi films such as ‘Airlift’ and ‘Chef’, and we are confident he will deliver something truly incredible with this film. 

Trisha Krishnan, one of the biggest stars of Tamil cinema, is known to be highly selective about her projects. What convinced her to come on board? 

We were fortunate that our associates in the Tamil film industry were able to introduce us to Trisha. When we met with her, Raja Menon spent time talking to her about the story. She read the script. Yes, she is selective, but I believe she saw something groundbreaking and potent in the storytelling. Although this is a genre film, it is extremely character-driven, and I believe it will lead to remarkable achievements for her as an actress. 

With even big-ticket films featuring A-list stars facing challenges at the box office, how are you approaching the risks involved? 

To be honest, all film projects carry an enormous amount of risk, so we are prepared for that. As producers, we constantly try to mitigate risk while making a film. An important factor for that is getting a wonderful star like Trisha, an outstanding director like Raja Menon, and most importantly, a unique and impactful story. We also have outstanding partners like Panorama Studios supporting us.

The film is currently being shot in London. What can you tell us about the shoot, locations and the ensemble cast? 

Principal photography is underway in London, and we have already begun shooting. We will also be shooting at a couple of locations in India. The cast rounds off very well. We have an incredible child actress, Tiarra, whom audiences will be completely smitten by. She is a child prodigy. We also have fantastic actresses like Radikaa Sarathkumar and Aparna Balamurali as part of the ensemble cast. This will be a performance and character-driven film.