haredVignesh Raja and Alfred Prakash have previously worked together on Por Thozhil, an acclaimed 2023 thriller, and are currently awaiting the release of their next collaboration, the Dhanush-starrer Kara — set to arrive later this month. The two writers work seamlessly together.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Raja revealed that he was introduced to Alfred Prakash while working in the same television channel as an assistant producer, while Prakash was the associate producer. He eventually quit his job to focus on writing, following which the two began collaborating more closely. With their first film being a speculative project, both writers committed themselves fully to the process — with Prakash continuing his job, the two would often meet after work hours, writing through the night and developing ideas into potential pitches.
He mentioned how every director is on a constant look-out for writers who match their vision, but finding that kind of sync feels difficult. “Sync cannot be forged, it has to happen; and for that, you have to invest a bit of time,” he continued.
On their process of choosing subjects, he shared an anecdote involving a viral clip that the two interpreted very differently from most viewers. “It’s how you look at something — do you laugh for the same things, are you angered by the same things,” said Raja, emphasising how the two share the same worldview. In terms of their process, he involves his co-writer through all processes of pre-production and post- production — from casting and location scouting to lyrics and trailers.
As with most successful collaborations, their process leaves almost no room for ego. They challenge one another’s ideas, and only upon mutual agreement does an idea make it into their work. “During the challenging phase, there is no ego. There is complete honesty — it’s the film first,” he remarked.
Also featuring K. S. Ravikumar, Mamitha Baiju, Jayaram and others, Kara is set to release on April 30.
Watch our full interview with Vignesh Raja, dropping at 8pm tonight on The Hollywood Reporter India's YouTube channel.