Director Vikarnan Reveals 'Mask' Inspired by Real Estate Scam
Chennai, Nov 23 (IANS) Director Vikarnan Ashok, whose recently released Tamil film ‘Mask’, featuring actor Kavin in the lead, has taken a strong opening, has now disclosed that the inspiration for the plot of the film came from a real estate scam of which his family and he were a victim.
Talking exclusively to IANS, the director, when asked about the inspiration for such a story, said, "It happened in my life. I was a victim of a real estate scam." Going on to explain more, he said, "People who intend to commit frauds confidently pick the middle class to con as they think that people belonging to this class will hesitate to hit back. This is because of the compulsions that those from the middle class have. Every month, a person from the middle class has to pay his EMIs, he has to report to office every day for work and therefore can't stage protests."
Vikarnan went on to add, "I was a victim of one such scam. When educated people are conned, they are bound to get angry. But then, they can't react. However, what if he got an opportunity to react? I began to wonder what would happen if the educated person got an opportunity to react and that is how it all began."
So, has his family got the money back it lost because of the scam? Says Vikaranan, "After 17 years, in June 2025, we got our money back."
The film, which hit screens worldwide on November 21 this year, has been produced by Black Madras Films. The film has actress Andrea Jeremiah, not just producing it, but also playing the antagonist in it. This is not the first time that Andrea is playing the antagonist in a film. She was seen playing such a role in director Vetri Maran’s 'Vada Chennai'.
The film, which has triggered huge interest among film buffs and fans, has music by National Award-winning music director G V Prakash and cinematography by one of the best in the business R D Rajashekar. Editing for the film is by Ramar and art direction is by Jacki and Vijay Iyyappan. The film, which is jointly produced by Andrea and S P Chockalingam, is being presented by director Vetri Maran’s Grassroots Film Company.
Despite the personal nature of the story, Vikarnan has managed to create a compelling narrative that resonates with a wide audience. The film’s strong opening and positive reviews suggest that it has struck a chord with viewers, many of whom can relate to the struggles and frustrations depicted on screen.
