‘recreating the 30s & 40s ambiance for Captain Miller was a huge challenge’

After becoming a huge hit in Tamil Nadu, Dhanush’s Captain Miller is now slated for its Telugu release on January 26th. Produced by Satya Jyothi Films, Asian Cinemas, and Suresh Productions are releasing the film in Telugu Market.
Basically director Arun Matheswaran got the idea for the film around 10 years ago. He wanted to make a film of an Indian soldier in the British Army, and so he started working on the script.
As soon as he completed the script, he thought of Dhanush, who according to him would be the perfect fit to justify the role of Captain Miller. “We approached him and he liked the script,” shares the director. “He rocked it with his performance. Dhanush is a phenomenal performer. The works get easy when you have an actor who is also a superstar. He is perfectly apt as Captain Miller. He can do any type of role. It was an amazing experience working with him. I’ve learned a lot during this process and there’s a lot more to learn from him.”
Sharing about the concept of the film, he further shares, “It is a very emotional story, and contrary to the impression people might get from the trailer, only 40% of the film has action. The rest is pure drama about the journey of the character. The audience will relate very well to the characters and the story very much.”
The film boasts an ensemble cast, with each member delivering a stellar performance that intricately weaves into the fabric of Captain Miller’s story. The screen is graced by a multitude of brilliant performers, each immersing themselves in their roles and adding layers of authenticity to the narrative.
Although the makers had initially approached a couple of Tamil actors, but unfortunately it din’t pan out. And that’s when he revealed they turned to Shiva Rajkumar.
“His performance in the film aligns with the iconic style he displayed in Om, particularly in his collaboration with Upendra. The choice was clear — his look perfectly matched the character, and we needed someone with the gravitas to convey a sense of seniority. From the moment he enters the frame, his presence is captivating, especially given the deliberate mystery surrounding his character’s backstory. One of the standout moments is a compelling conversation scene between him and Dhanush, where both actors shine brilliantly. Sundeep Kishan is my long-time friend, I’ve known him for more than 12 years now. I was supposed to do a film with him in 2012 but it didn’t materialize. I’ve been in touch with Sundeep on and off and thought he would be perfect for the role. When I asked him he instantly said yes and that’s how he came on board to play Captain Rafiq.”
The film was shot for 114 days, and the director reveals every day was a new experience and a memorable moment. It takes a lot of effort to take back the audience to 1930s and so, “It was very tough and a huge challenge for us because we didn’t shoot a single scene inside a studio. Everything we did was in the live locations. So, recreating the 30s and 40s ambiance was a huge challenge. My art director Ramalingam pulled it off brilliantly. There are very less CG parts in the film mostly everything you see on the screen is real.”
The director also expressed his excitement and gratitude when he got to know that they are releasing in Telugu. As we head towards the end of the interview, he signs off saying, “Captain Miller is a story about the oppressed fighting for freedom and self-respect. The theme of the film is very universal and it will appeal to everyone, especially to the Telugu audience.”