SIR has a milieu characteristic of India before and after Independence, including the 1940s, 1960s, and 1980s. Venkat himself says, “Bharathiraja films of the 80s serve as reference points for the film.” Therefore, it has vintage costumes and hairstyles, as well as old-fashioned sensibilities, including some that today’s audiences might object to, on the grounds of political correctness. However, a resolute Venkat expresses his confidence in the audience’s ability to connect with those portions as well. “It is true that audiences today have become more perceptive when it comes to such matters. However, we have discussed all those angles during the scripting process. Our film has a renowned writer such as Suguna Diwakar. He would often say, ‘There is this Jayakanthan short story with some elements that are not essential to the main plot, yet they make it more interesting.’”
There are also moments in SIR reminiscent of Kantara. It is an observation that Venkat concurs with, but he also asserts that the religious symbolism in both films has subtle nuances. “After watching KantaraI was shocked to find out that it is similar in many regards to SIR. But, there is also an interesting correlation between both films. In Kantaraa hero is portrayed as a God who deals with normal, corrupt folk. On the other hand, my film tells that God is the hero and he handles religious extremists.”
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