Vijay Sethupathi challenges films with dialogues; Demanded less conversation, more emotion

Entertainment: In Gandhi Talks, Vijay makes a clear point about the over-reliance on dialogue in Indian films. He says clearly, “Sir, we talk too much in our cinema.” “I am not talking about any one language. Every Indian language cinema depends a lot on dialogue. We try to explain everything too much. Whether it is due to insecurity of diverting the attention of the audience or something else, I don’t know.”

For an actor, silence can be more powerful than a barrage of words. In Gandhi Talks, he explores the expressive possibilities of stopping. Vijay says, “Let the silence speak, like in Gandhi Talks. I enjoyed expressing my views silently in this film. I would like to do more such films where there is not much emphasis on the spoken words.”

However, he acknowledges that this change may not be easy in a culture deeply invested in loud monologues and dramatic conversations. “Sadly, our audience is addicted to dialogue-baazi,” he says with a smile.