At the pre-release event of veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao's Sing Geetham, Kamal Haasan delivered a candid and passionate address on the changing nature of filmmaking, drawing from decades of shared experience with the 94-year-old director.

Kamal took aim at the industry's growing obsession with box office projections before a film is even made. "Cinema is fundamentally driven by passion. Only after that does it become a business. But today the situation has been reversed," he said, pointing out that films are now evaluated on collection potential before a single frame is shot. He recalled how Pushpaka Vimana (1987) was made on a budget of just Rs 15 lakh, yet has since delivered the satisfaction of a Rs 200 crore film in terms of its lasting impact and returns.

Kamal also revealed that nearly 20 days of footage was scrapped during the making of Apoorva Sagodharargal after the team felt the film was not shaping up as intended. "We stopped that failure before it happened," he said, adding that financial loss was considered secondary to creative integrity. He further admitted that even after filming a few scenes, the team had not yet figured out how to portray the iconic short-statured character Appu, with the breakthrough arriving only after extensive experimentation.

Reflecting on the industry's blame culture around failures, Kamal said he and Singeetham were always willing to own their films regardless of outcome, citing Pushpaka Vimana and Mumbai Xpress as examples. "A great idea is where a film begins. Not the cast," he concluded.

Sing Geetham is produced by Nag Ashwin of Kalki 2898 AD fame.