Jason Sanjay, the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, is making his directorial debut with Sigma. At the film’s pre-release event in Salem on Tuesday evening, the 26-year-old filmmaker opened up about his journey into filmmaking, his experience of working on his first film, and the people who supported him along the way.
Recalling his first day on the sets of Sigma, Jason admitted that he was extremely nervous when the cameras started rolling.
“On the first day, first shot, I was very nervous. But after one take, I became occupied. No matter how nervous you are, you’ll enjoy your work – that’s what I want to say to aspiring first-time directors,” he said.
For Jason, wrapping up the film brought a mix of satisfaction and sadness. While completing his first film was a significant milestone, he also found it difficult to say goodbye to the directorial team he had spent so much time with.
“On the wrap-up day, there was a lot of satisfaction, but there was also some sadness because I wouldn’t meet my team every day,” he said.
Jason also spoke about the lessons he learnt while making Sigma and offered advice to those who dream of becoming filmmakers.
“For those who dream of becoming a director, make a lot of short films,” he said, adding that writing and practice were equally important. “Write a lot and practise.”
He also stressed the importance of patience when an opportunity finally comes along.
“When you get an opportunity, be patient. There are things you can’t control while you are shooting. You need to be able to shoot what you want despite that,” Jason said.
Talking about himself, Jason described his personality as “cool and composed”.
“I don’t show too much of my emotions externally,” he said.
Jason also revealed some of the early influences that shaped his interest in cinema. His first experience of watching a film in a theatre came when he was just three years old.
“The first film I saw in a theatre was Thirumalai. I was three years old,” he recalled.
Thirumalai, starring Vijay and Jyotika, was released in 2003. However, it was the Brazilian crime drama City of God that made Jason seriously consider becoming a director.
“The first film that made me want to become a director was City of God,” he said.
Jason had already begun experimenting with filmmaking before embarking on Sigma. He made his first short film, Pull The Trigger, in 2022.
His journey towards Sigma was not just about coming from a film family. He also actively worked towards learning and practising the craft. He recalled that Thamilkumaran was the first person to watch Sigma.
When asked who he called first after signing on to direct the film, Jason had a simple answer: “My mom.” He is reportedly close to his mother, Sankgeetha Sornalingam.
When asked to describe the members of the Sigma team in one word, Jason did not hesitate. He described Faria as “energetic”, Thaman as “BGM”, Sundeep as “confident” and Subaskaran as a “mentor”.
With Sigma, Jason has taken a major step in his filmmaking journey. At the event, he thanked the Lyca management, his uncle Sanjeev and his family for their support.
Meanwhile, there have also been rumours that Thalapathy Vijay’s son could make his acting debut soon.
ALSO READ: Vijay’s Son Jason Sanjay Teases Acting Debut: ‘Will Have To Wait Until Sigma’
