Director Ajay Gnanamuthu Interview: Demonte Colony 2 is both sequel and prequel to the first part, franchise to have four instalments | EXCLUSIVE

Ajay Gnanamuthu is back with the sequel to his horror film Demonte Colony as he discusses the challenges of living up to the first installment and building a franchise

Demonte Colony 2

The horror genre is perhaps one of those that universally works out, merely due to its sheer ability to induce fear in people instantly, thanks to its experiential and immersive quality. While Tamil cinema has indeed seen some nerve-chilling horror films in the past, the dilution in the genre has been inarguably evident, as seen from horror comedy franchises and divine interventions.

Filmmaker Ajay Gnanamuthu, who conjured up horror film Demonte Colony in 2015, is back with its sequel Demonte Colony 2 - Vengeance Of The Unholy. The filmmaker, in a chat with OTTplay, says, “There is a small pressure, given it is the second part and comparisons with the first instalment are bound to happen. But that apart, we are confident.”

Ajay Gnanamuthu Interview for Demonte Colony 2

The filmmaker, who firmly does not have a belief in ghosts and supernatural presence, reveals how he had wanted to first direct Imaikkaa Nodigal (his second film), but since it did not take off well, Ajay wanted to do a film with a smaller budget. “It was at this time; I got the idea of Demonte Colony. Only because of the film’s size, we greenlit and did the film. but that apart, I was always scared of horror films and the adrenaline rush you get when you watch in theatres,” he adds.

Speaking about how Tamil cinema sees a lot of dilution in the horror genre with comedy and godly intervention, Ajay Gnanamuthu says that typically any genre is not properly handled. “It tends to become our moviemaking style where we are expected to package and deliver all the elements. It has become a formula. That is how I see horror comedies. But I feel pure horror without dilution will also work among the audience.” But asked if that packaging is important, the filmmaker says that while for smaller films it may not be necessary, but for bigger and star films, that packaging is needed to cater to all type of audiences.

World building of Demonte Colony

Ajay Gnanamuthu has planned Demonte Colony as a franchise, meaning the film will not just stop with the sequel, but will have future installments. “Once the first film became successful, Arulnithi asked if we could extend this. But at that time, we did not have a solid story because all the characters were dead. Later, we began working on the story and once cracked, we immediately took off. From the first part, we had plans to convert into a franchise,” the filmmaker says.

Also read: Demonte Colony 2 early reviews out: Arulnithi’s horror thriller sequel gets a thumbs up

He also mentions that the second part’s story will take off from where the first ended. Affirming that the parts will have one singular story running through the course, and not a standalone story, Ajay says, “Part two is more like prequel and sequel of Demonte Colony 1, and there will be events that took place before, during, and after that timeline."

Demonte Colony revolves around four friends who visit a haunted bungalow and come back to their home, only to find one of them bringing back a cursed necklace from there. This sparks a series of eerie events leading to their deaths. Uniquely, the film never employs a ghostly figure to induce horror, and instead relies on atmospheric happenings inside their home. “Trapped in one place means we have to use the atmospheric elements, and we evaded the stereotypical elements. The second part will also have similar elements,” Ajay Gnanamuthu says.

The director assures that characters from the first part, played by actors Ramesh Thilak, Sananth, and others will definitely make a comeback to the franchise, at the same time, new characters introduced in the sequel will propel the story forward.

Also read: Demonte Colony 2 OTT partner revealed - Here's where you can watch Arulnithi’s horror thriller sequel after its theatrical run

Ajay Gnanamuthu confirms the franchise will consist of four parts in total. “Unlike The Conjuring where each part has a different plot, here the characters are the same. More so like Harry Potter series where the world keeps changing. There will be only one conflict, with their journeys changing,” he concludes.

You can revisit Demonte Colony on SunNXT and OTTplay Premium.

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