‘Paris Cafe’ Audio Launch
Guru Somasundaram- Anumol starrer romantic thriller drama ‘Paris Cafe’ Audio Launch held in Chennai
The audio launch of ‘Paris Cafe’, produced by Kanmani Ranganathan of Thunder Media and Vengal M. Lingeswaran of LV Entertainment, was held in Chennai. The film, which is gearing up for its theatrical release, stars Guru Somasundaram and Anumol in the lead roles, along with Archana Kumar, Vijay Vishwa, Sai Vicky, Nayana Sai, Bipin and others.
Written and directed by Saraj Seelan, Paris Cafe features music by K. Krishnakumar (K), cinematography by Satheesh G, and editing by National Award-winning editor V.J. Sabu Joseph. The film promises to explore a socially relevant subject through an emotional and content-driven narrative.
Speaking at the event, producer Kanmani Ranganathan said that Paris Cafe is a small-budget film with a strong message addressing an important issue in society. She expressed her happiness and pride in having actors such as Guru Somasundaram and Anumol on board. She also spoke emotionally about her husband and director Saraj Seelan’s long-standing dream of becoming a filmmaker, noting that he had spent years researching and developing the story.
Co-producer Vengal M. Lingeswaran said that cinema was a new field for him, but the experience of working on Paris Cafe had inspired him to produce another film, primarily because of Saraj Seelan’s passion and dedication.
Art director Thamu expressed his happiness about being part of the project and thanked the director for giving him the opportunity to create the sets in his preferred style.
Editor V.J. Sabu Joseph thanked his assistants Lokesh and Prakash and praised Saraj Seelan for handling his debut film with remarkable clarity and confidence. He said it was particularly satisfying to see the director’s long-standing dream finally become a reality.
Special guest and director Mithran Jawahar congratulated the entire team and remarked that having one’s wife as a producer is a great blessing for a filmmaker. He praised Guru Somasundaram as one of his favourite actors and wished the entire cast and crew great success.
Cinematographer Sivakumar Vijayan, another special guest, spoke about the director’s long journey and the honesty required to turn a long-standing dream into reality. He praised the title Paris Cafe and expressed his belief that the film would remain close to reality. He also reflected on the relationship between writing, cinematography and direction, stressing the importance of accepting uncertainty as part of a long creative journey.
Actress Nayana Sai thanked Saraj Seelan for giving her the opportunity and expressed her gratitude to her mother, co-director Sami, composer K, PROs Riaz K Ahmed and Paras Riyaz, and everyone who supported her journey. She said she was delighted to share screen space with Guru Somasundaram and Anumol and urged audiences to watch and support the film in theatres.
Actor Vijay Vishwa thanked the producer, director and co-director Sami for the opportunity. Recalling his previous association with composer K, he expressed his gratitude for their collaboration once again. He said that working alongside Guru Somasundaram and Anumol had been a valuable learning experience. He also appealed for greater support for small films and suggested that a government-backed OTT platform could provide an important avenue for such films to reach wider audiences. He urged everyone to support Paris Cafe, which he said carries a message relevant to society.
Actor Bipin described Paris Cafe as one of the most distinctive films he has worked on and praised the film’s finely crafted story. He also expressed his happiness about sharing the screen with Guru Somasundaram and Anumol.
Actor Sai Vicky spoke emotionally about his journey in cinema and said that Paris Cafe gave him the opportunity to play a character with a name and a significant journey throughout the film. He thanked Saraj Seelan for recognising his potential beyond social media and giving him the opportunity. He described the film as one that conveys a strong social message in a subtle and sensitive manner. He also expressed his admiration for Guru Somasundaram and happiness at working with Anumol and composer K.
Actress Archana Kumar, who described Paris Cafe as her third film and the result of a decade of hard work, spoke about overcoming body-shaming and gaining confidence through her journey as an actor. She thanked cinematographer Satheesh G and praised Saraj Seelan for having complete clarity about every line of the story. She also lauded the performances of Guru Somasundaram and Anumol and appreciated K’s music, calling Paris Cafe a beautiful and socially relevant story.
Actor and producer Ganesh said that the story immediately interested him when Saraj Seelan approached him and added that every character in the film has a purpose. He praised the team’s positive energy and expressed his happiness at being part of the project.
Anumol who plays the female lead said that Paris Cafe is a very important film and that she consciously chooses projects that have something meaningful to say to society. She said she was impressed by Saraj Seelan’s confidence when he narrated the story and was happy to work with the entire cast. She praised K’s music and expressed her happiness at sharing screen space with Guru Somasundaram. In a lighter moment, she spoke about their friendly arguments and said she has immense respect for him as an actor and as a person. She reiterated that Paris Cafe is not merely a small film but an important one that deserves to reach audiences.
Composer K. Krishnakumar thanked everyone who attended the event and said that Paris Cafe is a particularly special film for him. He revealed that the project came to him at a time when he was looking for a meaningful film and expressed his gratitude to the director and producers. He also thanked the singers and his entire music team for their contribution.
Lead actor Guru Somasundaram said he immediately connected with the story when Saraj Seelan narrated it and agreed to be part of the film. He expressed his happiness about seeing the director’s wife take on the role of producer and praised Paris Cafe as a content-driven film. He also spoke warmly about his friendly exchanges with Anumol and thanked the editor, composer K and the entire technical team. He particularly praised actor and assistant director Vicky for delivering a challenging performance.
Special guest Kausalya Shankar said she initially wondered why she had been invited to a cinema event, as her work is primarily on the ground rather than in the film industry. However, after watching the film, she understood its social relevance. She praised the natural portrayal of love in Paris Cafe and said the film addresses women’s rights, individual choice and the need to challenge regressive social attitudes. She noted that honour killings continue to be a serious concern and expressed hope that films such as Paris Cafe would contribute to meaningful social change.
Director Saraj Seelan spoke about his lifelong passion for cinema, which began in childhood. He recalled how his father introduced him to films and how cinema became an integral part of his life. He credited filmmakers such as Bharathiraja, K. Balachander, Balu Mahendra and K. Bhagyaraj as major inspirations. He also recalled making a one-minute short film with his daughter, an experience that changed his perspective and strengthened his resolve to pursue filmmaking.
Saraj Seelan expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Guru Somasundaram for immediately believing in the story, and to Anumol for agreeing to the project after hearing the narration over the phone. He thanked the entire cast and crew for their support and praised editor V.J. Sabu Joseph, art director Thamu and composer K for their invaluable contributions. He described Sabu as one of the key pillars of the film and expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped transform his long-held dream into reality.
