What inspires CV Kumar? People. Things. The ones that are larger than life. His movies may be made on a string budget for now, but he has big plans, and his eyes are firmly set on the prize.
He looks for answers in things that inspire him. He picks his fights wisely, and for every battle lost, he puts up a brave front, and simply looks ahead. When the going gets tough, CV Kumar looks up at people who’ve made it through even bigger storms. And that’s how, he finds the silver lining.
1) His Father:
“My father has been the biggest influence in my life. He has a strong spirit, he’s a fighter. All his life, he’s been fighting for what he believed in. I take a lot of strength from him. Whenever I have to make important decisions, I put myself in his shoes and try to think like him. He always said, ‘Don’t ever tell anyone that your business is doing badly. Your business is a reflection of you. So never say that, keep fighting.’ I’ve learnt so much from him.”
2) Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose:
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“He is our true hero. Netaji walked undiscovered roads, carved his own path and always worked very hard towards his goals. He didn’t complain about our system. Instead, he brought changes. He was a man of action. If he wanted to see change, he would be the change. I think we should all take the cue from him. I read his biography whenever I need some motivation. When we read about the kind of problems they’ve faced, our problems seem very small. We constantly complain about our problems, but we have to realize [that] our problems are nothing compared to the hardships they’ve been through.”
3) Mannan Magal by Sandilyan:
“All of Sandilyan’s books are a major source of inspiration to me. He is one of my favourite authors. If I have to pick a favourite, then it has to be Mannan Magal. It covers everything. I’ve learnt so much from the book. It talks about learning to make wise decisions in tricky circumstances, how one should love their work, how each of us should prioritize. At one point, the protagonist has to choose between his work and personal life. He owns up to his choices and I find that really inspiring.”
4) Thiruvilayadal:
“Thiruvilayadal is one of Tamil cinema’s finest anthologies. Each story is connected to the other so beautifully. The flow of the film is perfect and the songs are unbelievable. Even today, I listen to Thiruvilayadal songs every morning. They are so motivating. This film definitely belongs [in] a different league.”
5) Troy:
“Troy is one of the greatest epics. When you watch the film, you feel like you’ve been in Troy and lived with those characters. You see the film through the eyes of those characters. That’s almost impossible to achieve. I find the film and the Greek mythology it’s based on very interesting.”
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