Challenging to pull off horror-comedies: Deekay

Debutant director Deekay, who is awaiting the release of his Tamil horror-comedy "Yaamirukka Bayamey", says being able to strike a balance between the two genres has been challenging.

"Horror comedies are not easy to pull off because you need to know how to strike a balance between the two genres. You need to know where to shock the audience with a jolt of horror and where to make them laugh. When you overdo it, the audience loses interest in the film," Deekay told IANS.

"You need to make a horror-comedy in such a way that the thrills and comedy go in tandem. I have packaged my film in such a way that it does justice to the genre. I'm confident there won't be a single scene where the audience would feel bored," he added.

He says a horror film calls for collective efforts.

"The composer and visual effects person have more weightage in a horror film. They play a vital role than when they work on films of other genres. They are expected to put in probably double the amount of hard work they put in other projects," he said.

Deekay says he made "Yaamirukka Bayamey" with "confidence" and that he wasn't trying to "experiment" with the genre.

"If you are capable of engaging the audience with a story, then I don't feel the genre of a film really matters. I wasn't trying to experiment and I made the film with a lot of confidence," he added.

Unlike other Tamil films, "Yaamirukka Bayamey" was shot in hill station Nainital.

Asked about the choice of place, Deekay said; "We were on the lookout for a house to shoot the film. We couldn't find it anywhere here and eventually landed in Nainital following a friend's suggestion. We found a house that was apt for the film, so we shot there," he said.

"The house plays an important character, and therefore, we wanted it to be authentic. That's why we even ditched the idea of creating a set. I think it was fun to explore unknown terrain like Nainital," added Deekay.

"Yaamirukka Bayamey", which is produced by Elred Kumar, is slated for release in May. It features Krishna Kulasekaran, Rupa Manjari, Oviya and Karunakaran in important roles.