"Pee Mak" is a Thai romance, horror and comedy film adapted by a Thai-based legend, about a soldier named Mak, who has to leave his pregnant wife to fight for his country with his four friends. When the war is over, Mak invites his friends to his home and meet his wife, but there is a rumour going around town that his wife has turned into a ghost. We caught up with director of the film, Banjong Pisanthanakun, to ask him about what directing the film was like and his upcoming plans. Cinema Online's interview with Banjong Pisanthanakun was conducted on 28 May at GSC Offices, Damansara. Hi Banjong! Hi! How do you feel now that your film is now the most successful film in Thailand? I feel like all the hard work and effort I put in it has been worth it! Do you plan to distribute it to other countries in the future? Well, the movie will be released in Singapore next, on 13 June. Other stops are Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam, besides Malaysia, of course. We have also been contacted to show it in the United States, but it is still under negotiations. What is the next thing you want to do and direct after your success with "Pee Mak"? I plan to do another film, but it will definitely not be a sequel or prequel to "Pee Mak". I really want to do a romantic drama, but I haven't planned anything yet.
In the movie, you added a lot of pop culture references and the dialogue was fairly modern, but the movie was set in the past. Why did you choose to go that direction? I wanted to do something completely new. I wanted to add something new to a tradition. Mario Maurer is a pretty well-known actor in Thailand. How was working with him on this film? This isn't the first time I worked with him. I like working with him because he's very hard working and focused on the job. What was your biggest challenge when making this film? Directing the film was already the biggest challenge, so I'm glad it is experiencing success. Most of the script depended on comedic timing, which the actors executed really well. Were the actors following the script completely or did they make up some of the lines? Some of the lines were improvised by the four friends. The one who improvised the most was the one with the funny hair without the bun. Thank you very much for talking with us! You're very welcome!