An iconoclastic filmmaker who has pushed the boundaries with his varied repertoire, Ark Saroj is out and proud in his personal and professional lives. After making his directorial debut with “Getaway”, a Singaporean BL web drama shot in Bangkok, for Asia’s leading LGBTQIA media publication Dear Straight People; Ark is currently testing his own limits with not one but two upcoming projects, both of which are highly anticipated. After wrapping the recently concluded horror thriller “Shadow”, Arj Saroj seems in high spirits whilst helming the adaptation “Allure of Siren The Series”. We sat down for a heart-to-heart with the talented director and it was truly stimulating!

1) As an openly gay director, photographer, and artist from Thailand, you have always been out and proud in your personal and professional lives. How has your personal life influenced your directorial ventures?

I think my personal experiences add emotional complexity to my work. For example, when I wrote “Shadow”, I drew on my own experiences from high school. These real-life experiences contribute to the story line and help me understand how the characters feel.

For the aesthetics of my male erotica work, I hope one day the sensuality can be applied to my new projects as well. Currently, I’m exploring these themes in “My Golden Blood” and “Allure of the Siren The Series”.

2) As the OG member of Trasher Bangkok, you have directed parody music videos while exploring photography skills with intimate and sensual male portraits. Which interest is closer to your heart?

All of it leads to making movies! It’s a practice in different art forms that I ultimately apply to motion pictures.

3) You made your directorial debut with “Getaway”, a Singaporean BL web drama shot in Bangkok for Dear Straight People. What kind of feedback have you received?

The feedback was unexpected since “Getaway” is a rom-com, which wasn’t my style at the time. However, it helped me understand my sense of humor better. Working with Sean for Dear Straight People was my first experience collaborating closely with other writers, and I learned a lot about communication and collaboration. The positive feedback, including a scene going viral on TikTok (the first date in a cafe scene from episode 1), was just the cherry on top.

4) How was the experience of working with Sean Foo and Paween Nalieng, one a stalwart in Asia’s leading LGBTQIA media publication and the other a popular Thai BL actor?

As I mentioned, working with Sean Foo involved a lot of collaboration since he is also a writer. Paween is a very charismatic actor, and I hope to work with him in one of my upcoming projects. For “Shadow”, I worked with Singto Prachaya and Fluke Natouch, who are incredibly creative and have an impressive emotional range. I’m very grateful to have worked with them.

5) You are currently working on the adaptation of “Allure of the Siren”. How did you get involved with this project?

I received a direct message on my Instagram. So, if you are a director, make sure to check all your inboxes, including the hidden ones. You never know what opportunities you might have missed.

6) Actors Sun Tnakorn and Fluk Puttipong will be playing the main leads, Dao and Chaisai. What is your opinion about these two actors?

I am very happy with these choices because they are cooperative and attentive. I appreciate actors who listen to their scene partners and the direction, rather than sticking too rigidly to their preconceptions.

7) You will also be directing GMMTV’s upcoming vampire romance “My Golden Blood”. As one of the most anticipated releases this year, what can we expect from this project?

I can’t reveal much, but Vampire BL has become a popular genre in Thailand recently, and there is a lot of competition. We are keeping the details close to our hearts, constantly rewriting scenes to ensure the best quality with the help of a great team of writers. So, expect the unexpected.

8) This is Joss Way-ar’s first main lead role as a BL actor. How did you cast him for this role, and how would you describe his chemistry with Gawin Caskey?

When the emotion is real, it’s real.

9) We have many BL fans and members of the LGBTQ community among our avid readers. Do you have a message to share with them?

The BL phenomenon in Thailand has helped normalize LGBTQ representation. Now, we are also seeing more Yuri series, which further contributes to this normalization. When the public sees and normalizes LGBTQ relationships, it can impact politics as well. We might even see Marriage Equality become valid this year. So, to all the fans, your appreciation, word of mouth, and sharing have a societal impact. Thank you!

The BL Xpress would like to express their gratitude to Mr. Ark Saroj and Lani Studios for this Exclusive!