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Interviewer
: Inian | Camera : Balaji | Text : Daya Kingston |
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| ACTOR
KARUNAS |
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| Karunas
began his career as a pop singer and dancer. He became
a popular Gaana singer and then got a break as a comedian.
He graduated as hero with Dindugul Sarathy, a story
that traced the mind of a man with an inferiority complex
married to a beautiful woman and his suspiciousness
that threatens to ruin his life. Now he is back again
with Ambasamudiram Ambani, yet another story with a
difference. We catch up with him. |
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Greetings
to all Behindwoods viewers. This is Karunas and the
second film that I am starring as hero is Amabasumdiram
Ambani. After the success of my earlier picture -
Dindugul Sarathy produced by Sun Pictures, my team
started working on this film. We have got a U Certificate
and you can be assured that it’s a quality film
for the family releasing on the 2nd July.
You supported me in Dindugul Sarathy
and I request you to extend the same support to this
venture by watching it with your family at theaters
making it a big success. This is the dream of our
team.
I have scored the music for this
film and Vairamuthu Sir has penned all the lyrics.
Kavignar said that after a long time I have written
songs that go with the script of the film and it has
inspired me. The title song Thanda Thanda Paani speaks
about Thandapaani’s character and he has excelled
in bringing the essence of the entire character into
one song. He portrays his hardworking nature beautifully
with the lines, ‘12 Mani Neram Suriyanukku,
12 Mani Neram Kariyamukku, Porada Kathukitta Vazhkaitukku,
Poda po Veppam Poovil thenumirukku. Unnai Pettra;
Chennai thaaney rendam annai. The songs have been
reviewed very positively in the press. In UK, USA,
Srilanka, Poo Pookum Tharunam and othakal have become
top songs on Tamil radio stations.
The song is about a man who has come
from the village to Chennai and come up in life honestly
by working hard and sweating it out. The director
P. Ramanath has been assisting me for many years,
written many of my comedy tracks and even penned the
screenplay and dialogue for Dindugul Sarathy. We have
introduced him as a director.
The same way Pulithevan, the cameraman
is being introduced. He is an experienced cameraman
who has worked with KV Anand for over 10 years. His
camera work will definitely come in for a lot of praise.
Art Director Sura my friend is also been introduced.
My co-stars are Kota Srinivasa Rao,
V.M.C. Haneefa, Livingston, Mayilsamy, T.P. Gajendran
about 16 or 17 of them. I must thank the heroine in
particular. Generally, if it’s a film with Karunas
as a hero, heroines would have apprehensions. However,
after hearing the story, she never even asked who
the hero was yet agreed.
On the day of the shooting, she came
from Mumbai. Initially, we had some trouble finding
a heroine and those whom we found did not satisfy
me. We had to get a heroine who would suit the roles
and waited. Till the end, she co-operated very well
and acted very well. She has starred as a heroine
in Telugu and Malayalam films. She has also starred
in a Tamil film with Vijayakanth Sir titled Arasangam.
However, in this film, she felt like she was doing
her first film as it has sentiment, comedy, the right
mix of everything and she believed in it. Truly our
team worked hard.
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After
the success of Dindigul Sarathy did you get the desire
to do this film, Or was it just that you liked the
script?
Even while doing Dindigul Sarathy, I knew it would
be appreciated. We bought the rights for that film
and for 2 years Ramanath and I traveled inside it.
We would write scenes delete them and did a lot of
hard work. The director Sivashanmugam did a lot of
hard work and finished the film in a short period
within budget. It gave me a better mileage and name
than I expected and wanted to maintain that. I have
also understood what will work for me and without
crossing that line was Ambasamudram Ambani. After
Dindugul Sarathy, we listened to 15 to 20 stories
but then zeroed on to this line of Ramanath. In a
line, it’s the life if a man who comes to Chennai
from the village and comes up through hard work -
the hardships he faced. As an artiste, it has given
me full satisfaction.
Ambani is in
Mumbai. What’s new in Ambasamudram Ambani?
Well, in my film you even have a dialogue to explain.
Somebody asks “What is this Ambani, you have
a small petty shop?” Today we talk about Anil
Ambani in Mumbai. But his father Ambani, how did he
start his career, when we read his life story, he
states he married a lady 1 or 2 years older to him,
just for the reason she brought about 3000 Rs more
as dowry. He believed that would help him start a
business. For the Tatas and Birlas, its different,
they are 5 generations of rich people. As for Ambani,
he is someone I have seen in my lifetime who has risen
from the bottom to the top and to become like that
is the dream of every youth and the story relates
to this.
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Will
everyone who sees it be inspired to be like Ambani?
Definitely. After seeing
this film, beyond Amabani, they will want to
come up like Dhandapani. And those who have
failed in something will regret and say, we
should not have left it that day and tried.
Those who have already won in life like Dandapani
will be reminded of the path they trod. These
incidents happen in each person’ s life
at different stages. Even a Parota maker or
tea master can dream of becoming an owner, the
film will bring confidence.
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After seeing this film, beyond
Amabani, they will want to come
up like Dhandapani
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In Semmozhi, Tamil culture,
Panda Matram was reported
way back in the 5th century
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After
seeing the film, will people get the wrong idea
about dowry?
Dowry is unavoidable. People say I am doing
for my child. In Semmozhi, Tamil culture, Panda
Matram was reported way back in the 5th century,
when we give something we take something. The
money for dowry is given so that the daughter
should live well and that the man must invest
it and grow it. That was a good thought. The
way people use the money is what counts. The
people who used it well were like Ambani who
came up. |
How did you trust
a first time director Ramnath?
He is truthful, honest and has been with me for 15 years,
He knows about me and I know about him. I had been keeping
him with me with the idea of making him a director.
The opportunity came and he told me a good story and
I trust his work. Whoever is with me I want them to
grow too. I have introduced him very confidently.
Can the film’s
story show youth how to become rich?
None can make anyone rich; you have to be self made.
Expecting the Government, in-laws, parents to do something
is not right, that kind of low thinking should be removed.
We have been born, while studying we must study well,
then we must work hard. The theme of the film is that
you must come up trusting in your hard work. How many
youngsters see films and change but then there will
be an impact. Like when you see Jackie Chan’s
film, I recall I used to start the bike fast. A good
film will disturb. Only if a film disturbs you, it’s
a film. |
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Tell
us about your work as a music director?
I was introduced as a music
director in Rajathi Raja. Ramnath is aware of
my music knowledge and said let’s do it.
I got good songs and a big thanks to Kavignar
Vairamuthu. He gave me a line, `Soru vachey
oru sori naiyya naa vazhathen`. I asked him
how a great poet like him could write that but
he said he could not find words harsher than
this for that particular space and asked me
to keep it. He was very involved and would not
only ask for the scene but also the scene before
and after. For any doubt he would call. |
My dream when I came to
Chennai was to become a music
director
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My dream when I came to Chennai was to become a music
director. When I used to see the hoardings at Tarapore
Towers in Mount Road of Ilayaraja and Vairamuthu, I
used to fantasize about it. Reading Karunas - Vairamuthu
and the dream has come true and it is my biggest happiness.
Are you into philanthropy?
Help is not just money. When you give water when a person
needs it or lend a shoulder when someone is in trouble,
or speak a loving word it’s a help. Some of my
relatives like my uncle who was in a family where even
the next meal was a question. From that kind of a background,
I had the basic education. I came to Chennai studied
and worked, sang on stages, became a music director,
made pop albums and became an actor through Bala. Many
have helped me in different stages, many are blessing
me and many are scolding as they think we may have forgotten
them. I may not be able to meet them but they are seeing
me in the media. I want to show my gratitude to those
who helped me come up by helping others. Many like me
must come up.
I want to build an Old Age home. A poem I once read
disturbed me deeply, “Veetukku peyar Annai Illam
aanal andha annai irupathu Aanaadhai illam.”
When a child is born, the first to take care are parents,
they look after us at every stage. When we were hungry
they would even sacrifice their food for us. Once
people are married and have children, they treat their
parents with disrespect. Many youth commit this mistake.
Only in old age parents greatly need love, youth should
realize they will come to the same stage one day.
It’s a period of life like childhood. If a
child makes a bed dirty we clean it lovingly, but
old people, we treat badly. I would like to initially
help 50 people. This is not for advertisement or to
get donations, I am using my own money, and this will
be undertaken by my family, my children and grandchildren.
I am doing it in my savings will take time. I have
bought 24 acres; I want 50 acres, fields, cows, that
kind of thing. My wife and I are working at it.
My good film will release on 2nd July. 200 technicians
have worked hard, so don’t watch pirated VCDs
but watch it in theatres and encourage me to act in
more films.
I thank Behindwoods viewers for watching me. If there
are any faults please forgive me and accept the good
part and encourage a growing artiste with love.
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