How do you
feel that two of your films have got released in a
gap of one week and the films are getting good reviews?
Initially I was quite apprehensive that my films
are getting released in just a week’s interval
as this is something new. I am a fresher to the industry
and did not expect such things to happen at the beginning
of my career. Thankfully, both my films are doing
good business and they are of different genres. They
are getting the right kind of response. I am happy
and when hard work is appreciated, it encourages to
try out variety of roles.
What was the
inspiration you derived from your Police Officer dad
(in Drohi)?
I have played the role of an undercover cop in Drohi.
My dad, an IPS officer is always supportive of my
career and not just in this film alone. I discuss
all my films with him and this film is a special one
because of my role. As I have always been seeing my
dad, the body language, voice and other aspects of
a police officer have been easy. Appa was very happy
as he was seeing his reflection in the film. When
I started working in Drohi, I had a slight apprehension
about working with experienced artists. On the fourth
day of shooting, the scene with me in police uniform
was shot. The moment I got into the uniform, a feel
of arrogance and over confidence came over me. That’s
when I realized that when the police dress could give
so much of courage to a dummy police like me, the
effect on the real police men is quite understandable.
How was Srikanth?
Twin hero subjects are quite rare in Tamil cinema
and when I got Drohi with Srikanth as the other hero,
I took it as a challenge. As an audience I always
wonder why there are no multi-starrers in our industry
and when the offer came, I immediately lapped it up.
Of course I was anxious because Srikanth is a senior
artist who has done more than 20 films. But this is
my 3rd film and I was worried how I was going to match
his performance But I owe my thanks to director Sudha
and Srikanth who encouraged me right through and gave
the required support. Srikanth gave me very many tips
on my performance and that’s the reason my work
in the film is being talked about. Full credit to
director Sudha and Srikanth.
Experience
with director Sudha K Prasad?
I got the bound script of Drohi from director.
Generally women directors are known to render
a romance based film or a woman-centric ones.
However when I read the script, all my beliefs
about women directors were shattered and I realized
I should never treat Sudha as a woman. The script
was so powerful and action oriented. I still
wonder how this script came to me as I have
done soft roles in my first 2 films. I don’t
know why she thought of casting me in this role.
Sudha |
I should never treat Sudha as a
woman
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is not the timid and coy type but led us all from the
front. When you see the visuals of the film, you can
never make out that the film has been directed by a
woman. This is because Sudha is very fond of action
based films. That’s why she has directed an action
flick in her very first film. There were many cute moments
during shooting. Sudha used to come very enthusiastically
to show us how to perform the action sequences but would
stop saying that it would not be an appealing thing
and ask us to do it. But she was very clear in what
she wanted from us and would never rest till she got
it. She constantly pushed me to the next level. Today
if I am being appreciated for my performance in Drohi,
it is because of Sudha who taught me the effects of
hard work. My thanks to Sudha Mam.
We rehearsed a lot for Drohi
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Home
work for Drohi
Drohi
is a twin hero subject. Sudha was worried how
she was going to bring out the age difference
between me and Srikanth as I was playing an
elder character to him. On the looks department,
I have to look matured. Hence I put on 15 kgs
of weight, got tanned, grew beard and looked
huge in the film. This is what I worked at the
physical appearance side.
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For the performance side, director gave me lot of references
from various films. Without viewing me as a character,
she focused on my performance, taking reference points
from many films. We rehearsed a lot for Drohi. She brought
in a few people from Royapuram and showed us their mannerisms,
their body language etc. As I am a newcomer, she gave
a special reading for me, then Srikanth joined and later
the heroines. Slowly and steadily, she took me with
her into the film step by step.
Secondly intense power was needed in my eyes and whenever
I used to soften, she would shout at me albeit softly.
She ensured that we were all on our toes and was very
fierceful to such an extent that she completely transformed
me into the character. A simple example is once when
I went out with my friends, ordered for something and
it did not come, I thought I had talked to the bearer
politely but my friends felt my body language was very
aggressive. That’s when I realized that I had
imbibed Karuna completely. I even started dressing like
Karuna.
On
hitting Poorna?
Poorna played my sister’s role in Drohi.
Poor girl she was. Poorna was at the receiving
end from me through out the film. There were
many combination scenes with her wherein I had
to be very rough with her. As I had mentioned
earlier, nothing can satisfy Sudha. During the
first shot, I completed it lightly and Sudha
was not happy and wanted more aggression. I
had no problems but felt sad for Poorna. But
Poorna was over enthusiastic and said she was
game for anything. When she did not have any
problem, I had no qualms and the next shot which
was a lengthy one, I finished in one take and
hit her strongly. And Poorna took permission
to go to her caravan from the director and when
she got back I saw her face was red with tear-laden
eyes.
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Poorna was at the receiving end
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Another shot involved
pulling her with me in a mall. In this shot, my thick
woodland boots had completely bruised her toe nails
and it had come out. Poor girl, she suffered so much
because of me to the extent that she called me ‘anna’
in the press meet. I have never apologized to her and
through behindwoods, I do this. Sorry Poorna!
All in all a different but a sad experience!
Experience with
Siddharth Chandrashekher
After
Vennilla Kabbadi Kuzhu, I was only getting village
based scripts but I was not keen to take them as I
did not want to be typecast. I was waiting for city
based subjects and at the same time not too commercial.
I also wanted some light subjects as I had made people
cry in my first film but wanted to make them smile
in the next. That’s when Siddharth Chandrashekher
narrated me Bale Pandiya. I felt it was right as I
have danced, fought, tried my hands in comedy and
shown variety of expressions in the film. It was also
a challenge for me. Siddharth used to say that I did
not have any tags and can be put in any role. He is
very creative and has done cute stuff in BP like Happy
song with 20 singers, a song with no music, mama-maapiley
number, silent fight, yacht fight, comedy underlined
with sorrow, characterizations, dressing etc. It was
wonderful experience to have worked with Siddharth
Chandrasekhar.
Kulla Nari Kootam is a romantic
comedy
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On
Kulla Nari Koottam
Whenever
a hero does an action film, he will be immediately
branded as an action hero. But my next film
after Drohi is a full length comedy with the
team of Vennilla Kabbadi Kuzhu. Sri Balaji who
was the co-director of VKK is the director of
KNK and Remya Nambeesan is the heroine. Along
with this, the team of VKK consisting of cameraman
Lakshman Kumar, music director Selva Ganesh,
Appukutty, Suri, Pondy, Sundar and Iyappan are
all there. Kulla Nari Kootam is a romantic comedy.
There is no villain, no fight in KNK and it
will be laugh riot. Although a small knot, director
has brought out in a big fashion on the screen.
First time, I am doing comedy. In Bale Pandiya,
I was sad and people laughed at me. It is also
challenging to me as comedy is not easy; it
is a tough task to make people laugh.
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You
started as a cricketer. What made you change your
profession to films?
I started my career in cricket but when I had
shin fracture and had to choose an alternate
profession, an uncle of mine suggested films.
That’s how my interest in cinema began.
I tried for five years but in vain and I then
joined a job. In ten days, cinema called me
again. I will only call it a God’s grace.
When I heard the story of VKK, I knew it was
the right thing because I don’t have a
filmi background and hence to bring out the
emotions of a sportsperson, my cricketing background
helped me.
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Cinema called me
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How do you
choose scripts?
After I completed VKK, I did not get very many scripts.
When I thought about it I realized I had done only
a thin characterization in my first film. I understood
the need to bring out variety, not only in my stories
but also in looks. That’s why I chose Bale Pandiya
as my second film because there was variation in my
looks. In the same way, in Drohi, I put on 15 kgs
and wore a different look. In Kulla Nari Koottam,
it is entirely a different look. And the genres of
my films are also different from one another. Generally
when people write stories, they keep some hero in
mind. After VKK, they will think of me for village
based subjects; BP for city themes, Drohi for action
oriented flicks and after KNK, I will be considered
for comedy subjects too. The more I am in a director’s
mind, my opportunities also will increase because
cinema is a director’s medium. If there is variety
in my roles in the early stages of my career, I will
not be slotted. I will continue to try variation in
my role as well as looks.
Why you chose
Drohi?
I was pressured in Drohi because I was acting with
experienced artists. It was a very powerful character.
It takes a while for people to accept an action hero.
I tried my best to make them accept me and I have
also been appreciated for this. The reason for this
is director Sudha. I myself am surprised that she
has extracted so much from me. I am happy to realize
that audiences have accepted me in action role. I
thank them because it is their encouragement that
motivates us to try out different roles. I never expected
to get this big a response for my performance in Drohi
and I am happy
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