Vijay's performance is electrifying: Abhishek Bachchan

If you go by his lineage, you would say that he was des tined to be an actor. On his recent visit to the city, Abhishek Bachchan spoke to Times of India about his desire to do Tamil films, his equation with director Mani Ratnam and more. Excerpts:
What led to the deep connect that your family has with Chennai?
My family spent a lot of summers in Chennai when my dad was shooting in the city .Also, a lot of my films were shot here. I did three of Mani Ratnam's films, another with Revathy and I shot for a Hindi remake of a Tamil film called Run. Aishwarya has also done a lot of work here. So, Chennai has a very special place in our hearts.
Since you have worked with Mani thrice, how has he influenced your life and career?
Mani is like a father figure for me and for Aishwarya because he launched her. I attribute a lot of the actor that I am today to him. I am always willing to do whatever he says. He's always been there for me. It's a very emotional relationship.
You have always maintained that you are a huge fan of Vikram. What kind of a rapport do you share with him?
He's an actor whom I have immense respect for. When Mani told me that I was working with Kenny sir in Raavan, it was a dream come true for me. I have watched Dhool 17 times. While shooting for Raavan, we had a blast. He was playing the same role that I was playing in the Tamil version. So, we used to exchange a lot of notes. Since then, I have always kept in touch with him.
Who are the other stars or filmmakers that you look up to from the south?
I have known Rajini and Kamal uncle since I was a kid. They are the benchmarks when it comes to acting. Then there is Ajith and Madhavan, whose work I completely adore. I think Vijay's performance is electrifying. Among directors, I admire Lingusamy , Murugadoss and Bala.
When can we see you in a Tamil film?
I am dying to do a Tamil film. Mani had given me an opportunity once, but unfortunately it was too much for me to juggle. I was doing Raavan then and it was tough. So, I couldn't work on another project at the same time. I am still trying to convince him. He has asked me to learn Tamil first.