S uriya’s evolvement as an actor has been gradual, but gratifying. He’s come a long way from treating the camera as a voyeur to seducing it over time. His fan base cuts across age and sex which happens only with actors attributed with some sensibility and conscious of the content. He strives to appeal to a cross section rather than fostering a group of finicky fanatics. The third part of the cop series ‘Singham’ is due next week. He’s signed a film with the maverick Selvaraghavan and has buried the hatchet with Gautam Menon. He’s just returned after celebrating Pongal at his hometown with his family. We talk at length with a brief interruption when his daughter has a doubt with her homework.
Do you realise that this is your twentieth year in the film industry?
Somebody reminded me the day before yesterday. It’s like someone reminding you that it’s the 25h reunion at your school and you are like ‘really’?
Your idol Kamal says he’s a reluctant actor, but in your debut film you look like a kid dragged to kindergarten.
Yes, literally. I remember critics saying Suriya looks like he’s worried about the headmaster coming after him. He’s scared of the camera and can’t dance so why doesn’t he just stay at home. A lot of similar things were said. Failure is a good teacher.
Did the negative reviews spur you to prove yourself?
Yes, it pushed me in the right direction. I had to learn something I didn’t know. It showed me what I was lacking in. I had to learn what an actor was supposed to do in front of the camera. I had to learn how to get under the skin of the character. I didn’t know all this in spite of being an actor’s son. I have to thank a lot of directors and the main credit goes to Bala. He taught me when to blink and when not to. A small movement is magnified on-screen.
Good for you. You were earning while you were learning.
Very true. You have to be blessed to be in this profession. You don’t have to carry a visiting card and language is no barrier. Everybody recognises you. I was once lost in Dubai because the person supposed to pick me didn’t turn up. A Keralite dropped me even though he was travelling in the opposite direction. A Pakistani once helped me in South Africa. He’d watched ‘Raktha Charithra’.
Even after you decided on acting as a career you did not approach anyone for roles.
That’s never happened. Only once I heard Vasanth was casting for a film and was thinking of other actors. I was not on that list. An assistant director advised me to meet and remind him of my existence. I wanted to do a good film. I went casually to the producer’s office but did not mention anything about the role. The only person I asked openly was Bala. I dropped him at an awards ceremony and on the way I mentioned I would like to work with him sometime. I was doing ‘Friends’ at that time. One month later I got a call asking to keep myself free. I landed ‘Nanda’. My father has never asked anyone to cast either of his sons.
Bala also gave you two diverse characters in ‘Nanda’ and ‘Pitamagan’.
People say sixty percent of what any actor does is his personality but Bala changed that. I am not what I portray in ‘Nanda’ or ‘Pitamagan’. He helped me transform into the character.
As you grow successful and your fan base increases does it get more difficult to choose roles?
I don’t want to use the term compromise but there is a limitation. You can’t do both, realistic as well as something that’s totally commercial. Very rarely are the two blended properly. I was surprised when I watched ‘Sultan’, ‘Bhajrangi Bhaijan’ or ‘Dangal’. They were realistic and entertaining. A distributor in a small village in interior Tamil Nadu bought ‘Dangal’ for a couple of lakhs and the film collected ten times. It’s about writing and the lead characters involvement. ‘Sultan’ was not something you expect from Salman but it floored me. Aamir’s transformation and also allowing others equal screen space is admirable. I hope to do something like that since you’ve reminded me I’ve been around for twenty years. I have to do the unexpected.
Two of your much-awaited films ‘7am Arivu’ and ‘24’ were disappointments of sorts.
The former was an important film that talked about a part of our history that most people didn’t know. Most of it was facts. It was well researched. I think I did not pull off that casual character very well. I didn’t do my best. I can’t pass comments on the screenplay or direction. I’m not qualified. We are nobody to argue with the people’s verdict. Maybe the expectations were too high. ‘24’ probably needed some more human emotions.
Your generation of stars aspire to be half Rajni and half Kamal. Is that the dilemma?
For most of us it’s the ultimate goal. There’s nothing more attractive. It’s only when you travel and watch other language films that you get a different perspective. There’s a lot happening in the outside world. Sometimes it’s discouraging when you do a good film and it gets good reviews but the theatrical collections don’t match. So to survive and to get the necessary budget you need a film that will do well. A ‘Singham’ helps us get the budget to do a ‘7am Arivu’. I try to balance it out.
It’s most unlike Suriya to go public about something that could have been sorted over dinner. I’m talking about your refusing Gautam’s film ‘Dhruva Natchatiram’.
I don’t want to get into this. Whatever I say may sound very simplistic. There were a lot of things involved like the circumstances at that time, my maturity level and communication skills or the lack of it. I felt I was not able to convince him. People who come with a bound script are not necessarily very creative. People who’re creative are not necessarily organised. It’s all a learning curve. Maybe I should have trusted him but at that point of time I did what I felt was right.
Is it true that you are working together again?
That’s true. We are looking forward to it. We have had some pleasant times and hope to relive them.
You have told me you’re comfortable working with Hari.
We assume, living in cities, that this is the way people live and everyone shares our sensibilities. You drive 200 kms away and it’s very different. People sweat it out but also laugh their heart out. There are people from various walks of life. You have to do certain films that talk about our culture. City-based films seldom talk about our roots or relationships. Hari can mix both and portrays me very differently. His sincerity is amazing. His planning and execution attracts me to him. I’m never over confident, always asking myself if this will work. I’ve never claimed in these twenty years that I’ve given a fantastic shot. Jyotika can say that. Karthi can.
The postponement of a film always sparks rumours. Why was’Singham3’ postponed?
The genuine reason was that for Deepavali ‘Kashmora’ was also due. I didn’t want to clash with my brother. The next time it was the demonetisation effect. We also wanted the film re-censored.
Have you cracked the mystery of why the Telugu people love you and your brother so much?
I don’t know. It’s just God’s blessing. There’s a golden hand on our head and nothing else.
