After the crowd-pleaser Singam that had the cash registers jingling, actor Suriya wields the gun yet again. But this time, he's not a brassy cop waiting to settle scores with law-breakers. Known for his predilection for experiments, Kollywood's emerging Mr. Box Office, plays the hunted for a change! Going by the promos, director Ram Gopal Varma's high-intense revenge drama Raththa Charithram has the expressive-eyed star delivering an edgy, kinetic performance as a man with ordinary expectations pushed to the brink by unexpected events that unfold in his life. More from the actor:
RC & RGV: It's a major milestone in my career. Most actors and directors are fascinated by RGV's distinct style of filmmaking. His shots and dialogue are precise. Being a biopic (on Paritala Ravindra of Andhra Pradesh), RC is as close to reality as possible. Most of the information was picked up from newspapers and reliable sources. It's a serious film capturing rage and a range of emotions. The Hindi, Telugu and Tamil versions are out simultaneously. While the first two begin where RC 1 ended, the Tamil film is complete in itself. It's about a man wanting to wreak vengeance for the loss of his loved ones. I'm an engineer who wants to settle down in a job, when life takes an unexpected turn. It has the same dose of violence as some recent hits in Tamil. RGV has not gone overboard with gore.
SHOOTING FOR RC It was a huge challenge to do three versions. It was like working on three different films simultaneously. I used to do Tamil first — for obvious reasons — and use the same emotion for the other two versions. Telugu wasn't that difficult, but Hindi was. As with my other roles, I completely surrendered myself to my character in this film too. The ‘first AD system' that RGV adopts helps save time. The assistant directors are given a clear brief of the scenes, everything is ready well ahead, so there's clarity on the sets. RGV is an amazing storyteller. He can transport you to the lives of his characters in his five-minute briefing sessions!
READY FOR ADVENTURE? 7aam Arivu is quite an adventure. I hope the audience is prepared for it. It's nice to work with A. R. Murugadoss after the successful Ghajini. The director has a flair for explaining even complex things lucidly on screen. It's going to be another benchmark in Tamil cinema. From the director to the technical crew associated with the film, everyone has seen phenomenal success. So naturally, they will raise the bar with every film. After the daunting task of accomplishing a six-pack, I'm confident I can pull off the physically-challenging role of a circus artiste.
BREEZY ENTERTAINER The other upcoming film is the one I've signed for director K. V. Anand. It'll provide super duper entertainment. It looks at freshness beyond formula. So the feel and treatment are different. And yes, I don a whole new look for the film!
MR. BOX OFFICE (smiles shyly) My recent films have been commercially successful. But, I've hit several stumbling blocks in my initial years. Recently, I read a book on the secrets of success. It said if you keep thinking about something you want in life, it eventually comes to you. That's perhaps what happened to me. I always dreamt of success.”
BUDGET AFFAIRS I don't believe the budget of a film determines its failure or success. Many films in recent times have broken rules and succeeded despite having small budgets and relatively unfamiliar faces. I think a film clicks because of its script and treatment.
FAMILY FARE Being dad second time round has been difficult. I feel guilty about not having enough time to spend with my children and Jo (Jyothika). But Jo is very understanding about my work schedules. I'm happy she's there for me.
HOLLYWOOD HO
It's likely that actor Suriya will soon do a Hollywood film. He's been tipped to play the lead for an Australian-American co-production. A top Hollywood actor will be his co-star in the film which will revolve around the life of a famous south Indian personality.
