I'll give the director what he wants, but please explain the requirement. If it reaches me, then there's communication.Collection: Communication
Caste has divided us. I wish it should be completely abolished from our society.Collection: Society
If you start worrying about risks, you might as well stay inside the womb.
Education is a basic necessity.
We have to eradicate caste.
Politicians are dividing us based on caste lines.
I will do whatever I can to become the character. I have no right to distract the audience from the mood of the film.
In feature films, I used to be the hero's friend, a regular character. In short films, I played the hero; I got roles where I could work on my character and performance. They made me aware of myself as an actor.
I don't believe a role can be written keeping in mind some actor. Even if such roles exist, I don't pick them because I generally choose roles that I think will suit my image.
Roles should choose an actor and not vice versa.
If you have a meaty part to play, I don't see the harm in being part of multi-starrers. Moreover, I will be happy to be a part of a good film than playing lead roles in some bad films.
There is no hard and fast rule that I only work with debutants. I give prime importance to script, and when that works out, everything else falls in place automatically. In fact, most debutants express interest to work with me.
Acting and directing are two separate disciplines that rarely mix.
Directing films is easier said than done. The job needs a lot of sensibility to put many things in place.
When 'Pizza' released, I was a nobody. Initially, we managed to get only 100 screens. But, after its success, the producers of 'Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom' got 150 screens and also released the film in the U.S. Now, distributors are keen to invest in my films because they feel I have face value.
I have to consider the amount of business that my name can do and choose my projects carefully.
'Vikram Vedha' is special because it has taken me to the next level in my career.
I don't want to do films for the fun of it.
It is not that I don't want to sign films, but I don't want to accept any film coming my way.
I don't choose my directors, but I choose my scripts wisely.
Most of my friends are assistant directors.
I used to hang out with a group of aspiring directors before 'Pizza' happened. We used to discuss a lot of stories all the time.
When I listen to a script, it has to be entertaining. People who come to theatre should be happy and entertained.
My father always used to ask me what my aim in life is. I used to tell him I don't have any.
We are actors. We can adapt to any different look for the sake of the story and the character.
As an actor, I always feel that each and every character in my films has to be distinct. The character Thilak that I play in 'Kavan' will be one such unique role in my career.
I am a bad dancer.
Planning bores me. I like to go with the flow. Being whimsical is nice, occasionally. It keeps things fresh; there's no expectation.
Once, when I was driving my bike with my helmet on, two girls recognized me by just looking at my eyes.
I was active on Facebook for a while, responding to comments and thanking fans for their appreciation. But I found that the Facebook feed was numbing my emotions. I'd see an extraordinarily tragic news item, and even before I could react to it, see a hilarious meme right below it. This was confusing me.
I had no interest in cinema until I was 24 years old. My friends had posters of their favourite stars in their houses, but I was far from a film buff - very detached from films.
I came to cinema for money. I had to settle a loan of Rs 10 lakh. I had no other go, so I thought I'd try my luck in films. I was earning Rs 25,000 at that time. It was not even enough for my family.
I used to be very photogenic. My brother took a lot of pictures of me in Dubai. I thought maybe I could be a movie star. There was a hurdle, though - I didn't know anything about films.
I was always under the impression that acting is an innate gift. One of the first things I heard them say at Koothu-P-Pattarai was that actors should realise the art of acting through their training.
Why are numbers so important? I take up a film I like, give it my best, and move on.
I believe life is an 'experience ball.' You throw it at someone, it picks up their response... it grows. You play with that ball, learning what it teaches you.
Your present is shaped by your yesterday, but you don't have to advertise it.
I'm self-taught. Even today, on the sets, I probe the lightmen, the stunt artistes... they are from a period I've not seen; I can visualise it through them.
When an actor decides to play a character, he must exude some sort of charisma and look relatable, even if he is playing the role of a really unattractive person.
I surrender to my directors. I do that because I respect them immensely. In fact, a director's talent scares me. I admit that they're more intelligent than me, and I submit to that, as an assistant director does. Even when I have suggestions to make, I don't state them strongly.
If you go to a theme park, there will be so many rides. You will get an exciting experience in each of them. Like that, every film is an experience that entertains you. Some films will touch your heart. Some will touch you emotionally. There is nothing more than that.
One of my biggest drawbacks is my inability to maintain my physique. I put on weight for 'Soodhu Kavvum' and never managed to shed it. Luckily, that look suited a few films, including 'Orange Mittai.'
If I spend 10 days at home, I'll be dying to get back to the set. I love the thrill of a good dialogue, the buzz of shooting.
The day I became a hero, my dream was realised. Everything else is a bonus.
I am an actor who doesn't believe in carrying an 'image' in the industry. I don't want to get trapped in an image.
To be honest, many of my well-wishers want me to play the solo lead in films. Maybe, it's time to think about it. In fact, I have cut down on signing up multi-starrer films.
As an artist, all I want is to be a part of good films.
I have both joyful and heartbreaking moments in life, even now. Stardom doesn't give us everything.
If a film is suitable for family viewing, it should remain so, and if a film has some adult content, it should remain so, and these genres should never be mixed and spoil the vision of the story teller.
We never take people seriously when they are alive, but once they are gone, we always think that we should have treated them better.