Suriya interview: ‘I remember my first salary was ₹ 736’

This Deepavali shall be a quiet one on the Suriya family. “The brand new regular,” laughs Suriya over a phone name.

The actor is gearing up for an uncommon festive season. In contrast to in earlier years when his movies would launch to a lot fan frenzy in theatres, his newest film, Soorarai Pottru, will drop immediately on OTT platform Amazon Prime subsequent Thursday. Impressed by the lifetime of Captain Gopinath, the movie has Suriya taking part in Maara, a villager who’s a ‘insurgent with an thought’, because the trailers counsel. Excerpts from an unique interview:

Why was the story of Nedumaran Rajangam (Maara), whose character relies on Captain Gopinath, necessary sufficient to be advised to the world?

He [Captain Gopinath] modified the historical past of the Indian aviation trade. His dream was to make the widespread man fly, and he made about 30 lakh folks fly with a ticket priced at simply ₹1. He ensured villages and cities prospered by connecting them with larger centres. Actual India lives within the villages; he made folks from there fly and succeed. In truth, he found that there was an air strip in Dindigul and lots of different locations. And, he was a college trainer’s son from a easy background, proving that no dream is simply too large whoever you might be.

So, it’s additionally a narrative of hope, important within the troubled occasions we now reside in…

Completely. He mentioned that if in case you have an iron will and imagine in one thing, God will make it occur no matter your social standing. I imagine in that philosophy, and thought it was necessary to move it on.

You labored onerous within the garment enterprise earlier than beginning out as an actor. Did you recall that section whereas portraying this character’s preliminary struggles?

All of us undergo this section as soon as we flip 18, after we begin occupied with our future. Questions like who will settle for me, and the way I’ll fare on this world begin to crop up. I went by that too.

I didn’t wish to observe my father’s [Sivakumar] footsteps within the movie trade. I received a job in a garment manufacturing unit, with my first month’s wage being ₹736, which I received after 18 hours of labor day-after-day. I nonetheless bear in mind the burden of the white envelope that had that cash. I re-lived all these days through the shoot of Soorarai Pottru that charts the struggles of the protagonist.

I additionally really feel that someplace over the previous few years, I turned glad with the place I’m in and was not pushing myself sufficient. I desperately needed to respect the love followers had been giving me by giving them a movie like this. After a very long time, I felt refreshed at a capturing spot and skilled a brand new means of filmmaking. All people must press that refresh button as soon as some time, and that occurs solely while you get a problem. Happiness is going through new challenges.

Was there want so as to add drama for a cinematic illustration of this real-life persona?

Sure. The guide we now have based mostly the movie on, Merely Fly, is 670 pages and we can not do justice to that materials in two hours. We have now taken 4 spotlight factors. With director Sudha Kongara’s imaginative and prescient, we now have added characters coming alive across the protagonist and made it a cinematic expertise.

Inform us concerning the bodily calls for of this challenge…

Sudha had a 10-minute confrontation sequence that the protagonist undergoes when he’s 18. I’m 45 now, and there was no means I used to be going to play that half! I confirmed her the CGI work carried out in Hollywood movie Gemini Man, and hoped she would rope in somebody who appears to be like like me for that sequence. However she was insistent that I play it myself. In a span of 27 days, I went by an unhealthy crash food regimen — that I cannot suggest in any respect — to make myself appear like a youngster.

You might have performed military officers and cops beforehand. Is there a sure majesty that comes with representing the Armed Forces?

Undoubtedly. They give the impression of being after civilians in a really protecting method, identical to how we’d maintain our child or youthful sibling. They’re very chivalrous in the best way they behave with ladies. I actually want that every of us experiences life within the Military for a few years after education. I imagine that may convey some order to life.

Whenever you work with senior administrators, there’s respect and while you work with youthful filmmakers, there’s enjoyable. How was it with Sudha, who you describe as your ‘rakhi sister’?

She assisted Mani Ratnam sir in Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004). There have been sequences that Mani sir would okay, nevertheless it was onerous pleasing her. She made me really feel depressing! She was very near me however I didn’t wish to do a challenge together with her as I don’t like to combine enterprise and friendship. Her sturdy outing in Irudhi Suttru (2016) made me change that call.

Your spouse, Jyothika’s Ponmagal Vandhal, launched immediately on an OTT platform earlier this 12 months and now we now have yours. Do you see this as a pattern or will issues change as soon as theatres reopen?

See, we have to adapt and evolve. It isn’t about one trade dominating one other; it’s a part of evolution. However we human beings, being social animals, will wish to see movies in theatres. In future, small-budget, area of interest movies will fill the OTT house and creators shall be compelled to make higher, larger content material for the massive display screen. Soorarai Potru was made for a theatrical expertise… each body, piece of music and efficiency was carried out holding that in thoughts. Having mentioned that, we now have to maneuver ahead and see what greatest could be carried out contemplating the present circumstances.

Many individuals really feel your good-nature and self-discipline stem out of your upbringing. You’re a guardian now. What recommendation would you share with different mother and father?

Each mother and father need to equally shoulder duty of youngsters. It’s important to open your coronary heart and make them your folks. With everybody accessing telephones and laptops right now, you don’t know what youngsters are entering into or who’s guiding them. They is perhaps at house, however you may don’t know what is occurring beneath your nostril. Solely if you’re associates along with your youngsters will they arrive to you when they’re perturbed about one thing.

Soorarai Pottru will stream on Amazon Prime Video from November 12 onwards