Now let me translate the words of Kenny.
Beginning with Sridhar sir, I have worked till Hari. It feels like I know everything about cinemas, but at the next instant, I feel I know nothing about cinemas. Half our lives will be spent in getting to know whom to believe and whom not to. My greatest weakness is that I believe everyone.
The question that everyone asks me nowadays is “ What is your next film like?” I would like to remain the same as before. Vikram should have both his feet firmly on the ground. It is enough that Vikram’s films are shown in theatres. I need to work only towards this aim. I would like to do many varieties of films. While I would like to do a commercial film, I would also like to do a different film like ‘Sethu’. You may ask what would I do if both these offers come at the same time? If I were to choose any one from these two, my vote would definitely be for a different film like ‘Sethu’. Otherwise O Podu. Even films like ‘Gemini’ would me a place in the hearts of children, wouldn’t it? Films like these have given me many child fans.
Sometimes I feel like doing a movie following Satyajit Ray. But if one film fails, it becomes a question of survival to many families associated with it. So much money and labor of so many people is behind the Tamil movie industry. That is why we cannot afford to be too realistic. As an actor, I yearn for this.
Meanwhile these mass movies are a challenge to me. I like this challenge.
If you notice carefully, the core audience that watches movies has changed. People have started to take great interest in cinemas. To bring them to the theatres, stars are needed. Once they are in, nobody is important. The story and the film are important. The character is important. It has been proved that such movies only can win today. People expect something different. The audience must return home with a good feeling after watching the movie. If you succeed in giving this feeling, it is enough. The Films is a success.
People have started coming to theatres after a long gap. Even theatres like Mayajal, which is in the suburbs is full today. I heard that many people who saw Pithamagan in VCD (are you among the good Samaritans who didn’t watch it on pirated CD) went back to theatres to see it on the big screen. I feel my responsibilities have increased after this. I feel that I should continuously try to give such good films. I prepare myself for each movie thinking that if this doesn’t do well, my career is over.
Tamil film arena is a tricky one. In Andhra you cater to ‘B’ and ‘C’ audiences. In Kerala, it is ‘A’ category of audience. It is not so in TamilNadu. Here, all three categories of audiences are present. A film can succeed only if it manages to reach out all these categories. We have to work very hard to achieve this.
I chose acting profession from the very beginning and came to cinemas. My father used to say that success could be obtained only if we struggle and keep on working. I believe that my success today is because of these.
When there was no shooting, I would practice acting with my friends at home. I don’t know if it has any bearing or not. I always thought that Acting was my duty. Hitchcock has written that an actor’s skills grow if he reads many novels. After reading this, I started reading novels whenever I could find time. Even now, when I am not working, I keep myself amidst all cinema related facts and things. When I choose to portray a character, I don’t perform as is normally seen or heard of.
If you see Pithamagan, I had no dialogues at all. Only sounds. But, I developed different sounds of different animals that would best suit the scene. I don’t know ho many people noticed this. But those who can identify the difference in animal sounds would have noticed.
I try to portray in a new different manner. I learnt this lesson from Picasso. He said, “ I don’t draw what I see; I draw what I feel”. This is the base with which I try to improve the portrayal of my character. As far as other essentials for acting, like, dance and fight, are concerned, I am a bit weak in them. I am not a good dancer or a fighter. I act as if I am one. Sreeman used to say that while they work hard and get the movements by shaking the limbs, I do the same with your face and get the result. This is my gift.
I have a burning desire to act in many new and different roles. But now, I feel that I cannot do a ‘soft love’ character anymore. Today people need characters like Aruchhamy, not an Aiyyo pavam chamy. No matter how hard we try not to molded into an image, we end up, at least in small way, having an image. What to do?
Many people may have different opinions on my acting. Derrence – a roman theatre artiste once said “Many men, many opinion”. I believe in this.
I want to do a musical comedy like Oscar Bright’s Flying down to Rio’.
Oscar Bright was an American actor who was a versatile actor, singer and dancer. When asked what was the boundary of his talents, he said quite clearly that, “I have no desire to prove anything by acting; I just act.” This is Vikram. Vikram will keep on acting.
I must act as long as I breathe. That’s it!”
I was completely dumbstruck. I don’t know how many times I read those lines. Totally speechless. Was he answering to the questions, which I raised with my Kannada lecturer long back? Or he himself was the answer?
Normally if I see the content I can imagine how the art would be. Here too if I read the entire art it is just because of the first paragraph and the first lines of Kenny where he wrote
Can you tell me which are the most valuable tears in the world? Is it the tears of the mother who has found her long lost child? No. Is it the tear of thanks that wells up in the eyes of the person who is given a helping hand at the time of his need? No. Or is it the tear of happiness that appears when love finds its destiny? If you were to ask me these questions, do you know what my answer would be? The most valuable tears are those shed by an artiste who is given recognition by his adoring fans.
Art is the one field where both the takers and givers are not bound by any conditions. Unconditional passion and search can only be classified as Art. At this moment my heart and soul is filled with content as I have been recognized as an artiste.”
My question to Shiv Sir was still in my mind. Kenny’s feel and face was still in front of eyes. I couldn’t find any colourable touch on his face or in his words. One more thing was I was in a position to clearly identify one person’s nature just by seeing their chirography, their statements and by their face. Credit of course goes to my six years working experience in MNC, Media and my interest in Graphology, Human psychology and Philosophy. That’s why I was sure about the words of Kenny.
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