Kaadhalil Vizhundaen

It might just be the kind of break actor Nagulan was looking forward to. Actor-singer Nagulan (a.k.a Nakul), a hat is just a style statement. He doesn’t talk through it. This down-to-earth, never-say-die brother of actor Devayani, who has been biding his time to make it as hero, will finally realise his dream when Kaadhalil Vizhundaen hits the screens today.

“I pinch myself in disbelief. When I see the trailers on television, I ask myself, ‘Hey Nakul! Is that you?’” gushes the youngster. “I waited for four years after Boys. I wasn’t interested in cameos. When first-time director Prasad offered me the role of a hero, I was shocked. He said it was a big risk for both of us. I was a little nervous because of my weight, but he liked my mischievous smile. Together we took the plunge. What you will see in two-and-a-half-hours is actually the result of two years of back-breaking work. Now, is that fair?” chuckles the vivacious actor.

As far as Nakul is concerned, there’s already an ineffable satisfaction of having tasted success. “Yes, I think the wait is over. The Nakka Mukka number has become a huge hit. Kaadhalil Vizhundaen is an engrossing romance. I play a youngster who risks so much to win the woman he loves. The director’s treatment of the subject is sure to grip cine-goers.”

Having made his debut as one of the Boys in director Shankar’s blockbuster, Nakul has been through the rough and tumble of showbiz. “I was a happy-go-lucky guy just enjoying eating (it showed!) and gaming, when the call came for doing Boys. Post-Boys, I thought it would rain offers. But they didn’t even trickle in! So I went to Telugu to try my luck there. But my debut bombed at the box-office, and I was so depressed. By then weight had also become an issue. I was hitting100 kg. I had to do something to make up for lost years. I began rigorous workouts and following a strict diet. When I was signed for Kaadhalil Vizhundaen, director Prasad told me I should look totally toned and that even my veins should show in the action sequences. I took it up as a challenge. Now, workouts have become an integral part of my life. I’m not longing for a six-pack, but I want to stay healthy and look my age!”

Talk about his other side, and songster Nakul coos, “Thanks to director Shankar who discovered I could sing. I was shocked when I got a call from Rahman’s studio during the shooting of Boys. My joy doubled when I was again recommended by Shankar to Harris Jayaraj for Anniyan. From then on, I’ve been singing bits and pieces here and there (remember ‘Karka Karka’ in Vetaiyadu Vilaiyadu). But my singing career too didn’t take off as expected. So I’m pinning my hopes on Kaadhalil Vizhundaen. There are butterflies in my stomach!”

Sibling stories from showbiz are not new. But the Devyani-Nakul one is interesting. “I’ve seen my sister do three and even four shifts a day. But I never realised the effort. She would deliver pages of dialogue in a language that’s not hers and still look forward to the next day’s work. I learnt perseverance from her. She’s given me tips on the personal and professional levels.”

Quiz him on his future films and he sounds positive. “Suddenly, I’m getting busy. I’ve been signed for another film produced by Sun Pictures. Then, there’s a film I’m doing with Reliance. I’ve also been offered a film by director Gautam Menon.”

Now, looks like he’s never going to hang up his hat!

Short takes…

HUH SPROUTS! Yes, I virtually lived on them. Now, I don’t even want to think about the diet chart I followed.SOULFUL NOTES I sing from the heart. I was a bathroom singer till director Shankar spotted me.

NAKKA MUKKA The song became so famous, it made us feel nervous. So we went for a re-shoot. I rehearsed for 20 days with master Sridhar. I had dislocated my shoulder twice during the making of the film. So the steps were carefully chosen.

Dhaam Dhoom Ravi or Jayam Ravi

At last a great movie Dhaam Dhoom which is going to be massive hit of this year in south India has been released. After a string of soft romantic capers that made hearts flutter, ‘Jayam’ Ravi is all set for some rapid-fire rounds in Dhaam Dhoom. “Though love forms the crux of the story, there’s plenty of action,” he says, sitting in his trophy and photograph studded office in Kodambakkam. Check out the posters and publicity stills. Instead of the usual bubbly Ravi in vibrant tee, Dhaam Dhoom portrays the star with a blood-smeared face and serious look donning pullovers in autumnal hues. “Strictly speaking, it’s not a departure, but an experiment within my formula,” he clarifies. “Like all my previous films, this one too revolves around love. It’s about a medical college student who goes to Russia for a conference and falls in love with a girl there. The problems he encounters lead to some action sequences. It has director Jeeva’s stamp in terms of style. Sixty per cent of the film was shot in awesome locations in Russia. The film moves in stream-of-consciousness mode and flits between Russia, Chennai and Pollachi. A past master of visuals, Jeeva chose some never-seen-before locales in Pollachi too.” With deep feeling for the late director-cinematographer, Ravi continues, “The film is a tribute to Jeeva, who was like a brother. It was not easy for us to come to terms with his death, but the entire crew went ahead with the film because we wanted his Dhaam Dhoom dream to come true. Clothes, hair colour or location… Jeeva had an eye for detail.” Talk about an image change seeing his new adipose-less, moustached look for his forthcoming film Peranmai and Ravi’s brows crinkle, “Change can’t stop with looks, one should learn to handle roles better and work with directors from whom you can absorb a lot. I’m still a passionate student of cinema, I’ll never stop learning.” “As for the look,” Ravi continues, “since I play the role of a forest guard, a tribal, in Peranmai, I shed a lot of weight — 12 kg to be precise. You’ll also see me with a moustache for the first time. It’s a far cry from my usual rotund college guy look. It’s an action-adventure that takes up socio-political issues. There’s a strong emotional undercurrent too. The script is totally new. It’s a very realistic film. We shot in remote places and sixty per cent of the film is done. Hopefully, we’ll wrap up the shoot in November and the film will be ready for Pongal.” Fire-works in Dhaam Dhoom, adventure in Peranmai, is Ravi getting selective about scripts? “I guess the criterion changes with experience. It also depends on your confidence level and comfort level with the director. Cinema, I believe, is a director’s medium. A good director can make a mediocre script work and a bad director can kill a good script. I had immense faith in Jeeva, that’s why I went ahead with Dhaam Dhoom, and as for director Jananathan, we all know he’s one of the most promising talents.” Obviously, the discussion about directors veers to his brother, ‘Jayam’ Raja. “He’s the one who made my career take off. Ours has been a creative partnership that’s seen a string of successes starting from the box office surprise Jayam to the recent Santhosh Subramaniam. Our wavelengths are the same, so it makes the creative process a lot easy.” A Visual Communication student at Loyola, Ravi was clear about his entry into films. “With my dad editor Mohan around, I never thought of anything else but films. So I took up a course in acting, honed my dancing skills and also learnt martial arts. Thanks to all that training, today, I’m able to overcome the endurance tests — whether it’s getting wet in the rain for 40 days for Mazhai or hanging upside down, 60 ft from the ground for Peranmai. I couldn’t eat for four days while the scene was being shot. My stomach churned, and I felt like puking. But hard work reaps good dividends. I’m willing to go the whole hog.” Hope you all might enjoy the article. It has been published in Hindu and is good to be known.