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Interviewer: Annadurai | Camera: Hemananth.B
& P. Ganesh Babu | Text: Arun
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He
is one of the most senior figures
in the industry, one of the longest
surviving heroes. Sathyaraj, starting
out as a villain, featuring in some
of the most powerful negative roles
in Tamil cinema, he graduated to being
a hero. Over the years he has created
a place for himself, distinguishing
himself with a unique brand of humor
and sarcasm. But, there is more to
Sathyaraj than just humor, as we discovered
in Poovizhi Vaasalile, Bommukutti
Ammavukku and more recently in movies
like Onbadhu Roobai Notu and Periyaar.
Talking to the veteran actor, still
going strong, we touched upon various
facets of his career and life. His
future plans, unwillingness to return
to negative roles, refusal of some
high profile offers and his feelings
on the burning Sri Lankan Tamils issue.
Read ahead to know more….. |
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BW: About your current
projects
Sathyaraj:
I am now doing a film titled
Pettai Mudhal Kottai Varai,
then there is Sanghamithra and
an untitled film directed by
Badri fame Arun Prasad that
has completed its shooting.
Finally, I have a Telugu project.
It has been 27 years since I
did a film in Telugu. It is
the character that attracted
me towards Telugu, something
like what Amitabh Bachchan does.
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"You
could equate
my
character to
Amitabh Bachchan’s
role in Sarkaar" |
You refused the villain
role in Sivaji, now you
are being a villain in
Telugu?
The news that I am doing
a negative role in the
Telugu film is an absolute
fallacy. I no longer fancy
villain roles, if I had
no problems with doing
villain roles then I would
have accepted Sivaji.
I have already been a
villain on screen for
a long time before changing
over to positive roles.
The role in the Telugu
film is something like
Sivaji Ganesan’s
role in Thevar Magan.
His character in the film
dies before the interval,
my character is similar
and also has a full length
presence in the film.
You could equate my character
to Amitabh Bachchan’s
role in Sarkaar. That’s
what made me opt for Telugu
in spite of my discomfiture
with the language. |
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About your refusal of
roles in Sivaji and Dasavatharam
Yes,
I was offered the villain’s
role in Sivaji and I did
not take it up. I was
offered Napolean’s
role in Dasavatharam.
The thing is that I do
not look at the film,
the director, or anything
else. I look at my character
and only if I like it
do I take up the role.
Poovizhi Vaasalile and
Bommukutti Ammavukku were
your best films, can you
better them?
I feel that Periyaar and
Onbadhu Roobai Notu were
better films, so I have
already bettered the two
films you mentioned. The
roles and films that I
am considering now are
on par with Poovizhi Vaasalile
and Bommukutti Ammavikku.
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"I
was offered
Napolean’s role
in Dasavatharam"
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About villains becoming heroes
Yes,
the trend has definitely caught
on. The first people to bring
in this change were me and Rajni
sir. If you look at films these
days, Prakash Raj does villain
characters consecutively and
then takes up a soft and beautiful
role like the one in Abhiyum
Naanum or Subramaniapuram. Then,
Sampath recently did the villain
role in Polladhavan and now
has done a positive role in
Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu. In Hindi
the trend is even more vibrant
where you can see heroes and
villain reversing their roles
in consecutive movies, that
is very healthy. That is catching
on even in Tamil. There is no
myth that becoming a villain
is a one way path and that one
cannot become a hero again.
In Naanayam, Sibi is doing a
negative role and Prasanna is
the hero, but both roles are
equally important. If you remember
films like ’24 mani neram’,
Mohan was the hero and I was
the villain, but my role was
on par with that of Mohan. In
‘Nooravathu Naal’
my role had better footage than
Vijaykanth’s or Mohan’s.
Naanayam is something similar
with Sibi doing a villain character
that has a lot of scope. The
character will even have a song
picturised around him which
tells a lot about the character’s
importance. |
"Like
MGR style,
Rajini style or the
M.R. Radha style,
there is a
Sathyaraj
style" |
About your specialization
in ‘lollu’
characters
Cinema
has seen many actors,
but only very few of them
create a distinct style
of their own and I am
very proud to be one of
them. Like MGR style,
Rajini style or the M.R.
Radha style, there is
a Sathyaraj style. That
distinctive style came
to being when I was doing
lollu characters. Even
if I have done movies
like Onbadhu Roobai Notu
and Periyar, it is my
‘lollu’ roles
that are greeted with
enthusiasm by my fans.
Whatever be the character,
Rajini is expected to
give us some of his signature
style, Vijayakanth movies
will always give importance
to fights because that’s
what the fans expect the
most.
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What is easy for you- comedy
or serious roles?
Both
are easy for me. Comedy comes
innately to me, I do not carry
any weights or sorrows in my
mind. But even serious roles
come easily to me because I
always look to satisfy my director,
I try to deliver exactly what
the director expects of me.
I believe that once I am able
to keep the creator of a movie
happy, even the fans’
acceptance will follow. That
keeps me comfortable. |
Actors of your generation
have graduated to doing
senior roles, but you
are still a hero!
I
am open to all kinds of
roles that are offered
to me. I am not averse
to acting as anybody’s
father or something similar.
Even 23 years back I acted
as Rajinikanth’s
father when he is in fact
4 years elder to me, so
you should not doubt my
courage as an actor. The
important thing here is
not about what the character
is, it is about how much
scope it offers to me
as an actor, I can be
someone’s father,
a villain, a comedian
or anybody for that matter.
I can’t act as someone’s
father just for the heck
of it, it should have
a significance in the
story, like in Mr. Bharath,
where the story was about
the tiff between father
and son. Similarly, if
I am playing a villain,
it should not be just
a punching bag to get
bashed by the hero. There
must be at least a few
scenes where my character
is highlighted more than
the hero, like Kakki Sattai
or 24 Mani Neram, the
audience must be able
to appreciate my performance.
That’s what I look
for in a role |
"23
years back
I
acted as
Rajinikanth’s
father "
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"I
was
simply
stunned
to
observe
the
growth of
that
toddler,
Suriya
amazed
me" |
You have always been profuse
in your praise for Vijay!
Vijay’s
films are enjoyable, that’s
all, nothing more to it.
When I go to a function
that is associated with
a particular hero’s
film, I will talk about
the strengths of that
particular actor, that’s
what everybody does. Incidentally,
I have attended many functions
of Vijay’s movies,
maybe that’s why
you are feeling this way.
Every young hero of this
generation is very talented
and hard working. Take
for instance Suriya. I
have been seeing him since
the time I entered cinema.
I knew his father Sivakumar
very well, Suriya was
a tiny toddler at that
time. Now, when I watched
Vaaranam Aayiram, I was
simply stunned to observe
the growth of that toddler,
Suriya amazed me. If I
attend any victory function
of Vaaranam Aayiram I
will definitely speak
about all the facets of
Suriya. Even for Ajith.
I have done a film with
Ajith many years back,
titled Pagaivan. Now,
when I see how far Ajith
has come from the days
of Pagaivan, it is truly
heartening. So, if I have
to talk about Ajith, I
will recall the Pagaivan
days and how Ajith has
evolved as an actor. Then,
you must not ask me why
I am extolling these actors.
I feel honored and proud
to be in a position to
say good things about
the new generation of
actors.
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You have talked highly of Rajni
at some protest functions and
criticised him at a few other
protest functions!
This
is proof of how honest and straightforward
Sathyaraj is.
About demands for actors to
take pay cuts
This
has been happening for many
years. No actor gets a fixed
pay, it depends on the market
value of the actor. These are
issues that have to be negotiated
and settled by the actor and
producer concerned. If you take
my case, my salary varies a
bit from film to film. If the
producer is my good friend,
then I will definitely consider
cutting down my pay, or if I
know that the producer has put
in a lot of money into the project,
I will surely do as much as
I can to ease the pressure on
him by taking a pay cut. Every
actor does the same thing, they
take the pay that is offered
to them by the producer.
About Nadigar Sangam heads having
political ambitions
I
don’t see any problems
with that. Even in the past,
MGR and Sivaji have headed the
organizations when they were
linked to political parties.
No problems have risen because
of that.
Do you think the growth of mass
media has affected cinema?
I
think that the growth of media
has helped cinema and media
has also benefited from the
growth of cinema. But take my
word for it, cinema can never
be done away with. TV was invented
around 100 years back, we now
live in a world where every
household has a TV with more
than 100 channels. But cinema
still exists, that is proof
enough. My sister is in the
USA in a town called Madison
close to Chicago, something
like Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.
Recently a theater complex was
opened in the vicinity of her
house that has 20 theaters in
a single complex. We can’t
imagine a world without cinema.
About venturing into direction
and production
No,
I don’t have any such
ideas at this point of time
because I am getting enough
opportunities to act. If I start
direction or production, it
will interfere with my acting
assignments. So, I am staying
away for the time being.
You have lately not been seen
in as many functions as before
Maybe
of late I have not been able
to attend functions because
I keep going to my house in
Coonoor near Ooty whenever I
get time off from shooting,
I love spending time on hill
stations. That maybe the reason
for my absence from some functions.
Will you accept an offer to
act with Rajini, Kamal or under
KB
Well,
if my character is good I will
definitely take the chance.
Otherwise, I will not think
of it as a great opportunity
or honor. I always look only
at my role and its importance,
I have never looked at my co
stars or other such things.
About the plight of Sri Lankan
Tamils
It
is indeed sad, brings tears
to one’s eyes. The people
and governments of the world
must take steps to bring relief
to the suffering people. I don’t
have any further goals in life,
I have lived a full life, got
more than what I ever dreamt
about. The only thing that I
want to do further in life is
to be part of the Tamil eelam.
About the varying standpoints
taken by political outfits on
the Lanka issue
All
politicians are equally concerned
about the Lankan Tamils. But
each of them is bound by circumstances.
So, the methods that they adopt
to make their protests felt
are different. They have to
abide by the law, be mindful
of feelings and emotions, there
are even people who have shown
the courage to defy the law
and stand up for the cause.
Everyone wants to see the amelioration
of the suffering of Lankan Tamils.
Each person or political outfit
adopts their own methods according
to their circumstances to make
sure that the collective goal
is achieved. |
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