A
brief introduction
Hi, this is Jai. Aval Peyar
Tamilarasi is my next film after Goa. This is
the first time you will be seeing me in 2-3
getups, the main ones being that of an eighteen
year old boy and a twenty-eight year old man.
I have worked very hard to shed a lot of kilos
to sport the school boy look and later added
much flab and muscle to look a matured man in
his late twenties. It was my long nurtured dream
to appear in various get ups in a single film
and my dreams have come true in Aval Peyar Tamilarasi.
I am also anxious about the audience’s
response. |
" My dreams have come true in Aval Peyar
Tamilarasi "
|
| "
Nandagi did not impress
me while shooting " |
About
the heroine?
For heroine Nandagi, APT is
her first film and she has done a superb job.
Nandagi did not impress me while shooting but
I saw her acting potential only during dubbing.
I am very sure she will do many films and will
make it big in the industry.
|
About your character
in the film?
My name is Jyothi Murugan in APT. Although I am basically
from Chennai (in the film), my parents fearing that
I may go astray in the city, leave me with my grand
father in Tirunelveli. Right from childhood, you see
a girl and you have fond feelings for her but you
are not sure if it is love. When that girl suddenly
disappears from your life, you will certainly go in
search of her. The search that I undertake to find
this girl when she goes missing is all APT is about.
I am not saying this is the first of its kind in Tamil
cinema but the film has been narrated in a different
manner.
About your look in APT
After Subramaniapuram, I thought I should never court
a beard and should not smile in the same manner. However,
to show the difference between an 18 year old and
28 year old, beard became essential in APT. We took
pictures of me without beard and with just spectacles
to show as a 28 year old but it did not work. So I
decided the look with beard and specs and it was liked
by everyone. But there was also a talk that the look
was akin to Jeeva in Thamizh MA. We did not want that
and realized that the spectacle was the reason. Hence
we took off the spectacles from my appearance but
beard was needed because when a man is in search of
his woman, it is only normal that he will not find
time to shave everyday.
Music director
in APT
Vijay Antony has scored music and he has recently
given many folk hit numbers. In APT also, you have
such a number- Palayankottai- where I have rendered
heavy dance movements. But my favorite is ‘othai
sollu’ which I am sure would reach greater levels.
How do you choose
the scripts?
When stories are being narrated to me, I would look
for some kind of flaws in it. If it does not have
any, then I would see if I had done such a story earlier
and whether it would suit me. If I am satisfied with
these parameters, then I give the go ahead immediately.
If I indeed have done similar storyline earlier, I
request them to wait for a while. I don’t insist
for a fight scene or dance sequence or demand changes
in the script. I have not reached that level.
What
kind of a film is APT?
Aval Peyar Tamilarasi is a
normal commercial film. There is Ganja Karuppu
and also a gaana song in it. There is also comedy,
action, sentiment and romance. It is a normal
film. When it was being screened in Dubai International
Film Festival, people wondered if it’s
a ‘festival’ film. As the director
wanted the stills to have a poetic look about
them, it appears like a festival film. But APT
is also a type of a commercial film.
|
" Aval Peyar Tamilarasi is
a normal commercial film "
|
| "
APT climax may not
send shock waves across " |
Is
the climax of APT very different and special?
APT climax may not send shock waves across like
Subramaniapuram did. And the audience may not
go gaga over the climax. However you will see
the climax that is essential for the film.
|
What
is your take on negative climax in films?
If audience wants to just enjoy the two and
a half hours spent at the theatres, then films
like Kaadal, Sethu, Paruthiveeran and Subramaniapuram
would not have been hits because they have negative
climax. As these films are super hits, it only
goes on to indicate that audience likes negative
climax too. Hence I feel negative climax is
not bad.
|
" negative climax is not bad "
|
About director
Meera Kadiravan?
APT is Meera Kadiravan’s first film. He has
worked under Balu Mahendra. The story was narrated
to me in August 2007 when I was shooting Subramaniapuram.
I told Kadiravan that it would take at least a year
for me to get free from Subramaniapuram and if it
is ok with him to wait, he can; otherwise I promised
him that I will work for him later. But he waited
till I completed Subramaniapuram. And I am happy that
I did APT because the film has come out very well,
thanks to Meera Kadiravan.
Do you offer
any technical assistance to the films that you work?
Although my name never appears in the title cards
of Chennai -28, I assisted Venkat Prabhu in the film.
As I am a trained musician, I had worked in the re-recording
of Chennai-28 along with Premji. Similarly, I had
helped Vaamanan team also. It is just extending assistance
which results from the idea that the film should look
good. That’s about it. In Goa, Sakthi Saravanan
taught me many camera techniques. I learn the technical
aspects of film making from others. However, on the
acting front, I continuously improvise seeing the
performance of others. In APT also, I visualized the
reactions of the hero if it were to happen to a normal
boy and I did not put Jai in that spot. Generally
I watch Kamal’s films a lot like Mahanadi, Anbe
Sivam, Hey Ram and such powerful ones.
| "
I have only scored three marks out of hundred
in acting " |
Do
you want to direct films?
According to me I have only scored three marks
out of hundred in acting. I will foray into
direction only after I have satisfied myself
in the acting department. But I would like to
be an assistant director as there is so much
scope for learning there. So as of now, no direction
for me.
|
About producer
Dhananjayan?
Moser Baer Dhananjayan is the producer of APT. When
the story of APT was narrated to him and my name was
suggested by the director, it was he who approved
the selection. I should first convey my thanks to
him. I consider it as big pride to have done a film
under such a big banner as my role in APT is a long
cherished desire. I wish that he produces more of
such films.
Who
are your friends in the industry?
I have many friends outside
the industry but Simbu is very close to me from
the film circles. Whenever we find time, we
talk and the major portion of our talk would
be centering on films. Apart from this I am
very close to Thala Ajith.
Ajith is such a caring person without any airs.
He is very helpful. He is the first one to wish
me after Chennai-28’s release. He appreciated
my work and said that I have a place in Tamil
cinema. He also suggested me to choose the right
kind of films. From then on I am in constant
touch with him. Ajith is like my Godfather.
I wish our association would stay on for ever.
|
" I am very close to Thala Ajith "
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