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| Sivaji
Shankar Interview Transcript |
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Host:
As you were working on this film, did you ever feel
at any moment any regrets about not having worked
with him before in the past?
Shankar: No, nothing like that.I
mean everyone who has worked with him always feel
like working with him again and also they regret not
working with him in the past, those thoughts are always
there.because Rajni Sir is even more cooperative than
a new face in the industry for comparison, he is so
flexible, he is so disciplined, he is so sincere.I'm
not just saying that because everyone always says
that, but as I have been working with him in the past
year, I have seen it personally. There are many things
to be learnt from him by all the new up and coming
artists.I have not seen any person who has dedicated
everything to cinema with total sincerity, dedication,
flexibility and humility like him. So he really really
is a great artist. (Shooting Clips Shown)
Host: Now as you have stated how
Rajni has dedicated himself to cinema, in the same
vein you can say Kamal has also done the same and
you have worked with him before (in Indian).so after
working with two artists considered to be two living
legends of Tamil cinema, what are your experiences?
Shankar: There are many similarities
between the two.like I said sincerity.they both sincerely
have dedicated themselves to cinema, the discipline.the
notion that cinema is important and it should turn
out well. So in these issues, they both have many
parallels. For instance, if you take Kamal Sir, when
I'm reading the script to him, he would be casually
glancing at me, observing how I read, watching how
I modulate the dialogues and he would be reading as
I went along as well; after reading it through he
would say 'ok' and leave. Then he would discuss the
script, make any amendments and then when the time
for the shooting arrives, he would deliver whatever
I expected of him and more often than not, he would
exceed my own expectations. So in the same way when
you look at Rajni Sir, when I'm reading a scene he
would be watching intently as how I'm reading it and
then he would leave when I'm finished. And when the
time for shooting arrives he would fulfill and exceed
my own expectations tremendously by adding his own
uniqueness, likewise Kamal Sir.
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Host:
So Sir, you were discussing Kamal and Rajni
and how they always got the performance right
after reading through the scenes with them,
but would it not be better if you acted it out
for them?
Shankar: No, I mean as I'm
reading the scene they understand what I'm asking
for in terms of modulation and since I read
the complete script to them thoroughly beforehand,
they have already absorbed the character they
are playing. So as we go through the scenes,
they fully comprehend what my expectations are.95%
of the time they get it right and in the remaining
5%, if their performance does not fit with my
own vision for the particular scene, then I
will explain it to them and they will do it
the way I told them to, so there is not an issue
there.
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Host:
But there is also the supporting cast and how will
you demonstrate to them what your expectations are
in terms of acting?
Shankar: First I will read the scene
to them and will ask them to perform it for me.and
as they are acting it out, if they extemporaneously
come up with something new and if it is good, I will
keep it and if I'm not satisfied with what they do,
then I will perform it for them and they will do it.
Host: I ask all of this because didn't
you originally come into the industry wishing to act
and do you still have any desires like that?
Shankar: Hey I have acted in Sivaji
itself (Laughs), I only said that for comedy's sake,
but I'm there only for one shot in the "Balleilakka"
song, so don't get too scared about my acting in the
movie. (Laughs) So it was just simply a casual appearance
I did for the fun of it.
Host: So no real plans to act?
Shankar: No no, because the director
Shankar is more attuned and principled to the integrity
of the script than the actor Shankar, so during casting
time for example, director Shankar is quite strict
in choosing the best and most appropriate people to
play the roles and so when you look at it that way,
director Shankar does not easily allow actor Shankar
to perform (Laughs).he would say to actor Shankar
that he is a miscast and to go away. (Laughs) (Shooting
Clips Shown)
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| Host:
When you are looking at it, between the release
of Boys and Anniyan there was a gap and after
it there was another gap and now you have once
again reunited with A.R. Rahman for Sivaji,
so how did this combination work out?
Shankar: This is not new to
us; we have a very good relationship as we have
been working together for a long time since
1993.our relationship is not purely an occupational
relationship as we work together as good friends.
Host: Did he not ask you why
you did not choose him for Anniyan?
Shankar: No, he would not ask
something like that at all.he is really a sweet
person.
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since we have collaborated together on many projects
in the past, he knows what kind of tastes I have and
look for, so for example, when he is composing songs
for other movies besides mine, if he comes across
a tune which he knows I would like,
he would put that aside for me.if I hear a song on
an audio cd he has composed for a movie and when I
convey to him my fondness for it, he would teasingly
tell me he knew in the back of his mind that I would.so
in that way, we have a certain understanding. Even
if you take this movie Sivaji for example, the "Style"
song was something he spontaneously came up with and
he immediately saved it for me and once he showed
it to me, I approved of it instantly. (Shooting Clips
Shown)
Host: Sir, when the name Rajni is merely
mentioned, even little children know that style is
synonymous with it, so now you have even included
a song titled "Style", so what are the new
styles you have introduced there?
Shankar: In this movie, many people
will be expecting a lot from Rajni Sir, his styles,
etc. So we have come up with many new styles and he
has done it and they all have come out very well.
It will be quite a treat for the fans of Rajni Sir.we
have also used his usual styles in various different
ways, so there will be no dearth of style in this
movie. (Laughs) You see, you have gotten the basic
concept itself, where there is Rajni, there is style.so
when we say it, you know, the dressing styles, the
hair styles, the sunglass styles.even backdrop styles
and taking styles, just in all the different areas
when we approach this movie within the confines of
style itself as a premise, you will clearly see a
difference in a positive way. For instance, the backgrounds
and locations are stylish, so if you look at the shootings
from Spain, you will see different things. |
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