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00:00Hi, this is Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Entertainment Editor for Gulf News Dubai.
00:08I'm here with National Award winning Indian actor Surya, who's come to Dubai to promote
00:13the warrior epic Kanguva.
00:16Perhaps you can tell me, is it the first time you're playing something like, something out
00:19of Game of Thrones?
00:20Manjusha, lovely talking to you and Gulf News listeners and viewers, thank you so much for
00:24this time.
00:27Game of Thrones and so many, so many other films we have watched and it's just a question,
00:32when are we going to be a part of that world and how can we give our audience and show
00:38them that we also belong to a similar world, like we have archaeological evidence and history
00:44which goes back like 2000 years and we have our people, ancestors who have lived that
00:49life.
00:50And when can we, in our films, showcase all those emotions and whatever happened in our
00:56part of the world and that was the attempt to go back 700, 800 years and say like, if
01:03we have the same culture, the same emotions and we have a way of worship, right, different
01:10from the other part of the world, what if these things existed and what if a conflict
01:16also arises within our people because of their faith and because for what they stand for
01:23and that is Kanguva.
01:26It happens in four to five islands and their deities will be fire, water, blood and extra.
01:34Then there is war and invasion from outside.
01:37So there is a leader who's named himself Kanguva because of fire, Kangu means fire,
01:44Kangu, from Kangu is Kanguva, Kanguvan.
01:47Okay, so you are a derivative of fire.
01:49Yeah.
01:50So all the clan also, the other members of the clan also will have their names from the
01:53God of Fire.
01:55So he is also having a battle outside, there's war out, there's also war within and that's
02:02our film.
02:03That's brilliant.
02:04It's also one of the most physically grueling movies I feel because you know, such war epics,
02:08it looks amazing on the screen but while you're making it, it must have been laborious, right,
02:12or was it?
02:13I think, you know, director Shiva, being a cinematographer and an editor, I think we didn't
02:19do unnecessary takes, we didn't do takes which, you know, had to be done again and
02:24again and again.
02:25It was really very well planned thanks to my action stunt master, Supreme Sundar, who
02:31was also a National Award winner, who's done Thalamala and Animal in Hindi and so many
02:36other films.
02:37I think we had a great team to, you know, do smart work.
02:42Another team or another director, we would have been, you know, filming for more number
02:46of days but I think, in spite of not using light in the film, like even for a day sequence
02:53and a night sequence, we didn't use lights, 3,000 people were in harmony, were in sync
02:59and I think we really enjoyed filming for Gangoa.
03:02Right.
03:03What was the process like?
03:04Because when I see you in a movie, I feel it's very effortless and I'm sure it's not.
03:08Like, it's like writing, good writing, you don't feel the effort.
03:11Isn't acting also very similar?
03:13The cost of energy which everybody should exhibit and should spread, I think, how in
03:20a married life, it is so important to love each other, respect each other and appreciate
03:27each other and you want other person to also grow and it's just not one person's thing.
03:33A director or an actor or a camera person or a stunt person or any co-actor, you all
03:41need that kind of an energy, a positive energy which you share.
03:46If you like a cameraman's work, you need to appreciate that and then his work, you know,
03:50completely is changed throughout the day.
03:52Even a stunt double or, you know, an astron director who spots something and remains an
03:58actor, you need to give that love and respect, mutual respect is so important.
04:03And maybe that's why we didn't feel tired, we felt very happy to be with each other,
04:09spend time with each other and everybody was ready to give it all.
04:14We didn't see day or night or food or water, it's just love of art, love for good cinema.
04:21I think we all worked like family, 3000 people on the set, we didn't know each other before
04:28but when we came on the set, we literally, you know, it was like family.
04:32A friend of mine said you're more like Kamal Haasan rather than Rajinikanth.
04:36That's a long way to go.
04:39Just your choice of movies and I agree with him entirely that you don't do it for that
04:42kind of stardom, I think it's more for the craft with you.
04:46Is that true?
04:47Or do you enjoy being larger than life or being more relatable?
04:50Because there's a mix, right?
04:51I think it's also the school which you belong to.
04:56I was chosen by Maniratnam sir to be an actor from Saravanan, I became Surya and with Bala
05:03Anna, he said even a blink or even for a second, if you think you are out of character
05:09in front of camera, you tell me, only you will know.
05:12If you think you are Surya and you are not Pradhaman Shakthi, tell me we will go for
05:16a take.
05:17So he wanted movies to be like mortal, he wanted to be timeless.
05:23So let's do something which will stand against time.
05:28I would want to, like Kamal sir has always given, like how did he do Sagalakalavallavan,
05:34how did he do Salangayolli in the same year?
05:37How did he do Nayagandan, how did he do Pesum Padam in the same year?
05:42And so many, so many films which, how was it possible in the same year?
05:47And why he did these films?
05:49Why he did Mahanadi?
05:51Why he did Aboorva Sabudhradakal?
05:53Those were like cinematic, you know, landmark films which made you think like, you know,
05:58how can an actor go all out and how can he keep evolving as an actor?
06:03Uru AC room la, uru chair potattu, kaal mela kaal potattu, you can have a fan also on you
06:09and you can sit and nobody is going to question.
06:11But you can also go climb Mount Everest from another peak and know you can live an adventurous
06:18life.
06:19And that also nobody is going to ask you to do it.
06:21But you want to share a different experience.
06:23You want to share a different adventure.
06:25So it is your choice how you want to live life.
06:28And maybe I, I am very far away, Kamal sir is at the peak here, he has crossed the Everest
06:33peak.
06:34But maybe I like travelling that path.
06:38This is also your attempt to put South Indian cinema on the global map because Bahubali
06:42did that.
06:43We went up till the Oscars even.
06:45Isn't this your, I think as an actor of your calibre because there is such a following
06:49for you Surya.
06:50Even in a movie people watch tickets irrespective to Amma Malayalai.
06:53I would still watch your movie, you know.
06:55So do you think this is your way of paying it forward?
06:57You have heard of potluck?
06:58Of course.
06:59Ellarme vandu, every house, we all bring our own food and you would want everybody to enjoy
07:05your food and you bring something very different to the table.
07:09Annamari, Bahubali vandu 2012 eduthu vandhanga, adhukaprama vandu KGF vandhuthu, Pushpa vandhuthu,
07:16Malayalam cinema is like, you know, pioneer and everything.
07:19We are content driven though, more than the dazzling.
07:22We are always given, you know, films are ahead of times.
07:28So in Tamil, at this given point of time, you know, what can we offer?
07:32What can we bring to the table?
07:34I think, you know, Kanguva hopefully will be something which you cherish, which you
07:40really taste and which you remember it for a long time, I think.
07:45With a lot of love, we have prepared Kanguva and hoping all will love it.
07:50Do you think reviews, what do you rate more, blockbuster success or critically friendly
07:55films?
07:56Would you prefer to have the critics in your favor or money in your bag?
08:00So it's always like this, you have 10 pockets and different different sensibilities on different
08:05walks of life.
08:06People will come, may or may not be satisfied, you know, three to five pockets, another five
08:11pockets, but I think it's important to feed those five pockets.
08:17And Kanguva is an attempt to fill seven, eight, nine, ten pockets, that's the intention.
08:25So I think it's got all the flavors, whatever is needed for a good cinema and to reach for
08:31wider audience and hoping we will reach a wider audience.
08:34And art should provoke at the end of the day, if you get polarizing opinions, I think it's
08:38also a mark of a good movie, at least it's a good dialogue.
08:41You can't put one sensibility down and one sensibility up.
08:44We want to give equality to everyone, be it a critical film or a blockbuster film.
08:49I think you need to find that fine balance.
08:52Thank you so much for your time and thank you for entertaining us over the years.
08:55Thank you so much for the time.
08:57Take care.