Actor Prabhu Deva needs no introduction. He’s an ace dance and director, with some of the biggest hits to his credit. We have seen his super dance moves in his films but soon we will be seeing him in a different light as an antagonist in Mercury. The film is a silent one with absolutely no dialogues and no dancing too!
Prabhu Deva tells HotFridayTalks.com that there were many firsts for him in Mercury, things which he had never tried in his films earlier. Read on to know more:
What’s your role all about in Mercury?
I am doing a role like this for the first time. I am doing a negative role for the first time and also there are no dialogues. However, the role was not challenging for me, the director is so good, he would guide me whenever I went wrong. It’s a very different film.
Why did you decide to do the film, knowing that dance films are more your genre?
The first time the director told me it’s a 2 hours long silent film, I was like What no dialogues for 2 hours? How is that possible? But when he narrated the story I was taken aback and I asked him how he thought of me. He just said that he knew I would do it, so I said ok immediately. But he is such a good director and even if he would have come to me with any other story I would have said yes to him.
Image Credit: tf-sms.com
What does it take for Prabhu Deva to say ok to a film?
When someone is telling me a story, if I like them then I say ok to the film, it’s as easy as that. Like I said ok to ABCD 3 because Remo is directing it and I trust him blindly!
How did you prepare for your role in Mercury?
Dance might have helped my body language subconsciously but I didn’t really miss dancing in this film. There was no preparation in this film, it was all spontaneous. I heard the story, went on the shoot and went straight for take without any rehearsals.
What other thing are you doing for the first time in this film?
This is also the first time in my life that I had to sit for two hours of makeup sessions every day of the shoot! I don’t really believe in make up my films. I have spent only about 5 minutes for makeup in all my other films but here I had to sit for two whole hours! The film and scenes are so interesting so even getting all that makeup done were interesting.
Are you nervous or excited about the film?
I am very excited about the film not nervous at all. When the teaser came out of Mercury, the people readily accepted it and were keen to watch it even though there is a different side of me, there is no dancing in the film but people are not complaining, they want to watch the film so I am also very excited. The pulse of the audience excites me.
What is your take on Commercial Vs Content driven films?
Commercial and content-driven films both have a market. I don’t understand the demarcation between content driven and commercial films because both have content. However, it is very difficult to do commercially driven or massy films. It is difficult to convince people and make them believe something that usually does not happen in life, like say a man-eating 10 people, is something that can’t happen but we can make people believe it through films. Look at all the Hollywood superhero films like Black Panther where they are saving the world, Avengers where they are saving the world again, same with Spiderman etc., but all these films are commercials and superhits! What I mean to say is that anything that is well made will do well, whether commercial or content driven.
Image Credit: hdwallpaperbackgrounds.net
What is a typical day in Prabhu Deva’s life?
My day starts at 6.30 am and I work until 11.30 to 12 pm. I also take decisions fast and things do go wrong sometimes but that’s the way I am. I go with my intuitions. I do 4-5 films at a time so I need to work that way.One vice is that I don’t sleep much but surprisingly when I am with my kids I sleep well. When I am away from them, my mind starts overworking and I can’t sleep. I have never gone to the gym, but I workout at home. Do things like yoga, floor exercise etc.
You will be directing Salman Khan soon for Dabangg 3 soon, tell us more about the film and Salman
Can’t talk much about Dabangg 3 right now as I need to be loyal to the producers (Laughs). Salman is very open to suggestions, he listens to me as a director. He is super cool. He gives very good inputs too and his suggestions are very commercial, very very ‘massy’. I see no change as a person when it comes to him. He has not changed, he is the same kind person he has been all these years. He’s a superstar, he connects with the people. The magic the connection is really good, he’s an original star.
What do think of the younger lot of stars?
Stars these days work very hard, like Varun who I worked with in ABCD he is very dedicated and focused. It could be because there are more opportunities and competition too these days.
Do you read reviews about your films? Does it matter to you?
I do read reviews sometimes but around 80 % of the time I don’t because most of the time they are bashing the films, but when I am travelling in a flight etc. when no one is watching me, I do read reviews and if the reviews of my films are not very good it does affect me. I am human after all so it does affect me.
HFT wishes Prabhu Deva great reviews for Mercury!
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