Date:18/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/18/stories/2008111857980200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

“Well it is not cricket alone”

G. Prasad

TIRUCHI: Versatility apart, Venkat Prabhu and Premji Amaran virtually breathe humour – a virtue they inherited from their multi-faceted father Gangai Amaran. Obviously, there is never a dull moment when the duo – or rather – the trio is around.

If you ask Venkat why he hasn’t promoted his brother as a hero like other directors Selvaraghavan and Raja, pat he replies: “Believe me, Premji just cannot act. Whatever little bit of acting he has done so far seems incredible to me.”

Premji responds with a glare: “Poor fellow, he still can’t make out who the real hero is in both his movies!” Venkat’s debut film ‘Chennai-28’ was about gully cricket. ‘Saroja’ is a light-hearted thriller and there is an element of cricket here too.

“There is no sentiment behind it. It’s just our love for the game. Myself, Premji, S.P.B. Charan and others used to play a lot of cricket in R.A. Puram in our early days. Even then, just like in ‘Chennai-28,’ my brother could never catch the ball nor bat well,” Venkat gives it back. With an illustrious father who wielded the megaphone for over 20 films, did Venkat ever seek his help? “He penned two songs for ‘Chennai-28’ (Jalsa Pannungada… and Saroja Saaman Nikalo…) and two for ‘Saroja’ (Nimirindhu nil… and ‘Aaja mere soniye …’).”

He commended both my films and felt that ‘Saroja’ was technically very sound,” says Venkat, who has not worked under anyone as an assistant director. Prabhu’s dialogue in ‘Chandramukhi,’ ‘Enna Koduma Saar Idhu,’ that Premji imitated in ‘Chennai – 28’ was a runaway hit with fans. Of similar flair was Premji’s imitation in ‘Saroja’ of Vijay’s ‘Evalavo Pannittom Idha Pannamattoma’ (‘Azhagiya Tamizh Magan’), and of Rajnikanth’s ‘Cool’ and ‘I was cornered’ (‘Sivaji’) dialogues.

But how did the heroes take to it? “Vijay while appreciating our work told us jokingly, ‘you guys didn’t spare me”. Superstar Rajnikanth’s daughter Soundarya called up saying in a lighter vein that she would complain to her father for poking fun. I always put the blame on Premji and it is up to him to face them,” laughs Venkat. And Premji simply adds, “Cool”.

“He has a very good body language. But the problem is that he cannot make a scene on his own. If you give him a good script then he will do his best,” Venkat feels. “I have decided to act only in my brother’s movies. That also allows me to concentrate more on music,” says Premji, a good singer adept at playing the keyboard.