Easier to work with actors who know Tamil: Vikram Prabhu

After Wagah, which received a mixed response from the critics, Vikram Prabhu is all set to enthral the audiences with a commercial mass film titled Veera Sivaji. The actor says that he happily gave his nod when director Ganesh Vinayak narrated the script — but wanted to back out when the title Veera Sivaji was revealed! Apparently, Vikram had told him that it will be very difficult to match the performance,  of his legendary granddad Sivaji Ganesan if such a name is kept.

“When Ganesh told me that the film has been titled Veera Sivaji, I was perplexed. Though I had other apprehensions, I was also worried that people might mistake it for a historical movie, whereas it is actually a commercial masala outing. The only thing that justifies the name is that my character in the movie is called Sivaji. Also, the director insisted that he couldn’t think of a better title than this for the script, and that he was quite confident that I could pull it off,” Vikram says.

What about his role? “I play a call taxi driver and the story takes place when I commute between Puducherry and Kanyakumari. I get involved in a life-changing incident — and how I come out of it, forms the rest of the story. It is not a thriller, but an engaging family drama with all the commercial elements in proper proportion,” he adds. Talking about his co-star Shamlee, who is making her debut as a female lead in Tamil, he says, “It is relatively easy to work with someone who is conversant with the language. It was comfortable with her. She has been working in Tamil cinema from her childhood, and was performing effortlessly.”

The Kumki star also reveals that he shares a close bond with music composer Imman. “This is my fifth film with Imman ‘bro’. Each time I complete a movie, I call and ask him how the film is shaping up. Surprisingly, this time he called me! It was to tell me that Veera Sivaji is a thorough entertainer. I wondered if it was Imman — because it is very difficult to get words of appreciation from him.” While Simbu has crooned the Thaaru Maaru song, Vaikom Vijayalakshmi has rendered the Sopna Sundari item number shot with a retro feel.