Natraj Subramaniam plays the ultimate Rajini fan

Ace Bollywood cinematographer-turned-actor Natraj Subramaniam aka Nutty’s upcoming flick Enkitta Mothathe  (EM), will showcase the actor as an ardent fan of Rajinikanth who paints his Thalaivar on hoardings. The flick also stars Rajaji of Moodar Koodam fame essaying a fanatical fan of Kamal!

The movie is set in 1987, and a poster  released by the makers during Kabali release, in which Nutty is seen painting a Rajini portrait was trending online for many days.

There’s a general opinion that Natraj imitates Rajinikanth in his acting.  “I am a fervent fan of Rajini sir in real life too. And moreover, I have grown up watching all his films. Even if I am shooting elsewhere when sir’s film gets released, I  fly to Chennai immediately after the shooting wraps up and watch it in the theaters! So, his impact would have been there in my acting.  When the opportunity of portraying his fan in EM came, I grabbed it,” Nutty opens up.

The Sathuranga Vettai  actor says he was thrilled when Rajinikanth complimented him saying that he is a good actor — “I haven’t met Rajini sir so far. While I was working in Dhanush’s Raanjhanaa, Aishwarya had gone to meet her dad. Rajini had enquired about the cinematographer of the film, and Aishwarya had told him that it was me cranking the camera. He immediately remarked ‘Oh Natraj, he is a good actor!’”

It was Ajith who watched his debut-acting flick Naalai, where he shared screen space with Richard (Ajith’s brother-in-law) and motivated him to pursue acting as he saw a potential actor in him. Similarly, Nutty adds that Vijay, with whom he worked in Puli, would always encourage him to go and act whenever an opportunity came calling.

Having got critical acclaim for his lens work in Trivikram Srinivas’ Telugu film A Aa, Nutty reveals that the audiences hail good work. “Coming back to EM, I play Ravi and the film is set in Tirunelveli. I will be sporting long hair and a lungi. It’s about two individuals who are into painting and erect banners of two different stars and their work rivalry. No personal reference to the stars has been made and it is apolitical,” he clarifies.

In Bongu, he says he is  essaying a contrasting role to the one in EM — “I am a car mechanic who turns car thief — it is a slick, stylish entertainer. This is a road film directed by Taj and I have Ruhi Singh opposite me.”

When asked about a rumour that he demands high salaries — “(laughs) Really? They are just rumours. It’s the producers who take a call on my remuneration. I am yet to grow as an actor to command or demand.”

Natraj concludes that he is happy with varied roles in films like Santa Maria (tentative title) in which he plays a boat mechanic and shares the screen with Nivin Pauly under Gautham Ramachandran’s direction. He also has Vada Magane, a rural film that is written by Perarasu, which is a sequel to Sathuranga Vettai.