‘Tamil cinema liked in other parts of India’

Jiiva’s next, Seeru, directed by Rathina Siva, talks about the importance of educating and empowering girls. “I play a happy-go-lucky guy who locks horns with a sitting MLA, which triggers him to take up issues prevailing in society. It is typical commercial film with a message,” says Jiiva, in a conversation with DC. There is also dash of sentiment, with scenes on brother-sister bonding and friendship, he adds.

Talking about songs in Seeru, hesays “Imman has been giving me good hits. Seeru is no different. Now that I am learning music, I was able tounderstand how musicians work hard to create a song, which has to gel with the theme etc.”

On the biopic on Kapil Dev, he says, “It is big honour for me to be part of 83 and essaying legendary Krishnamachari Srikkanth in it. It is in Hindi but I managed somehow. It was shot in sync sound, which was yet another big experience. Though I am not a professional cricketer, I play gully cricket and CCL and have ball sense. They approached me while doing Gypsy; I had long hair and a different look. The offer went to other actors and came back to me finally (laughs). I did this film mainly for my love for cricket and love for Kapil and Srikkanth Sir. And imagine playing in Lord’s Cricket Grounds! It is one of the significant films in my career”.

Talking about his weight reduction regime, he said, “It was tough, butinteresting. We were asked to go to Dharamshala for 20 days. Balwinder Sandhu Sir gave us training.  I shed about 20 kilos.”

Since, Jiiva has a good market in Telugu too, Seeru, which has Riya Suman as the female lead and is bankrolled by Ishari Ganesh, is getting released in T’town as well.

Jiiva already has Kalathil Sandhippom and Gypsy in his kitty. “I travelled to various places in India for Gypsy and I saw that people were very receptive to Tamil movies and hail them for their good content. It was heart-warming”, he said.