Actor-director RJ Balaji on the elements he added to the Bollywood hit ‘Badhaai Ho’, which he has rewritten as ‘Veetala Vishyam’ in Tamil.
Actor-director RJ Balaji on the elements he added to the Bollywood hit ‘Badhaai Ho’, which he has rewritten as ‘Veetala Vishyam’ in Tamil.
RJ Balaji is constantly coming to Mumbai these days. Other than that tamil cricket commentary In the IPL, for which RJ-turned-actor Balaji garnered a slew of fans, Balaji has also been promoting his upcoming film, Vitala Vishyam,
So, is the film a pan-India project, I jokingly ask. “If this is not pan-India then what is? It is releasing on four screens in Mumbai and one screen in Noida,” laughs Balaji, Hindu Office premises in Chennai to discuss Tamil remake of 2018 Hindi hit Congratulations. “When I feel I have the maturity to do a big film, I will. It will happen eventually. For now, I’ve made a firm Tamil padam,
Excerpts from an interview:
what attracted you Congratulations! Tamil remake?
When the film’s trailer was released, I liked it, and called a producer to ask about its remake rights. He immediately shot it saying that it is a very big film for me. I was disappointed, and then I went on doing LKG and then Mukuthi Amman, After these two films, I wanted to make a film that revolves around family Mukuthi Amman, The idea attracted me because it drew so much from my own life – my mom was pregnant with my sister when I was in college. around the same time, Producer Boney Kapoor Called me to ask if I’m interested in a remake of Congratulations! In Tamil, which surprised me a lot.
What elements did you add to ensure its roots in Tamil cinema?
The Hindi original had relatively few well-known artists, and therefore had a freshness to it. We were clear that there was a need for us to be commercially viable and cast actors like Urvashi and Sathyaraj. Although the original looks progressive from the outside, it has some retrograde ideas. We felt that the lead character (played by Ayushmann Khurrana) was the weakest, and his profession had nothing to do with the rest of the film. The character I play here is a biology teacher, and we want the audience to root for this guy.
A still from Vitala Vishyam. photo credit: special arrangement
How was it working with late Malayalam actor KPAC Lalitha?
It is a huge blessing to have him in this film. It was difficult to find the right person for this particular character. we wanted husband Those who will be able to function, as well as travel with us in the midst of the second COVID-19 wave. We initially met an actor from Kerala who was physically unfit to play it. We traveled to Andhra to meet another actor, for whom traveling would have been a big challenge. Finally, it dawned on us that we might consider Kpac Lalita For this big role of grandmother. On the sets, she would often tell us that this is her best performance. Now judging by her scenes, she comes across as a lioness and has given an exemplary performance.
After being a successful RJ, you turned to acting in Tamil cinema, playing the role of a ‘friend of the hero’ in several films before you got your projects. How do you look back on that era?
It was forgettable. I was never happy or comfortable doing this. I felt like a king when I put my earphones on the radio station. When I did the comparison in front of a packed audience, I loved it. But, cinema and those ‘friends of heroes’ roles made me feel small. Also, the ‘sir’ culture in cinema alienated me. I later wrote a stand-up show, which gave me the confidence to write and I did three films.
So, are you saying that you are underutilized as an actor?
My voice was my biggest strength as an RJ. So, the filmmakers thought that the only way to use me is by saying random things on screen. In fact, during my first day as an actor, I told director Sundar C, ‘It’s all very different for me. I don’t think I can act. Shall I leave the set?’, to which he said, ‘No one wants RJ Balaji to act. They want him to speak.’
How have you improved since then?
I have always felt that I was a loud actor till now. In Vitala Vishyam, I had to subtly play it as a school teacher. Thanks to the star cast, I got a chance to be true to my character.
You are busy with movies, cricket commentary and podcasts. How do you multitask?
This is because I follow a certain discipline. I really like the things I take.
A still from Vitala Vishyam. photo credit: special arrangement
What are the things you want to see change in Tamil cinema?
Portrait of women and how love is shown. During a flight from Japan to Chennai, I was watching a random Telugu movie in which the protagonist was chasing a girl. The airhostess passing by asked me about it and said, ‘No, this is not correct.’ I was shocked because he has never seen anything like it, but we viewers have been told over and over again that this is love.
I want to write strong female characters in my films and ensure that men treat women well. I am also against glorifying violence. in the nineties, Rajinikanth Did many common man roles like playing the role of a porter or a milkman. Hero has no work in today’s era. They are either rioters, gangsters or cops.
What are your future projects?
I have completed a thriller which I consider my biggest experiment till date. It’s a Malayalam film director’s whodunit, and I was surprised that I could pull off an entire film with only two pages of dialogue. Apart from this, I have two films, one of which I am writing. By the middle of next year, I’ll be back in directing.
Vitala Vishyam release on June 17