A scene from RJ Balaji and ‘Sorgavasal’. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

RJ Balaji is not one to forget his humble beginnings. His office is filled with awards and memorabilia he received from his previous life as a radio jockey before becoming an actor-director. He shares his past experiences on the road to stardom in a conversation for his upcoming film Sorgawasal.Excerpts from the conversation:

After several comedy films, some of which you also co-directed, you entered the category of serious films with ‘Run Baby Run’. How was the transition to serious films?

I have directed two films (Mookuthi AmmanAnd Veetala Vishesham) and wrote and almost co-directed a film (LKGI realized that I like acting more because it takes about two years to direct a film. I wanted to direct family entertainers and act in films that were genre-oriented. run Baby Run There was one such experiment. Although it is not a cult classic, I liked it and we did it for the OTT space. Later we had to release it in theaters also.

‘Sorgavasal’ also seems to be a raw and rustic film.

sorgawasal It was made for a different actor, but the team and its producer, who is also a friend of mine, were confused whether to go ahead with that actor or not and sought my feedback. I liked the story; It is about a man trapped in prison due to circumstances. The hero he initially chose had a well-built body, which did not create a feeling of helplessness in the character. When I said I liked the script and would like to do it, he was shocked. That’s because their general perception was that I only did fun, commercial entertainment. they called sorgawasal A raw, action film but I saw it as an emotional drama with action sequences. Music director Anirudh is a long-time associate of the producer and I was told that he said I was the best thing. sorgawasal,

Initially there was a lot of action in the film but after I came on board, they were keen to rework it and bring in more emotions. I didn’t want a film where I would fight with 10 people because I don’t have any work where I can do that. That’s why my films are not watched. The collaborative effort brought a sense of insecurity to the character I was playing. This process also extended to casting and we were able to bring in actors like Selvaraghavan sir, Balaji Sakthivel sir, Sharaf U Dheen, Hakeem Shah and so on. Sudanese from Nigeria-Fame Samuel Abiola Robinson.

RJ Balaji and Sanya Ayyappan in a scene from ‘Sorgavasal’. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

You started as a radio jockey, acted as a comedian, became a cricket commentator, started playing lead roles and are now directing Suriya’s next. Do you see yourself redefining it as a journey or a destination?

Neither in the past, nor now, nor in the future did I have any destination. At the end of my career, I know my destination will be completely different from where I started. Like every normal middle-class person who loves cinema, I took up the chance to act after being recognized for my work in radio. It was only after playing a role that I realized that what I would normally earn in a year was given as salary for 10 days of work. After making it a profession, I wanted to do good work in it and took a break from acting. First LKGI realized that I liked writing the story more than filming it because managing hundreds of people was chaotic. I screamed a lot, unable to bear the pressure. but when Mookuthi Amman It happened, I enjoyed making the film and I was calm on the set. run Baby Run It may not have been a memorable film in terms of box office returns, but it gave me the confidence that the audience doesn’t mind seeing me in a role where I’m cool. I prefer not to have long term goals and do a good job at what I am currently busy with.

Do you think Tamil cinema is moving towards a more genre-specific space?

Poovizhi Vasalile While it was a complete thriller Kadhalukku Mariadhai There was a romance; Genre-specific films have always been there and if they are good, they do well. Mookuthi Amman It’s no cult classic but it became a comfort watch for many; Even Gautam Karthik would often ping me and tell me that he was watching it again. So I wanted to do another family film and Veetala Vishesham happened. But in the end, I shouldn’t have made rigid decisions on what films I should do and allowed myself to explore. Even though it’s a remake, I still consider it Veetala Vishesham To be my best self as a writer. I believe we did a better job in writing it than the Hindi version, but I can’t bring the scale and grandeur to a film about an elderly mother getting pregnant. So I have decided to focus on what I am currently doing and if it gets a good response, it will open new doors full of surprises, which I don’t want to avoid.

After co-directing two films, at what point did you decide to direct yourself, especially when your next film is Suriya’s 45th film?

With Saravanan Sir whom I co-directed Mookuthi Amman And Veetala Vishesham With, it was a collection of two ideas. I had a fear of making a film on my own which later disappeared. Mookuthi AmmanBut it was fun working with Saravanan who was my opposite; I was agile like Kohli while he was patient like Dhoni. Then, he wanted to do his own film and I started acting. With Surya sir’s film, I feel I have evolved more as a filmmaker. than mine LKGThese days, my ability to handle a big star with my writing and aesthetics has improved.

RJ Balaji and Balaji Sakthivel in a scene from ‘Sorgavasal’. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

suriya 45This is my next step in the world of cinema and it is not just because of Surya sir; The standard of writing is high. We wrote this film for months, without knowing how or what it would turn out to be. It started with an idea that I came up with and my team loved it because as a concept the idea is so big. We are working on it to present this idea in a better way.

How is it to collaborate with AR Rahman for ‘Surya 45’?

During the audio launch of Kaatru Veliyadai, Mani Ratnam sir asked me to release a song. I could not believe it. During the lockdown, Rahman sir was a guest on my podcast and though it was supposed to be for 10 minutes, we talked for 90 minutes. I think this is one of his best interviews in the last few decades. Then he said that he saw Mookuthi Amman And she liked it which came as a pleasant surprise.

Later he invited me through his team for the screening of his film le musque And after the screening, I was surprised when I was told that he wanted to meet me. We talked for two hours and I felt guilty for wasting his time because I could see multiple screens in the background, which showed how much work he had, but he kept me on hold for hours. I told her I was working on something and if everything went well I would get back to her. Long before Surya sir turns 45^th During the film I met Rahman sir and told him the idea. A few days later, he got on a video call with me and said he liked the idea and wanted to be a part of my vision. More than working with Rahman sir, his word has become a validation for everything I have done so far. I am looking forward to the process of working with him.

Remembering your early days as an actor, how has the journey been?

My previous films gave me a feeling of insecurity. As a supporting actor, I was randomly asked to throw a line during a take. I would say something which was in trend at that time. There were many people like me who fell into this trend of playing the hero’s friend, which Santhanam sir perfected for 10-15 years. When he became a hero and that place became vacant, many people tried to fit actors in that place. Like the movies, the concept of the hero’s friend also stopped working. Mangaram, Jigarthanda And Mundasupatti Humor was incorporated into the story. I’m glad you liked the movies sorgawasal And happy ending I am coming after working in the lead role for six years. From here, the idea is to move forward and go from strength to strength and I believe sorgawasal Would be a good starting point for that.

Sorgavasal is releasing in theaters on 29th November 2024