 He is soft-spoken, well-mannered and articulate. He speaks gently and with great care. Yet, the films he chooses and the characters he opts for are full of risks. Risks, which a young hero who has quickly established himself in the Tamil film industry would not like to take. But that is Surya, the rising star in Tamil filmdom, who has delivered two super-hits, Kaakha Kaakha and Pithamagan, and is all set to make it a hat-trick with
'Perazhagan'.
In this freewheeling interview, Surya bares his soul and talks about how and why he dares to take risks.
Q: Many actors would like to stick to a particular image once they know that the audience likes them doing a particular kind of roles. What about you? What kind of image you would like to retain?
Surya: I don't want any particular image to stick as far as I am concerned. In fact, I don't want to be typed at all. I don't want people to think 'Oh Surya is good only at that kind of role' or 'That kind of role will not suit Surya'. I don't want to get strait-jacketed at all. As an actor, I want to do different kind of roles.
Q: But don't you think that this is a big risk. Senior directors or producers or friends of yours -- have they advised you to take up safe roles or safe films?
Surya:
No, I have not received any such advice. In any case, I want to do as many roles as possible.
Q: So, you are not worried about the risk factor?
Surya:
Not at all. I like taking risks. After all, who will want to do the same things over and over again. I like challenges. I like to dare. I want to be creative and do things differently. What is the point in doing things in a stereotyped manner? I spend most of the time in shooting for flms. If I get bored doing the same thing over and over again, how can I perform well? I will feel terribly bored, repeating the same stuff. I want some excitement. The excitement of doing different things, doing things differently, in a new way.
 Q: And you hope the audience will accept you that way?
Surya:
Yes, I think they will accept me for being creative and for being different. I am sure they will support me.
Q: This role that you are doing in Perazhagan. for example. You are playing an awkward looking character, a hunchback. Isn't this totally in contrast with your status of a smart-looking hero?
Surya:
That is right. As explained earlier, I wanted to perform this role as it was totally different from what I had done earlier. When I saw the original, the Malayalam version, I badly wanted to do this role in the Tamil version. Although I am playing the conventional role of a smart-looking hero as well, my heart is set on the role of the hunchback.
Q: From where have you acquired this confidence that you can pull off any risky or unconventional role? Did the success of films like Kasi, Sethu, Pithamagan and Autograph give you additional confidence that Tamil films can be different and that actors can play different kind of roles with success?
Surya:
Definitely the success of those films is good for the film industry and all of us. I feel the Tamil audiences are ready to accept fresh ideas, fresh stories and fresh treatment provided the story is conveyed well and in a different manner.
Q: So what do you do when you think of doing a film for a director? Do you go by the director's track-record or do you go by the story or you give more importance to your role, especially if it is going to be different and exciting?
Surya:
Well, it has to be a combination of various factors. Definitely, I am looking forward to working with good directors, and am keen on working out good subjects. However, as you said, I am also keen that my role should be an interesting and somewhat different one so that I enjoy doing it. If it is a good director, the story is good, the treatment will be good, and my role will be good, I believe it is not as risky as some would think. In any case, I love taking risks. I like the excitement and the challenge."
Thus, Surya is not just basking
in the success of Perazhagan released on May 6, 2004. He is already looking ahead at more excitement in his life.
Rangaraj
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I like taking risks: Surya
