Prithviraj Sukumaran on Empuraan, Mohanlal, Bollywood & More in Exclusive Interview with OneIndia

Oneindia

In this exclusive interview with OneIndia, Prithviraj Sukumaran opens up about his upcoming projects, including Empuraan, his thoughts on Bollywood remakes, and a special mention of his close association with Mohanlal. Watch the full interview to get insights into his journey, favorite actors, and much more!    #PrithvirajSukumaran #Empuraan #Mohanlal #BollywoodRemakes #ExclusiveInterview #OneIndia #Mollywood #Prithviraj #Oneindia #MalayalamCinema #EmpuraanUpdates  ~PR.274~HT.334~

Transcript

00:00Lucifer gets re-made in Bollywood, who do you think can play the character of Mohanlal sir?

00:04Shah Rukh Khan sir.

00:05Favourite actor in Bollywood?

00:06Sanatana Bachchan sir.

00:07Okay.

00:08Lucifer released in 2019, what took you six years to come up with the sequel?

00:13Any update on the Dharma movie you were doing alongside Kajol sir?

00:18So I think in fact about 30-35% of the film is in Hindi.

00:22How do you take failures?

00:23Like I take my successes.

00:25I walk away from successes and I walk away from failures.

00:28And what's the one thing you imbibed as an actor from Lal sir?

00:32Many things.

00:32Most of all how you should be with the director.

00:35What was the most challenging part for you as a director to direct a legend like Lal sir?

00:41So the legends are the ones who are the easiest to work with actually.

00:45Lucifer.

00:48This deal is with the devil.

00:49Today I'm sitting with superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran,

00:52who's gearing up with his new film L2 Empuran.

00:56Firstly, congratulations for the like thunderous teaser that we saw.

01:01And at the venue also the grand launch in presence of Mammootty sir.

01:05How was the whole experience?

01:06This is really, you know, this is a very special evening for me.

01:10Firstly, for the fact that the teaser has been so well received.

01:14Secondly, that you know we were able to have all our friends from media across the country

01:18fly in and attend the event.

01:20And of course the icing on the cake being Mammootty sir being there present

01:23in person to launch the teaser.

01:25And this is my third film as a director.

01:28And to have this journey within a course of three films,

01:32and to have the privilege of being able to direct Mohanlal sir for all three of my directorials

01:36is all a blessing.

01:37You know, I don't truly know if I deserve all this.

01:39I'm just trying my best to live up to the opportunity that has been presented.

01:43And I hope, you know, all the anticipation that the teaser has set

01:48is met on the 27th of March when people see the film in theaters.

01:51Absolutely.

01:52Lucifer released in 2019.

01:54What took you six years to come up with the sequel?

01:57Did the pandemic affect the production and everything?

01:59COVID was the reason.

02:01This was supposed to be my second directorial, actually.

02:03We were supposed to go on floors sometime beginning of 2020, you know, with this.

02:08That's when the pandemic happened and, you know, it just sort of completely derailed our plans.

02:14But in a way, the five-year wait, the sort of...

02:20The thing was, although this franchise was conceived in 2017,

02:24every time you make a film, you need to review it to the current

02:27socio-political circumstances around you and all that.

02:30So with all those reviews coming in,

02:32I think this is now a better film than it was originally conceived.

02:36But having said that, it still stays very honest and true

02:39to the narrative progression that we had in mind from the beginning.

02:43Good thing being that I just think that the nature of this film

02:48and what has happened with cinema as an industry in general

02:52has a pleasant coincidence because this particular part of the franchise,

02:57the story happens to have a very national kind of a scape

03:01and also an international plotline running.

03:04In fact, about 30-35% of the film is in Hindi.

03:08And that's because the characters and the terrain exist in that space.

03:13And I want to have that particular portion in all five versions in Hindi.

03:18So, we were very keen that this time we should have

03:22this film released simultaneously in all five languages,

03:26which we couldn't do with Lucifer.

03:27Yeah, yeah, yeah. My second question was this,

03:29that Lucifer wasn't released in theatres in Hindi.

03:32So this time you guys are going the pan-India way.

03:34So was it your decision?

03:37Yes, it was.

03:38Because one, the business of cinema has evolved to a point

03:42over the last six years where now you can now legitimately do that.

03:46Secondly, the quality of this particular film is such,

03:49when I say quality, I mean the nature of this film is such

03:52that I think it will find resonance much more than the part one

03:56of the franchise with people around the country and around the world.

03:59And the greatest thing about the film, I believe,

04:02is that it perfectly works as a standalone film.

04:06So for people who have not seen part one,

04:08it is not like you are not going to understand what the film is.

04:11Yeah, for people who have seen part one,

04:12maybe a few dialogues and a few characters

04:15might hold more throwback value.

04:17But even without that, I think the film works well.

04:19Yeah. Lucifer was the first Malayalam film

04:23to cross the 200 crore mark, you know.

04:26I don't know.

04:27The box office.

04:28It was a massive hit.

04:30Yeah.

04:30More than being a...

04:31It shattered a lot of records.

04:32More than being a hit, it went on to achieve a cult kind of a status

04:37with audiences and, you know, with so many of the scenes

04:40and dialogues being replayed and reels and all that.

04:43So I'm really flattered.

04:45So do you feel pressure this time?

04:47Because the stakes are really high and, you know, the bar has been set.

04:50No, I understand there is pressure.

04:52I understand there is expectation.

04:54I know for a fact that pretty much everyone who's seen Lucifer 1

04:58would have imagined their own version of a Lucifer 2.

05:01But unfortunately, I cannot let that dictate what I'm making.

05:05You know, I will have to stay true to my vision.

05:07I have to stay true to the actual plot that we had originally in mind.

05:12Just because part one was a big hit,

05:14I cannot suddenly come and change part two.

05:16Yeah.

05:17And I can just hope that people like what they see.

05:21This has always been the part two that we wanted to make

05:24with, of course, a few things being reviewed for the times that we live in.

05:29Other than that, you know, the pressure exists outside of the film.

05:32Yeah.

05:34Yesterday at the teaser launch event,

05:36Lalsa said that you're going to be the best director this country has ever produced.

05:41I'm just really, really flattered and blessed for a legend like that.

05:47Yes.

05:47To have such high expectations upon me.

05:50I don't know.

05:51I'll just continue doing my craft and my work with

05:57all the commitment and diligence that I can muster.

05:59And I'll continue learning cinema and I'll continue hoping that I

06:03get the opportunity to work with legends like himself.

06:05And as a part of the statement that he made,

06:08what was the most challenging part for you as a director to direct a legend like Lalsa?

06:16You know, the thing is when there are legends for a reason.

06:21Yeah.

06:22And the reason is that they are immensely gifted and they're fantastically professional.

06:28So the legends are the ones who are the easiest to work with.

06:31Actually, you know, you once you understand their process as an actor,

06:36they suddenly make a lot of sense to you because they're very consistent with their process.

06:40That's why they are doing it for so long.

06:42Yeah.

06:43So with Lalsa, I've had the privilege of directing so many actors.

06:46One of the easiest actors I could direct is Lalsa.

06:49Yeah.

06:50Because I understand the process now.

06:52He will come and he'll ask you, what do you want me to do, sir?

06:55And he expects you to give him a brief.

06:57And once you give him a brief,

06:58he then imbibes it and he does this really magical version that he's interpreted out of it.

07:03And we have this really nice synergy happening now over the three films that,

07:07you know, he's just very, very easy to direct.

07:11I'm not saying others are tough, but with him, I think I have a relationship.

07:15But this is the third film.

07:16So when you first directed him,

07:18was there any kind of hesitation when you wanted to change something in him while directing?

07:23Or he was very receptive of...

07:24So when I did my first film, I was thinking I am going to direct one film in my life.

07:29Okay.

07:30So I was very clear about the fact that, okay,

07:33this might be just that one film that I ever direct.

07:36So I'm going to make sure, even if the film turns out good, bad or whatever,

07:40I'm going to make sure that I'm going to make the film that I have in my mind.

07:43Because I might get to do this only once.

07:46So whatever happens, whoever I have to piss off,

07:49I'm going to go tell them this is what I want.

07:51And I'm going to do the film that I have in mind.

07:54And that's what I did with part one.

07:55Even with Lalsa, with whoever it is, I used to go and say, no,

07:58this is not what I have in mind.

07:59What I want is this.

08:00And I'd like you to do that.

08:02But what has happened, thankfully for me,

08:04is that through the course of making my first film,

08:07I think the actors, the wonderful, wonderful actors who worked with me,

08:11they realized and understood my process.

08:14And they started trusting it.

08:16They started trusting, okay, this is how Prithvi would like us.

08:20That is how Prithvi makes films.

08:22And we trust his process.

08:24Once that trust forms, then it becomes very, very easy.

08:27So now it's no longer a challenge.

08:30Now I can go up to anybody and I can say, this is not what I want.

08:34And they can come and tell me, you know,

08:36we think we would be better off doing it this way.

08:38So we have that synergy happening.

08:39And that's how a film should be made.

08:41That's the actual process.

08:43Cinema is always a team sport.

08:44And what's the one thing you imbibed as an actor from Lalsa?

08:48Many things.

08:49Most of all, how you should be with the director.

08:52Because he is a standing lesson for me

08:56on how I should be with my directors.

08:58Every time I feel irritated on a set when I'm acting.

09:01Every time I feel like, you know, I want to tell someone off.

09:05I can easily draw a reference over the course of three films where,

09:09okay, this is very similar, but you remember how he dealt with it.

09:12Yeah, so.

09:13It's been more than two decades for you in this industry.

09:17You've been an actor, now a director.

09:19Very soon, the best director like Lalsa said in India.

09:23What was more challenging, being an actor or being a director?

09:26Direction is more challenging.

09:27Direction is more challenging because it just involves a lot more work.

09:31A lot constant decision making.

09:33And any given day, there are about 200 to 300 people on set

09:38waiting for your instructions.

09:40Money is being spent on decisions that you make.

09:43And you're constantly involved with that process that is going on non-stop.

09:47Direction is more challenging.

09:49That's not to say that acting is not challenging at all.

09:52And me now being a director, it will sound a little immodest, me saying it,

09:57but actors are limited by their directors.

10:00You know, a great performance can be shot badly

10:04and it will come across as a mediocre performance.

10:07A mediocre performance can be shot flatteringly

10:10and it could just pass the test, so.

10:13Well, I'm getting a cue to wrap up, so I'll just ask two questions.

10:17So success and failures go hand in hand.

10:19Last year, you did Bade Miya, Chhote Miya.

10:20It did perform well at T-Box.

10:22How do you take failures?

10:23Like I take my success.

10:26I'm detached with it.

10:27I walk away from successes and I walk away from failures.

10:33Whatever happens on 27th of March, 28th of March, I still have to live my life.

10:37You know, I still have to.

10:38So I keep saying this.

10:39Sometimes my wife asks me like,

10:41why don't you celebrate your successes more?

10:44I'm like, maybe because I enjoy the process more than the result.

10:49You know, I enjoyed the most gratifying thing for me

10:53was not that the goat life was a smash hit.

10:56The most gratifying thing for me was that I could do it the way it deserved to be done.

11:01Same thing with this film.

11:02You know, I'm really thankful that I was able to do the film the way it got done eventually.

11:08The result is then secondary.

11:10Yeah, my producers making money and the investment coming back would be great.

11:15And the success of this film paving way for us being able to do

11:19part three of the franchise would be wonderful.

11:21But other than that, you know, it's not much.

11:24A lot of South cinemas are being remade in Bollywood.

11:27So if Lucifer gets remade in Bollywood,

11:29who do you think can, you know, play the character of Mohanlal sir?

11:32Shah Rukh Khan, sir.

11:34And that would be safe to say he's your favorite actor in Bollywood?

11:37My favorite actor in Bollywood is Amitabh Bachchan, sir.

11:39Okay.

11:40Okay.

11:41Lastly, any update on the Dharma movie you were doing alongside Kajol, sir?

11:47So I think till the makers make an official statement or an announcement,

11:53it's better for me to not talk about it.

11:56Okay, so there's a saying in Hindi,

12:01After seeing the teaser, we all are waiting for the movie that is releasing on 27th of March.

12:07Wishing you all the best, sir.

12:08Thank you so much.

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