Srikanth's 'Nanban' brought him in the limelight. The remake of '3 Idiots' directed by Shankar, worked wonders in projecting Srikanth into Kollywood as an ace actor!
Srikanth reprised the role enacted by Madhavan in the bollywood original. Srikanth won great critical acclaim all over the South for his performance! Now a fresh and fit-looking Srikanth, is thrilled with his next film, 'Paagan', directed by debutant Mohammad Aslam, which is set to release today, September 7th.
Speaking about 'Paagan', Srikanth says, "It is a romantic-comedy and has come out well. All the credit should go to my director Aslam and his team".
In a freewheeling chat with the actor the star reveals, "Paagan is a hilarious entertainer, but there are enough emotional elements in it as well!"
Read on for some interesting excerpts from his interview -
Q: What is Paagan all about?
A: Paagan means a 'Mahout' (Elephant trainer). Every mahout shows boundless love towards his elephant. So is my character. But here, he loves and cares for his bicycle, which plays an important part of his life. It is a novel theme. We have conveyed a strong message through the film, that everyone should strive hard to come up in life and there is no place for short-cuts. Thanks to Vendhar Movies, who are releasing the film in a big way, 'Paagan' is set to release in maximum screens.
Q: On working with a debutant director like Aslam...
A: After Nanban, I was keen on doing a romantic entertainer. Everyone thought I would sign projects with popular filmmakers. That is why, when director Ameer suggested that I should listen to this script from Mohammad Aslam, everyone was taken-aback!
I was thoroughly impressed with the story. It was hilarious and at places emotional. I have always been confident that he would pull it off!
Q: What is the secret of your new fit-look?
A: All the credit should go to director Shankar. He groomed me to a great extent for the role in 'Nanban'. He insisted that I maintain my 'boy-next-door' look. I decided that I should not be doing roles beyond my age.
Q: On your co-star Janani Iyer...
A: Janani impressed everyone playing a chirpy girl in 'Avan-Ivan'. We also wanted a Tamil-speaking girl with expressive eyes, to do the female lead in 'Paagan'. She was definitely tailor-made for the role. With her wonderful performance, she has added strength to the film!
Q: What's next on your cards?
A: A couple of movies are in the pipeline. I will be starting a film titled 'Nambiar', to be directed by debutant Ganesh, set to release by the end of 2013.