Yes, right from my childhood days, I always wanted to dance. Also, I loved dance because I knew I was good at it. I was pathetic in studies, so dance took precedence over everything else. During my schooling years, my love for dance continued growing. 

 

My father knew that I wasnt interested in studies. My family knew I wasnt even a good student. Luckily for me, my family never pushed me into anything I didnt want to do. I liked to dance and since they did not see anything wrong with my passion, they let me go on with it. 

 

No, I was never keen on acting but it was my father who wanted my brothers and me to become actors. He kept telling me to join films till I finally agreed. 

 

My father knew the director of Hrudayam well. I was choreographing the songs in that film initially, but later the director liked my dancing and decided to give me a break. So my brother and I got featured in two songs in that film. 

 

Yes, he has inspired me all my life. You know, it was the happiest day of my life when I met him when he was in Mumbai for his show five years back. His album Thriller was like a school for me. The videos, the dances, everything about it was superb. I wanted to open that show with him but it didnt materialise. In a way it was good because I would have looked like a fool in front of him. But I think just meeting him and speaking to him was enough for me. My lifes ambition was achieved. 

 

I know that most of my films have been like that but then thats what my audiences want. But believe me, I am always trying to do more different roles. You will see that in my forthcoming movies, I have concentrated more on my acting. 

 

I prefer to dance since it comes more easily to me than acting. In dancing I know what comes next, unlike in acting. Also, I get more of a rush from my dance. 

 

Im an average actor and an above average dancer. 

 

Its very difficult for me to evaluate others on any scale. Most of them are good dancers. Chiranjeevi has his own distinct style, which is unique and very difficult to copy. Both Nagarjuna and Venkatesh too have their own styles, which are good. As a choreographer, I would exploit their distinctive dancing styles to the maximum. 

 

I have always been a shy guy; earlier when I was a technician, nobody cared if I was quiet. But after I became an actor, they all wanted me to socialise and be friendly. But I cannot change for others, nor do I want to. 

 

Aiyo aiyo! You make it appear to be as something very planned out. In fact, when I hear a story and can relate to it, I know that it's going to click. When I heard my role of an orphan boy whose innocence results in a girl losing her sanity and the boy sacrificing everything to make her normal, I felt I had a winner and that is how Ezhayin Siripil was chosen. When I signed James Pandu, I was sure that teaming up with Partipan in this comedy film would bring the whole theatre down. Next is Pennin Manathe Thottu which is a serious film; I want to prove that I am also capable of doing serious roles. 

 

It is about a down-to-earth medical student whose brother becomes a dada due to circumstances. Once, when a classmate derides his brother, he loses control and beats him up. He then realises that muscle power too has its advantages. It's an interesting film that shows a relationship between brothers. Like all films, it also has a love story thrown in. 

 

Why not? Again don't accuse me of doing it deliberately. The stories demanded it and I accepted the roles. However, personally it has done me a lot of good. After James Pandu, I and Parthipan became good friends and after Pennin Manathe Thottu Sarath has become a good friend of mine. 

 

We are both good dancers. But Raju is concentrating only on choreography whereas I am aiming to be a good actor. Both of us are trying to uphold the tradition. 

 

The gossip writers don't realise how it affects the lives of the persons they target. The family of the person gets disturbed and it in turn reflects on the artistes. Why not write about their films/career and leave it at that? 

 

Now you don't be a gossip writer. 

 

According to an old saying, if a sadhu is provoked, the whole forest goes aflame. Same way, when a man is angry his strength is enormous (laughs). I know it's not true in real life. 

 

Dance with Jackson; be known as a good human being and as a nice actor. 

 

Frankly, my father Sundaram has been a part of films for long. Yet, we never used to frequent film sets. Once in a while we would go there with our mother in tow. Mani Ratnam's Mouna Raagam is the only film that comes to mind that I've seen as a kid. I was like every other kid who is happy enjoying his life playing and running around. 

 

Then how did the dance happen? 

In the south, there is a tradition for children to be inculcated in music and performing arts at a very young age. We were not trained in classical singing, but dancing. But not by my father. I learnt Bharatnatyam from another guru. 

 

I was a disaster in studies. After a year in college, I decided to drop out. The only option in life was dancing. That's all I knew. In fact I had already begun assisting father a couple of years prior to this. 

 

(Laughs) I have been quite tall since childhood. So they mustn't have realised that I was a kid. Also, my father was quite well known in the business. Moreover, I was good at what I was doing. Why wouldn't you want to learn from someone who is good? 

 

It was pretty normal. Nothing extraordinary. I just went through the paces as if it was a routine job. I wasn't `excited' in that sense. 

 

As father started getting busier, he wanted me to handle films on my own. The first independent work as choreographer came for a single number from Vetri Vizha. Since the film had Kamal Sir, I was very scared. Any youngster in my place would have reacted similarly. Yet, it turned out to be extremely good, as the makers wanted me to do the song on my own. So they made life easy for me. 

 

Frankly, I do not know how I will look without my beard. I think I will look very silly. Without my beard, I would feel odd, the way others would feel with a beard on. 

 

As for my acting, no it has never come in my way. During my choreographer days, there have been people who have been telling me that I was good enough to be hero and they would cast me soon. I dismissed them as empty rhetoric. Most of them turned out to be. But Pavithran kept his word and gave me a break. 

 

Minsara Kanavu (Sapnay) established you as a good actor. 

 

You shouldn't be telling me this. The entire credit should go to director Rajiv Menon. He was the one who brought out the actor in me. He is a great director so the movie turned out to be great. 

 

To tell you the truth, nothing. I had lost belief and trust in awards by that time. Earlier whenever I had choreographed songs, I was always told that I would win awards for it. But someone who had used classical steps in his dance would get the award. So awards really don't matter. It really didn't even, when I got the National Award. 

 

But Kaadalan propelled you to the forefront ... 

 

I realised that only later. I was mobbed and people came rushing after me. Even people in Bollywood were seeking me out. It scared me. It gave me goose pimples. 

 

Maybe. People expected a lot from me and naturally, I was frightened. About the films that didn't do well, I realised that they would not make an impact on the market when I was doing the film itself. You understand that as the film is in the making. 

 

My choice of films has not been accurate. However, if you just go y the story and the banner, they sound good. It is only when the screenplay is translated into shots, do you realise how hollow it will be. You can't back out because it's not right. And then you feel bad when the film doesn't do well. It's a cycle. If you are a part of the industry, try and accept your failures. 

 

Both. The latter gives me satisfaction and the former, money. Also, as you are working on a song, you understand how the final product will be. But this does not apply when it comes to acting. 

 

Bharat Shah and Anupam Kher made the whole thing possible for me. Anupam Kher is a great pal. We worked together in a film called VIP, but we had met earlier at a Filmfare awards function. At that time, I had told him that I was a great fan of Michael Jackson. 

 

So, when Michael Jackson came to India, Kher called me to Mumbai. And Bharat Shah who took me to meet Michael Jackson. 

 

He never knew who I was. He thought I was another fan. I was one, so it was okay. He just asked me my name after Bharat Shah introduced me as another dancer.