Audience would love to watch Vijay or Ajith sir in a romantic-comedy: Harish Kalyan

Harish Kalyan talks about Dharala Prabhu releasing today and why he hasn’t found a film worth substance post his runaway hit, Pyaar Prema Kaadhal

Harish Kalyan has completed nearly 10 years in the industry, but is known as the man who plays charming, romantic-at-heart characters — whether it is Pyaar Prema Kaadhal or Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum (ISIR). His latest Dharala Prabhu, too, appears to bear testimony to that.

The actor feels that the Coronovirus outbreak will not have a significant impact on movies in Tamil Nadu. “I watched Kannum Kannum Kolaiyadithaal on a weekday with 60% audience, which is a big dealI think we’re in a safe zone,” says Harish Kalyan, taking a trip to the washroom nevertheless after welcoming me with a handshake. Excerpts from an interview:

‘Dharala Prabhu’ (remake of ‘Vicky Donor’) is your first attempt in doing a remake. How did this offer come about?

Krishna Marimuthu [the director] and I were discussing another movie. He was developing that script and needed more time. The offer to remake Vicky Donor came from the production side. He asked me if I would be interested, but I was sceptical. He rewrote the script for me, which I liked. We have retained the essence of Vicky Donor and made it our own. Dharala Prabhu will be a new movie. That much I can say.

There are two approaches to a remake; watch the original and improvise your performance or avoid it altogether. Which category do you fit in?

I’ve seen Vicky Donor and I liked it. My instant reaction was: Is there something called sperm donation? I realised the importance of being a fertile couple in our society. We have changed my characterisation in Dharala Prabhu. We didn’t want to miss out on the core emotion that Vicky Donor tried to convey. But we had to tone down the adult content.

Is it because our audience might consider it off-putting?

We didn’t feel it was absolutely necessary. Of course, you cannot make a movie like Dharala Prabhu without talking about sperms. But we have conveyed it suggestively. For example, we depict the character’s transformation in song, suggesting that he’s started doing it. Plus, we wanted families to watch our movie.

Actor Prasanna once said that Tamil cinema lacks the space that Ayushmann Khurrana has in Bollywood. Do you think you have a space here?

I think that’s slowly changing now and the market is opening up. You need to break through the clutter. Who knows…Dharala Prabhu could be a starting point for me. The audience will encourage such movies, if artists are willing to take that risk.

Why is Tamil cinema dependent on other industries for high-concept movies? Why not make a ‘Vicky Donor’ in Tamil, in the first place?

That’s true. I recently watched Sillu Karupatti. It dealt with elderly romance in the most sweetest way. There was another story about a guy suffering from scrotum cancer. Though it wasn’t a star-studded affair, it still got is due, right? But you’re right. Stars should step in for such movies to reach a wider audience. They might also inspire someone like me to reinvent my choice of movies.

Take a movie like American Pie, for instance. It’s not a porn movie but adult comedy. Hindi cinema took years to make something like American Pie. It came much later in Tamil. There’s a clear pattern. I think scenes are changing now. It will take sometime but will definitely happen. Another example is Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal. I’ve been thinking about it for the last two days. It’s a romantic-thriller, but there’s no violence, bloodshed or usage of expletives. And yet, the movie turned out to be a massive hit.

Do you think Tamil cinema lacks a Dulquer Salmaan in that space?

Yes. You cannot opt for bigger stars in this space, given their market space and fanbase. But actors below the A-listers should explore such themes. Speaking of stars, I admire Suriya sir for that. He does a Soorarai Pottru on one hand and does a pakka commercial outing on the other. If you take Bollywood, Ayushmann seems properly stamped for such movies.

What worked for ‘Vicky Donor’ was its refreshingly simple tone and the way humour was handled with sensitivity…

That’s where Vivekh sir steps in. I might be the titular hero, but Vivekh sir is the narrative hero. His punchlines are hilarious and never below the belt. For example, there’s a scene where he utters the word sperm and I would chide him for saying it out loud. He would immediately say, “What’s wrong in that, pa? That’s where life beings, no?” Vivekh sir has changed the dimension of the movie.

Annu Kapoor (the role played by Vivekh in Tamil) won the National Award for Best Supporting Actor for ‘Vicky Donor’. Was Vivekh the first choice?

They finalised Vivekh because nobody could have played that role. Funnily, it’s Vivekh sir’s zone — a comedic character with a liberal dose of message. That’s how his comedies have been. During the shoot, he said something personal about my growth. He said, ‘You’re doing good. I’ve seen Pyaar Prema Kaadhal and rushes of ISIR. You’re moulding well.’

Tamil cinema heroes are traditionally known for flexing their masculinity. Do you have any second thoughts when you take up ‘soft’ characters?

I’m at a stage where the audience won’t accept me in a mass movie, thrashing some 20 men. If I have to go back to the 2000s, Vijay sir did a host of romantic movies, displaying multiple shades. But then, he became a huge star. At this point in my career, I’ve the luxury to experiment.

In an interview, you said how Simbu cannot afford to act in a movie like ‘Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya’ in today’s times. Why do the stars show reluctance to star in urban, romantic stories?

I myself have asked Simbu sir about the possibility of VTV 2. There comes a phase in everyone’s career where they get saturated. That has become our pattern I guess. I’ve done only few movies, but I myself am thinking of changing my approach to movies. If Harish Kalyan thinks that way, then think about stars.

What’s next?

  • Harish Kalyan will star in the Tamil remake of the Telugu blockbuster Pelli Choopulu. “Lazy, laidback characters have always resonated with audiences. I’m banking on this.” He is joining hands with director Sasi for yet another love story.

But you cannot completely neglect the genre, no? There can be a one-off…

Absolutely. Vijay Sethupathi acted in 96. Even today, audience would love to watch a Vijay sir or Ajith sir in a romantic-comedy. But they need to find the right script to make that happen. They cannot act in Pyaar Prema Kaadhal (laughs). Will they be ready to take that risk? I don’t know. But I, as an audience, would like to watch them in this space. Amitabh sir was in his 60s when he made Cheeni Kum.

‘Refuse to be average’ goes your Twitter bio. But the movies post ‘Pyaar Prema Kaadhal’ have only been average…

After ISIR, I had Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale which didn’t do well at the box office. It’s a fact that everybody knows and I won’t lie saying it did decent numbers. The intention was to make a fun outing. Somehow it misfired and I won’t put the blame on one person. But I’ve made it up with Dharala Prabhu.

At script level, are you objective enough to judge a movie?

I can, actually. Sometimes, the script may seem average but might work with the audience. It’s the other way round sometimes. At the end of the day, every experience teaches you something.

What was the biggest learning lesson from that misfire?

I learnt how miserable it would be, if the execution fails. When I say ‘execution’, it starts from the first look poster. I thought ISIR was a weak script, but Ranjit matched it up with the execution part. He said he was going to shoot the ‘Kannamma’ song inside an elevator. That was a weak set-up for a montage song. But it got a huge reception from the audience.

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