'Aurangzeb' not similar to 'Dabangg', 'Rowdy Rathore': Prithviraj

 

 

Southern actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, who plays a policeman in "Aurangzeb," says the movie is different from commercial cop films like "Dabangg" and "Rowdy Rathore".

"It's really not that kind of a film in the first place, it's not a 'Dabangg' or 'Rowdy Rathore'. It's a very real film and the story exists in a very real space. So, the effort on the character has also been to try and make him as real as possible," the 30-year-old said here in an interview.

"My endeavour has been to try and make people believe that this is someone who exists in the world that they belong to. Nowhere in the film will you see a film or cinema cop that these commercial flicks are used to portraying," he added.

Prithviraj said the main challenge for him was to convince the audience that his character is a true north Indian, Hindi speaking policeman.

"Playing a cop was not a challenge because this is my 15th or 16th cop film. The challenge for me personally was to convince whoever sees this film, that I am a north Indian policeman," Prithviraj said.

He put in a lot of hardwork polishing his Hindi diction for the Yash Raj Films' project.

"All the effort that I had to put in prior to the shoot was to get my Hindi diction right, and to speak Hindi like somebody who speaks Hindi on a daily basis. For that, I worked extensively with a wonderful diction coach (named) Vikas Kumar," said the actor, whose last Hindi project was "Aiyyaa".

Directed by Atul Sabharwal, "Aurangzeb" stars Arjun Kapoor in a double role besides actors like Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Amrita Singh, Swara Bhaskar and Sasha Agha.

It is slated to release May 17. 

via http://www.bollycurry.com/news/hot-n-happening/32759-aurangzeb-not-similar-to-dabangg-rowdy-rathore-prithviraj.htm

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Prithviraj to offer a script to Big B

 

Southern superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran, who debuted in Bollywood with "Aiyyaa", has bought the rights of his hit Malayalam film "Ayalum Njanum Thammil". He plans to make it in Hindi and approach Amitabh Bachchan with the script.

"Ayalum Njanum Thammil", directed by Lal Jose, released in October last year. Also featuring Narein, Prathap Pothen, Samvrutha Sunil and Remya Nambeesan, the film was a medical drama and critics appreciated the film as well as Prithviraj's performance in it.

"I have taken the first step and bought the film. Now, the rights of the film rest with me, so I can be assured that nobody else is going to do it. That's the first step to ensure that the project has somehow shaped up," Prithviraj told IANS.

"I have started showing the film to few people over here. Let's hope that they have the same kind of interest that I do and hopefully, I get a draft written in English that I will take to Mr. Bachchan to read it," he added. 

via http://www.bollycurry.com/news/hot-n-happening/32755-prithviraj-to-offer-a-script-to-big-b.htm

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Prithviraj to direct a Hindi film soon

 

Southern superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran says he is all set to wield the megaphone for a Hindi film soon, but has no plans to produce.

Gearing up for the relase of his second Hindi movie "Aurangzeb", after "Aiyyaa", Prithviraj would like to go behind the camera.

"Direction is definitely on the cards. I definitely want to make my own film in Hindi one day and that's my dream," the actor told IANS.

One of the popular actors down south, Prithviraj also produces films there, but says he has no intention of doing it here.

"With production, I just realised that things work very differently here (Bollywood). It is not like in South. It's a new ball game. Until I am sure that I have authentic knowledge about how to put things together for a project, I don't think I should venture into production. Direction is something I want to do soon."

"I had written a few things long back. I don't know when it will happen, but let's see. I am hoping it happens soon," he added.

Keen to make it big in the Hindi film industry, the actor is hunting for a house in Mumbai.

"We have been searching for the house for the longest time. I have realised that it's easier to find a house on Mars or somewhere else, but very tough here. Hunt is still on," the 30-year-old said.

via http://www.bollycurry.com/news/hot-n-happening/32818-prithviraj-to-direct-a-hindi-film-soon.htm

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Prithviraj not banking on physicality with 'Aurangazeb'

Southern superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran, who debuted with "Aiyyaa" in Bollywood, wants people to appreciate his acting skills in "Aurangzeb", not his physical appearance, which was in focus in his first Hindi movie.

"Unlike 'Aiyyaa', I am not banking on my physicality with 'Aurangazeb'. It's something else. More than people telling me that you look good or have a good body, I would love it if people would say you are good at what you do," the actor told IANS.

He admits in "Aiyyaa", which bombed at the box office, his sculpted body was in focus, but adds that "Aurangzeb" is a "real film". "All the characters are real. I play a cop in the film."

Set in Delhi, "Aurangzeb" is about real estate mafia versus cops and two seasoned actors - Jackie Shroff and Rishi Kapoor will be seen clashing with each other on-screen. Director Atul Sabharwal's crime thriller also stars Arjun Kapoor in double role.

It is releasing May 17.

http://www.bollycurry.com/news/hot-n-happening/32799-prithviraj-not-banking-on-physicality-with-aurangazeb.htm

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Prithviraj makes me feel like an illiterate

Swara Bhaskar, who played Kangna Ranaut's friend, Payal, in the hit Bollywood movie, Tanu weds Manu, is excited about her next two releases in B-Town —Aurangzeb and Raanjhnaa. Swara is paired opposite two of the leading stars from the South in both the movies. While she plays Prithviraj's wife in Aurangzeb, she essays the role of a girl in love with the character played by Dhanush in Raanjhnaa. 

 "Aurangzeb is an action drama. Though my character is projected as a soft-spoken person, as the story unfolds you realise that she is perhaps the strongest of them all," says Swara.

Talking about her experience working with Prithviraj, the actress says, "He is not just a good actor, but also a good human being. He is very friendly and I had a great time working with him. He knows a lot about the technicalities of film making. I used to tell him that he makes me feel like an illiterate," says Swara. The actress also feels that he has a good screen presence. "He looks so good on screen," she gushes.

 The Delhiite does have a South connect as well; her father is from Andhra.

After working with three South actors, including Madhavan in Tanu Weds Manu, Swara is full of praise for them. "Film actors from the South are very professional and they know their job really well. They are not just good actors, but are also disciplined. But the most interesting thing about them is that, they have an in-depth knowledge of the technical know-how of filmmaking," she says.

via
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-25/news-and-interviews/38009739_1_swara-bhaskar-prithviraj-aurangzeb

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South idol Prithviraj is ok with dumbing down

Actor defends his Bollywood debut Aiyyaa, where his looks, rather than his acting chops, took centrestage.

  

Dubai: It’s almost impossible to envision a scenario where Bollywood superstar Salman Khan makes his entry into South Indian films by playing second fiddle to an established Southern actress. Some may even call such an event sacrilegious, but something similar happened in Bollywood a year ago. One of Malayalam cinema’s biggest stars, Prithviraj, made his Bollywood debut in Rani Mukherji’s exaggerated, wacky comedy ‘Aiyyaa’. All that was asked of Prithviraj was to brood and then brood some more — shirtless. His fans got a taste of some of his smouldering sexuality, but the film was a big letdown for those who hoped to see Prithviraj flex his celebrated acting muscles too. However, the 30-year-old southern heartthrob defends his choice.

“As a debutant, I can’t be complaining. Regardless of how it [Aiyyaa] went, I am now in the process of signing my third Hindi film. That should say something about me then, right? It got me noticed in the right places,” Prithviraj, the face of retail store Kalyan Silks, told tabloid! during a recent visit to Sharjah to inaugurate a new showroom.

The son of legendary Malayalam actor Sukumaran is now in talks with ace director Farah Khan for her project ‘Happy New Year’, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, and has just finished work on his second Hindi film, ‘Aurangzeb’ with Yash Raj Films, in which he plays a cop.

‘Aiyyaa’ represented all things new and he was in a stage of his career where he could afford the luxury of experimenting with roles.

“For many, ‘Aiyyaa’ was my first Hindi film. But for an actor in me, it was my 76th film and ‘Aiyyaa’ represented something new. I hadn’t heard anything like that in my career before. I was OK with the reception it got. I am OK with the fact that the film didn’t do too well… it was just refreshing to do that role,” said Prithviraj of the box-office flop. If all this had come from a lesser-known star, this logic would have been understandable. But coming from a star who’s known for his character-driven, content-rich films, it’s almost unpalatable.

Comments on his body

“I got a lot of compliments for my first Bollywood film. But most comments that came my way were about my body and to be frank, I enjoyed it. Down south, people look at me as a serious actor,” he said. He had a point.

In just over a decade, Prithviraj single-handedly broke the monopoly that veteran actors such as Mammootty and Mohanlal held over the Malayalam cinema industry. Not so long ago, most films were made keeping these two incredibly talented, but ageing actors in minds. Their bankability was a surety, even if it meant watching those 50-plus heroes romance 20-something waifs like Katrina Kaif.

With roles such as the one in the award-winning ‘Indian Rupee’ — where Prithviraj played an ambitious real estate agent — or the distraught doctor act in ‘Aayalum Njanum Thammil’, he changed the dynamics of the Malayalam film industry. Released on Thursday, his latest Malayalam film is a biopic, ‘Celluloid’, about Kerala’s cinema pioneer J.C. Daniel. The film won seven awards at the prestigious Kerala State Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Actor for Prithviraj.

So, such dumbing down of talent to penetrate the glitzier world of Bollywood may not make sense, but he’s loving the space that he’s currently occupying.

“The best thing that an actor can hope for is to keep doing good things and do good characters… I feel as if I am in a dream and that I may wake up any moment,” said Prithviraj of his glorious reign down south. Any resistance in accepting him in the same league as his long-enduring seniors is worn down with each film he rolls out.

No fear of failure

“The aesthetics regarding how cinema is perceived has changed and [what] they like to see on screen has changed. Filmmakers can now function without the fear of failure. It’s heartening to see films like ‘Celluloid’ attain commercial success. The fact that it has got such critical acclaim is great but the ultimate vindication for any artist is when people come, pay money and watch the film,” said Prithviraj. He may be modest about his stellar achievements but the director of ‘Celluloid’, Kamal, doesn’t shy away from heaping praise.

“Prithviraj is so talented and involved that he has this ability to grasp any character. I need to tell him just once and he gets it. He plays J.C. Daniel in different eras of his life — where he’s 28, 35 up to 80 and the consistency he brought on screen is amazing,” said Kamal, in a separate interview with tabloid!.

Nine years ago, they made ‘Swapnakoodu’, an unapologetic masala entertainer about three bachelors in Goa who learn about love and loss. Both agree that Malayalam cinema has evolved, giving way to a new wave of young actors.

“Earlier, ‘Celluloid’ would be considered an art film. But when actors like Prithviraj accept roles and that film gets commercial success, it’s always good news. There’s now a change in the ‘hero image’. Nowadays, it isn’t all about being the sacrificial do-gooder heroes,” said Kamal. Avant-garde films such as the revenge drama ‘22 Female Kottayam’ and the oddball drama ‘Chaapa Kurishu’ are being accepted with open arms.

“We [Malayalam cinema] were going through a lean patch in terms of creativity. But over the past couple of years, there have been some heartening finds. Even actors are taking a conscious decision to be a part of films that have not been told before. We are entering a serious phase of experimentation. We are now progressing towards what could be the best phase in our industry,” said Prithviraj.

Controversies

It’s interesting to hear Prithviraj voice his opinions in such a responsible, articulate manner. In the past, this firebrand star has unwittingly been pulled into controversies. Any remark that he makes of his seniors — specifically Mohanlal and Mammotty — gains instant scrutiny and widespread analysis. Some of the allegations include brash remarks insinuating that senior actors weren’t too supportive when he entered the film industry.

“Have you ever heard me say it? It’s a figment of somebody else’s imagination,” said Prithviraj. He put the record straight with: “I never had to go through any kind of unacceptability or whatever you call it. I owe it to them for including me in their first films and looking at me as a serious actor, I have never felt that the seniors in the industry have ever done anything to not let me have any opportunities,” said Prithviraj. His career catalogue filled with hits underlines his thoughts.

His top tip? “Showbiz should not be the reason why you are in cinema. That is the biggest lesson of it all. You know the whole thing abut money, glamour will lure you for the first year… After a while, fame and money will cease to matter. All that matters is if you are happy with yourself.”
   
Did you know?

Prithviraj doesn’t subscribe to lucrative brand endorsements. But he accepted to be the face of Kalyan Silks based on their goodwill and humanitarian corporate policies.

“In 12 years in this industry, Kalyan Silks is my first endorsement... I was getting exciting films and I didn’t need money from endorsements. Usually what happens, all these brand endorsement offers come through a PR agency, it’s all about numbers and arithmetic. But with Kalyan Silks, they met me personally and explained what their brand stood for. They made it more personal than business.”

http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/al-nisr-portfolio/tabloid/south-idol-prithviraj-is-ok-with-dumbing-down-1.1158878

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First Look: Aurangzeb

Gurgaon 2013.

A family of policemen…

A family of gangsters…

To bring down a criminal, the law will have to think like a criminal!

This summer, there will be only 1 Emperor…

Directed by Atul Sabharwal and produced by Aditya Chopra, AURANGZEB stars Arjun Kapoor, in a double role, along with Prithviraj, in lead roles in this intriguing and gripping drama. The film boasts of an enviable and dynamic ensemble star cast of Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Sikandar Kher, Amrita Singh, Deepti Naval, Tanvi Azmi, Swara Bhaskar and also launches Sasha Aagha.

"AURANGZEB"

SON     BROTHER     SUCCESSOR     EMPEROR

17th May 2013… you are a king, or nothing!

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