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Rediff.com  » Movies » Prashanth: My father and I made Ponnar Shankar with passion
This article was first published 10 years ago

Prashanth: My father and I made Ponnar Shankar with passion

Last updated on: May 28, 2013 10:29 IST

Image: A scene from Rajakota Rahasyam
Radhika Rajamani in Hyderabad
Prashanth made it big in the Tamil film industry with Jeans.

However, he hasn't been seen on screen in a while now, His last Tamil film, produced and directed by his father Thiagarajan, was Ponnar Shankar that released in 2011.

It was recently dubbed in Telugu and titled Rajakota Rahasyam.

While in Hyderabad, Prashanth talks to Radhika Rajaani about Rajakota Rahasyam, the reasons for not taking up any new projects and the new films he will be working on in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

Why did you want to dub Ponnar Shankar in Telugu and release it in Hyderabad as Rajakota Rahasyam?

My movies do get dubbed in Telugu.

Ponnar Shankar took a long time to make. Is that because it was a 'historical'?

The planning took three years and later the shoot took two years. We had to ensure authenticity.

My father and I made it with love and passion. Whenever we get together, we look for different scripts. We wanted to do something out of the ordinary so we thought of a historical.

A lot of effort went into the sets, costumes, weapons, war sequences. We wanted the grandeur. We had 2000-3000 horses.

There was a galaxy of stars acting in the film. So there was a lot of logistics involved. Also, this film had a lot of computer graphics.

'Ponnar Shankar is going to have Japanese and English versions'

Image: A scene from Rajakotam Rahasyam
How does it feel to be directed by your father Thiagarajan?

It's fantastic. He's a good friend and a good director and also a wonderful person. He is open to suggestions and will take them if they are valid; if not, he will patiently explain why.

He's a fantastic director. He mixes old technology and new and I'm stupefied by that. He clears roadblocks when we face them. It is a learning experience working with him.

We haven't seen you in screen in a while. What have you been up to lately?

I had been working on this film. I was helping my dad as a visual effects director. This film, as I said, took about five years with pre-production, shoot and post production.

Ponnar Shankar is going to have Japanese and English versions shortly.

The people who worked on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will be doign it for us. That way, the film will be in an international forum.

'I'll be acting in the Hindi remake of Naan'

Image: A scene from Rajakota Rahasyam
Will you go back to acting again?

Yes. I will be doing two Telugu films, a couple of bi-linguals (Tamil-Telugu) and also a Hindi film which will be a remake of a Tamil film. The details of all these are being worked out.

When I started acting, I was 17. I trained myself in martial arts, fencing, horse riding and I got to showcase all that in Rajakota Rahasyam.

Which Hindi film are you working in?

It is the remake of Naan. The details of cast and crew are to be finalised.

'I am a positive person'

Image: A scene from Rajakota Rahasyam
How do you look at your career?

I have been in this industry for 22 years. I'm the third generation of my family in this industry and I feel lucky to have worked with the best of talent -- the best directors. I have done all genres of films including a historical.

It has been a fun-filled journey with a lot of hard work. It's all for the audience who have shown their appreciation, love, care and concern. I thank them for being there.

I am a positive person. The support structure of family and friends keeps me going.
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