N aan , Vijay Antony’s debut as an actor, was a sleeper hit. But its success wasn’t a one-off. The music director followed it up with another hit, Salim . His third film, India Pakistan , however, isn’t a thriller like his earlier films and he tries his hand at romance and a bit of comedy too.
“I think I’ve made a good decision,” says Vijay, speaking about getting into acting. “In the beginning, I felt multi-tasking would get out of control, but I have coped well. I continue to compose as many songs as I used to. I started my career as a sound engineer, and I continue to do that as well. Instead of feeling tired, I feel quite refreshed,” says Vijay, whose Sythaan , Pichaikaran and Thirudan are also lined up for release. Comparing his new role as an actor to having acquired an additional degree after a master’s in music, he feels it is all about managing stress.
“I find time to look at accounts, read scripts and even compose songs in between shots these days. My workload has certainly increased, but I’m aided well by my family. My wife has produced India Pakistan. Having not come from a film family, we have to share responsibilities, but it’s working well.” India Pakistan is also the first film he’s acting in where he hasn’t composed the music.
He adds that it is to keep things under control that he opts for tighter scripts. “I don’t know how to act and that’s the first thing I tell any director I plan to work with. It is because of this I insist on an engaging script. People don’t come to see me. Good acting isn’t limited to an actor’s face… his body language, camera angles, the lighting, the situation, even his clothes matter. I work with a close team where everyone knows my strengths and weaknesses. We minimise risks that way. The budget, co-stars and even the marketing is planned to suit my image.”
Among his weaknesses, he dreads dancing and stunt sequences the most. “My acting is derived from how I would react if the exact situation cropped up in life. So when dealing with situations that hardly occur in reality, such as dancing and fights, I find it much harder. In contrast, composing music comes naturally to me.”
