Srikanth is known for his pleasant demeanour, and ability to stay unruffled even during trying times. But, a day before the release of his maiden production venture, Nambiar , directed by newcomer Ganeshaa, he’s anything but calm. The actor is buzzing about to tie up last-minute work, but there’s a streak of anger in his voice.
Nambiar , touted to be a clean rom-com with some elements of fantasy, has been given a UA certificate. “I feel betrayed, especially when I see other films with violence and skin show getting away with a U certificate. The addition of an A means so many minuses for me. I can’t apply for tax exemption… I don’t understand how this system works,” he rues.
Once the anger subsides, Srikanth is back to being his jovial self. “I’m very happy with what we’ve created. I will not say this is a ‘different’ film, but what I liked most was how fresh it felt,” says the actor, whose next film is Saamiyaatam with Mithran Jawahar, a remake of the Telugu hit Swamy Ra Ra .
Joining hands with Srikanth in Nambiar is Santhanam, who “was nice enough to come on board even after he started doing solo projects”, says the actor. “He’s the pivot around which the film revolves. The title refers to him. And, before you ask me, no, I do not feel bad that he’s hogging the limelight in a film I’m greenlighting. I always go by the script, and it has to rule,” says Srikanth.
The past two years of making Nambiar have been a huge learning experience for Srikanth. “Production is a whole new ball game. And, it was educative. But, I realised that the biggest hurdle of all is finding a release date and working towards it,” he says.
Srikanth says Nambiar is “sensible comedy”, the kind today’s audiences want. More important is the run time. “It’s a crisp two hours,” he smiles.
