Even in a room full of people, Prabhudheva is hard to miss. Look away from where everyone is gathered, and you’ll find him, sitting alone, enjoying the ambience. He’s a man of few words and to get him to talk, especially for a lead story, is a Herculean task. As actor, choreographer and director, Prabhudheva sits comfortably in Bollywood today — 5 of his 6 films have garnered him the recognition and attention of being a hit director, one who knows the formula for commercial success.
This is his seventh directorial venture in Bollywood, but he doesn’t keep count. After making his name as a choreographer, has he come to love direction more? “No, no,” he says. “My love for dancing will never die, and that’s the shoe I am comfortable in. None of this was planned. Each phase has been challenging, but my focus and dedication have kept me grounded and helped me reach where I am today. Personally, being in front of the camera is easy. I am a director’s actor. But standing behind and giving people directions is tough. I am still learning on that front. And I am sure it’s a long road ahead.”
Prabhudheva is known to repeat his actors, be it Sonakshi Sinha in Rowdy Rathore , R… Rajkumar and Action Jackson or Akshay in Rowdy Rathore , and now, Singh is Bling . But it’s not just the comfort level he shares with them. “It’s what the movie demands,” he says. “Yes, working with Akshay or Sonakshi is something I look forward to, but that’s also because of their individual talent. In this movie, you will see why we chose to cast Amy and Lara. They fit the bill perfectly.”
Considering he spends most of his time down south, how has the transition to Bollywood been? How easy or difficult is it for a person who hardly talks and hardly knows the language to direct such a strongly Punjabi-flavoured film? “I am a director,” he says. “For me, all films are the same. This film was Akshay’s idea, and as a director, I need to execute it and make sure the product is good.”
So, is that the prime reason that, despite being from the south, he has managed to get the success formula right in Bollywood? “Kollywood to Bollywood happened a few years back and I am here to make movies which will be loved by people,” he says. “Money is sure to come with it. I have hardly noticed the divide between the two industries. Bollywood has been warm and has accepted me whole-heartedly.”
But that does not take away from the fact that Kollywood has forgotten him. In fact, fans are still waiting for him to come back to Kollywood – not just as a producer or a director, but as an actor too. “I have nothing planned yet but I will be back soon,” he says. “I definitely want to act.”
“He’s a terrific director and very easy to get along with. Apart from being very focused, he’s someone who knows his art perfectly. He’s every actor’s delight to work with. His knowledge and vision have brought him this far. I think all of us in Bollywood are lucky to have him around. He is here to stay.” – Akshay Kumar |
“He is a brilliant director. It was a great opportunity to work with him. He knows exactly what the audience wants to see. I have learnt a lot from him and look forward to working with him again.” – Amy Jackson |
