Kannada superstar Sudeep opens up about getting to know Vijay and Sridevi on sets of 'Puli'

Kannada superstar Kiccha Sudeep will be seen once again on screen in a Tamil film. Playing a lead role with negative shades in director Chimbu Devan’s Puli, the actor says the film was a wonderful experience. Speaking exclusively to dna, Sudeep talks about his co-stars Sridevi and Vijay and what expectations he has from his films.

On working with Sridevi

I have been lucky enough to get a few opportunities in life. I never knew that I would work with Mr. (Amitabh) Bachchan some day. I never knew that I would work with Mr. Rajamouli some day. I have always been a great admirer of Sridevi. I never knew that one day I’ll pop up on set and be doing a role right next to her! I think it was an awesome experience. I always knew Sridevi was a wonderful actress and very popular. But working with her so close is when I got to realise why she got so popular. It’s her commitment, vision for her character and the effort. Nothing seems to have gone down at all over the years. She still has that energy and enthusiasm to do certain things. 

On Vijay as a person

I have seen the stardom and the ‘star Vijay’ on screen. During Puli, I got to meet a good human - that’s a good moment for me. Stardom is not something which I’m unaware of. It can only vary a bit from person to person and star to star. I think getting to know the person behind is more important and those are opportunities we get rarely. He’s a good guy. I am not going to talk about his fan following etc. because those are all perspectives. This is hard-earned in his life, which I don’t think we should be speaking about. 

Camaraderie on set

I think we are all actors and popular in our own ways and we all come down to one set to perform certain roles which we have accepted and been given to us. And here is where we get to meet the other side of the person and that is where the atmosphere is created – good, bad or ugly. I think with all the big names on the set of Puli, a beautiful atmosphere did come out. Everyone was doing their job and they stayed within their constraints and spaces. It was a beautiful moment. The movie was a great experience. 

Playing a negative lead role in Puli

I think you should ask the Puli filmmakers what they found exciting when they approached me for the role! I don’t come from the category of being a villain at all. If I did accept the film, it means I had a reason - and the reason being they wanted me badly. I guess this question should go to them whether they are happy about it. I don’t think I would travel somewhere just to do a negative role. Time has been kind to me to give me my own space and give me my own podium when it comes to my state and my people. The feeling of being wanted was compelling and I surrendered to what they wanted. I hope the final output justifies the move. 

Expectations from the film

I have never expected anything from any of my films. I think expectations are there in the initial stages of one’s career where we want to be popular and this and that. Post a certain time, we start enjoying the life that has been gifted to us and the roles that our coming our way. We probably can’t enjoy anything beyond a word called cinema. I guess I fall into that category where I have loved cinema whenever I have been experiencing it. I am here to only experience that. So, there are absolutely zero expectations. Even if the film does very well, we need to start from scratch all over again for the next project. Even if it doesn’t, we will start from scratch. So there’s nothing apart from good memories that we carry home. How big a blockbuster it’s going is to be is only relevant for the producer, distributor and the audiences. That has nothing to do with us. I guess we have done our bit of entertainment and we all entertain at the end of the day.