National Award-winning actor Prakash Raj does not need to trumpet his talent. He knows he has it and so does his audience, and it has been acknowledged across the globe. When this year’s opening episode of Weekend with Ramesh Season 3 goes on air, with Prakash as the guest, the audience will be in for a surprise.
Although Prakash will be talking about his journey and will hear friends and associates sharing memories with and thoughts on him as is the regular format of the show. The highlight will be a video chat with none other than the legendary Hollywood director, Steven Spielberg.
In a conversation with City Express, Prakash says that he has always been a Spielberg fan even from his childhood, and he got an opportunity to meet the director five years ago in Mumbai when he visited Anil Ambani’s residence. According to him, it was a very moving experience and he was overwhelmed to learn that the director was familiar with his work, after the acclaimed 2008 Tamil film Kanchivaram.
“They had hosted a dinner for the director. I and Kamal Haasan were invited from the southern film industry,” says Prakash. “I had worked in Singham, distributed by Reliance. Tina Ambani introduced me to the filmmaker saying I am an interesting actor, an entertainer and a great comedian.
But Steven looked at me and said ‘I see a lot of pain in his eyes’ and asked me whether I had portrayed a weaver’s character in a film, and I said ‘Yes, in Kanchivaram’. I got to know that he had watched it at the Toronto Film Festival and associated the film with the expression in my eyes. It was a sweet gesture and it moved me.”
Prakash says that this again is another great opportunity to connect with Steven, over a video chat. “The makers of Weekend with Ramesh show came to know of my meeting with Steven and got in touch with him. He sent messages that surprised me, and there were tears of joy. It was an unbelievable moment,” he says.
Prakash says that, in his video message, Steven did not call him an actor, but addressed him as a “talent, a contributor and a global collective artist”. “It was a moment of joy because it came from a legend across borders,” he says. “I am humbled and will never forget those moments.”
The actor-filmmaker is currently busy re-writing the script of Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu, to be made in Tamil and Telugu, while he is gearing up to be part of the Bollywood movie Golmaal Again. “I am also busy with the Producer’s Council election, held in Chennai and I am contesting. This apart I am dedicating some time for my foundation,” he says.