A Masss Welcome

Actor Suriya, who is overwhelmed by the affection Malayalis shower on him, says his latest film Masssis a feel-good entertainer

Clad in a light pista colour linen shirt and blue jeans, South Indian sensation Suriya comes as an unassuming and benign person. Even after giving back-to-back interviews and press meet appearances and selfie requests, the actor is all smiles when we sit to talk about his upcoming Kollywood release Masss.

“Masss will be a feel-good movie which I don’t want to tag as a horror-comedy film. In some of my previous films like 7-aum Arivu, I had gone away from real life plots but Masss will not be like them,” says Suriya who will be seen sporting two looks in the movie.

“I play two characters in the movie. One is Maasilamani from whom the film got its title and next is Shakti. Maasilamani is a conman,” says the actor who is tight-lipped on giving out other details of the characters.

“The film deals with Maasilamani and what happens to him when he encounters a challenging person who is at par with him,” says the actor about his first Venkat Prabhu movie.

After a holiday (Goa), diet (Biriyani), game (Mankatha), Masss is Venkat Prabhu’s sixer. “It is an emotionally strong film. The story is new and hasn’t been tried earlier. A new idea that changes everything which has a ‘spooky’ effect,” says Suriya for whom ‘Piravi’ crooned by Vaikom Vijayalakshmi and composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja is the favourite song from the movie. Venkat is associating for the sixth time with Yuvan Shankar in Masss.

The film with an ensemble cast, will see Nayanthara playing the lady love of Suriya. “It is my third film with Nayathara, after Aadhavan and Ghajini. And over the years I have felt a difference in her acting, how she presents herself and conveys her expression onscreen,” says the 39-year-old actor.

“In the song ‘Poochandi’ shot erecting a spooky set, around 180 people were helping me behind the camera and that shows how important our technicians are in the film,” he says. R D Rajasekhar is the cinematographer while editing is done by Praveen K L in the movie. Masss, which is produced by Studio Green, also features Pranitha Subhash, Samuthirakani, Premji Amaren and Parthiban in important roles.

The actor who is on a short vacation to Kerala with his actor-wife Jyothika and two kids, is mesmerised by the fan following he has in the state. 

“It was in 1997 that I came for a shoot along with Vijay in Thiruvananthapuram when I first saw how people here love us. While going back from the shoot in a taxi, I was surprised by how people were happy just to see the hand of Vijay. And, after 17 years, they still hold the same love,” says Suriya.

The actor doesn’t hide his joy for the wide reception he is getting for his first venture as a producer. 36 Vayadhinile, (remake of Rosshan Andrrews’  How Old are You) which being Jyothika’s comeback film after eight years is produced by Suriya’s production banner 2D Entertainment.

 “I thank all the people who have again accepted 36 Vayadhinile. I also thank Rosshan sir, Manju Warrier, Bobby-Sanjay and Santhosh Narayanan for gifting us with such a beautiful and strong film,” says Suriya who keeps a keen tab on the latest Malayalam releases too. “I still have to watch

Oru Vadakkan Selfie and has heard Dileep’s latest release is good,” he says.

“Both Jo (Jyothika) and I wanted to associate with films which interests us, irrespective of we being part of onscreen,” says Suriya whose upcoming production venture is a Tamil children’s film Haiku and the action thriller 24.

Ask him whether there will be a Suriya-Jyothika onscreen project in the offing, he says, “We are hearing scripts but nothing has been finalised yet. Maybe by next year there will be a concrete project,” signs off the actor.

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