After the hit film Kumki, actor Vikram Prabhu has bagged several films, including Sigaram Thodu (ST), produced by UTV Motion Pictures. Monal Gujjar will be cast opposite in the film that will be helmed by Gaurav. In a chat, director Gaurav tells CE that Vikram Prabhu will be sporting two different looks, totally at variance with each other.
“ST will showcase two different aspects of Vikram. We have shot the first half with his guy-next-door-look. Now, he will prepare for the second half, with a complete transformation. Vikram’s body language, hairstyle, costumes and toned look will reflect his transformation and outlook. He’ll be adding a moustache.” The film is a family action entertainer with comedy. About the title Gaurav says, “Every man wants to be a hero, not a zero. The middle-class man has to struggle to survive and achieve something in life. How the hero achieves the pinnacle of life forms the crux of the story.” Gaurav, who has directed Thoonganagaram, promises a racy and engrossing screenplay, having spent nine months on fine tuning it to meet audience expectations.
Along with cameraman Vijay Ulaganath, Gaurav has used various camera techniques and equipment to explore new angles and showcase locations differently. The unit has shot in Uttarakhand, capturing a special festival at the Gangotri Temple, featuring 20,000 strong crowds. Says Gaurav, “The temple is closed for six months annually. On the opening day, there’s a huge puja and festival, at which we got permission to shoot live.” The schedule had some hair-raising moments too. “During a four-hour journey to Shivpuri, we were caught in the middle of a landslide. My car with Vikram was on one side of a bridge which was covered in mountain debris. We couldn’t see the car of Monal and Kovai Sarala on the other side. With zero visibility and no mobile network, we spent a harrowing two hours, where each team didn’t know if the other was alive, till the authorities efficiently cleared the debris.”
Gaurav is all praise for his supportive producers and hero, “Vikram is a true director’s artiste. He told me, ‘Everyday is like my first day of shoot. I am like a blank slate. You can write whatever you want on it.’ Though he comes from a renowned film family, he’s keen to carve his own identity with his hardwork.”