Jiiva is not your regular hero who makes commercial potboilers for money and fame. He’s not in a hurry to sign more films either. Only good scripts excite him, he says. So we began talking...
Tell us about Entha Varaku Ee Prema. What does it have in store for the audience?
It’s a rom-com that talks about relationships. I’m here to entertain the audience, and this film will serve that purpose. I have been hearing that many miss the Siva Manasula Sakthi (2009) Jiiva, and I’m sure this will live up to everybody’s expectations. It has better characterisation. I play a chef in this one, and Kajal Aggarwal and I are an onscreen couple for the first time. She’s a fantastic co-star. We had a great time on the sets. We shot extensively in and around Coonoor, Kottagiri and Ooty.
Why do we not see you on big screens often?
I used to do one film a year, but now I’m doing two, because I don’t want to do many films. I take my own time before signing something new and make sure that I get proper breaks before jumping to the next project. I go by the script and my instinct. I don’t see whether it will be a commercial or a critical success. Each film is close to my heart irrespective of how they fared at the box-office. I have had my share of failures and I accept them. If I were that selective, all my 25 films would have been silver jubilee! (Laughs)
What roles would you like to do?
I travel and am a loner. Everybody is in a race here and I’m not a part of it. I have just come to the ground to jog and I’m enjoying the process. I am an actor, and must accomodate any role that filmmakers give me. So far, I have worked in several genres and have never restricted myself to anything. In all these years, I have learnt what I can and cannot do. I always have the time to wait for the scripts written in for me particularly.
Sequels interest you as an actor?
I have always felt that my character in Ko (2011) as a photojournalist has the capability for a sequel. I was totally excited about the script, and it was an interesting experience. Of course, Ko-2 is already out. It’s just the franchise, but not a proper sequel sorts.
What’s next?
I haven’t signed anything new. I’m looking to travel abroad for a month. When I’m back, I’d love to work with good directors.