
While a film personality introducing his son in Tamil cinema is not new, it certainly turns a few heads when the father is Fefsi Vijayan, director of Markandeyan. Releasing tomorrow, the film has debutant hero Shabarish, Vijayan’s son.
Directed, produced and also written by Vijayan, a lot is expected from Markandeyan. So what took Shabarish this long to make his debut? “I grew up watching my dad train actors and choreograph stunt sequences. So films were my inspiration,” says Shabarish. “But when the time came to fulfill my dreams, I realised that I was unfit for the big screen. It was herculean task to shed all those kilos.”
It also posed a challenge to Vijayan, who had to tone his son’s physique and make him ready for the film industry. He went to none other than Salman Khan and requested his help. “I had to get Shabarish movie-ready — for looks and talent. So I introduced him to Salman Khan on the sets of Wanted. Sallu bhai gave him advice on body-building, after which Shabarish went to Bangkok to learn stunt fighting,” explains Vijayan.
Sallu’s fitness tips helped Shabarish shed those extra kilos in the right way. “It was his guidance that made me lose about 25 kilos,” adds Shabarish. Thereafter, he spent around eight months in Bangkok, learning different stunt styles. “I met the stunt men of Jaika, a team based in Thailand, who taught me the nuances of fight sequences,” he adds.
By then, Vijayan was ready with a full script and had also chosen Pinky, a Thai actress, as the heroine. “She needed training in Tamil. And I taught her for two months,” says Shabarish.
Vijayan’s script led him to Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. “I wanted to use the backdrop of bamboo forests in the film. That’s how I chose this unexplored area. There was nothing more challenging than shooting on a water-bed that is 300 ft. deep,” explains Vijayan.
Known for his explosive stunts, Vijayan left no stone unturned while choreographing action sequences for Markandeyan. “A fight sequence has to have a feeling and I have ensured the same in this film. We have choreographed a flood scene towards the climax, which was very risky.”
Adds Shabarish, “We shot the first schedule in the bamboo forests of Godavari River, near Rajahmundry and also in some parts of Orissa. There were no roads; we had to travel only by boat. It used to take us two hours, back and forth, and we had to wrap up shooting before dark. It was then when I suffered from chikungunya. After that, during a fight scene, I had a ligament tear and it took two months to heal. Also, while shooting the climax, I suffered some burns.”
About the significance of the title, Vijayan says, “Markandeyan is a character from Indian mythology, who always remains a 16-year-old. Also, if you notice there is a ‘Mark’ in the title itself; it’s symbolic of a debutant leaving a mark in the industry.”
So, which has better chemistry — father-son or the director-actor? “On the sets, I like to believe that I’ve always been a director first. But even as a young boy, Shabarish has seen me more at work than at home,” admits Vijayan. Shabarish concurs and adds, “I’d love to work with my father again but I am also hearing other scripts and will decide on my next move soon.”