Vineeth Sreenivasan is gearing up for the release of his next flick, 'Thanneermathan Dinangal,'the directorial debut of Girish AD.
Vineeth, who is expecting his second child, is also a busy bee with playback singing stints. In a free-wheeling conversation, he talks about his childhood ambitions, teenage anxieties and the excitement of becoming a father again.
What was your ambition – singing, acting or filmmaking?
I have aspired to become a filmmaker right from a young age. For me, acting was only a short-cut to get a feel of film-making process. I had never imagined myself as a singer. Music is a blessing to me. Soon after I passed out of my college, I got busy with playback singing projects. It was at that point James Albert approached me with the script of 'Cycle.' That was a new beginning in my life. I enjoy becoming a part of film-making process rather than just acting in a movie. Learning the film making process was my sole intention, when I started off my acting career.
But slowly, I became serious about acting. I have enjoyed playing the characters I did in last five years.
How far has Dhyan's maiden directorial venture reached?
Dhyan's movie will be an Onam release. I haven't yet watched the movie. Those who watched his movie have praised him. We are all curious to know how the movie turns out.
What is the best thing you have noticed about your brother Dhyan?
The best thing about Dhyan's character is his incredible sense of humour. I wish that reflects in his upcoming movie also. I had Dhyan in my mind as the lead character when I wrote 'Oru Vadakkan Selfie.' I visualised how Dhyan would deliver the dialogues if he was Umesh, the character played by Nivin Pauly. Back then, I used to take notes on how Dhyan presented certain subjects. I have tried to bring Dhyan's way of speech and conduct in Umesh's character. His upcoming movie is written by himself. The movie will be a grand success if his sense of humour reflects in the script.
Heard you are expecting your second child. Is that true?
Yes, that is right. We are expecting our second child. My son is two years old. We used to discuss with him about the arrival of a new member in our family. I don't know whether he understands it or not. I used to tell him to look after his little sibling well.
What hooked you the most in the script of 'Thanneermathan Dinangal?'
We all cherish certain memories about our Plus-Two life. We might have had a friendly connect with some of our teachers. At the same time, some teachers may not have appreciated us. We might have had many inferiority complexes. Most boys would have pondered how to look handsome, grow a full beard and build muscles. Attracting the attention of girls was our biggest tension.
I recalled that time of my life, when I listened to the script of Thanneermathan Dinangal. I think the audience will also get a throw back to their Plus-Two days when they watch this movie. High-school and higher secondary students will be able to easily relate with this movie.
Can you relate with Plus-Two life shown in this movie?
I could relate to a certain extent. There are some changes that happened over generations. Now a days, most school children have smart-phones. In our time, it was hard to convey our infatuations. Today's children communicate with each other way faster than us. Still, there are certain basic things that haven't changed. This movie is about those aspects of Plus Two life. I found it interesting to watch the children performing such scenes laced with nostalgia.
Which scene did you enjoy the most while acting?
There is a sequence in this movie wherein the higher secondary batch goes for a school tour. Two teachers accompany the students. In a particular scene, we all step out of the bus and pose for a group photograph in front of Mysore Palace. We had a campfire and also danced to the tune of fast numbers.
'Anandam,' the movie I produced in 2016, had such energetic scenes. I couldn't be a part of those scenes because I was not acting in it. So I enjoyed this time. Moreover, I was spending some cheerful campus moments with children half my age.
About your association with director Girish...
When Girish narrated the script of this movie, he didn't even have a piece of paper in his hand. He was well-versed with the script. I had watched his short film 'Mookkuthi.' It was cameraman Joemon who introduced Girish to me. Youngsters in their mid 20's have a fire which keeps their enthusiasm awake like when me and my friends worked for 'Malarvadi arts club' in our mid 20's. I could see that fire in the words of Girish. It is quite interesting to work with such spirited youngsters.
Your message to the audience
This movie will help audience forget everything and enjoy well for almost two-and-a-half hours. You may recall your Plus-Two memories and cherish your nostalgia. There are a lot of fresh faces behind this movie. We all would be glad to know that you liked our movie.
