Actor Prashant Alexander is on a roll. After having made his debut in Bollywood alongside Arjun Kapoor, Prashant Alexander is looking forward for a handful of roles in Mollywood. The latest among them gearing up for release is Operation Java which is set to hit the big screen on February 12. The actor, in a candid chat with Onmanorama, opens up about his approach to roles and movies.
What is Operation Java all about?
Operation Java is a tribute to the cops. The film is dealing with different set of crimes with a focus to cyber cell.
Is there any similarity between the cop roles you played in India's most wanted and Operation Java?
I havn't played a full-fledged cop role yet. In India's Most Wanted, I played the role of an IB officer.
The thing is that I couldn't get the chance to wear uniform in both the films.
How was the team vibe while shooting for Operation Java?
Subject is the hero in the movie than giving the focus on casts. All the crew in the film were like students, who wished the best for the movie. Each and every member were so much involved in the project that many started giving suggestions but ultimately it was director Tharun Moorthy who took the final decision.
Are you a preparation-based-artist or you go by your instincts?
I am purely a director's actor. I don't think I have too much of a skill to be an actor rather I depend on a director to portray his vision in the best possible way.
It was while shooting for Action Hero Biju that director Abrid Shine asked me to bring forth a controlled acting approach. And I happened to see the impact while dubbing.
You entered the industry without knowing much about acting. After being part of so many projects, did you learnt now?
At the time I made my debut, all I wished was to be a film star. But now, over the years, I realized what it means to be a film star and a film actor. However, things are evolving. A good actor too can be a star as well.
Isn't the lines between lead actors and supporting actors getting blurred with the advent of OTT?
I believe that OTT platforms too got a market within the industry. Big names too are involved in OTT as business do exist in every sector.
Being a son of Church priest, did the upbringing influence your career?
I studied MA in Media Communication. Addressing the mass is what a priest does. A director too presents his subject to the mass and so does an actor. A priest communicates to help people in trouble and bring them closer to God by religious means.
A film too aims to show the right and wrong in society. The win of good over evil is what we learnt through films over the years. So, cinema is nothing better than a religion or a church. It ultimately depends on how people percieve it.
For the unknown my brother Prakash Alex is also involved with films as musician. He recently won the Kerala state television award as well.
Thus, in a way, as son of a church priest, we are continuing what he taught us; the only difference here is with regard to the medium.
Inspite of struggling a lot, why didn't you quit films?
I won't say I have struggled. Because when we are behind something that we love, calling it a 'struggle' would be wrong. There are many people who aim to mke a career in films. But ultimately, only a minority can make it and once you are in, it would be irrelevant to term it as a struggle.
I could reach here and I am honoured that I could be part of the industry. Success means to work in a field which you enjoy doing and if you are able to, you are successful enough.
Like in every career, there are up's and down's. If I am not successful as per my talent, then the sole responsibility for that lies within me. I have to get hold of the right opportunity. It's a rat race.
If someone like Vijay Sethupathi and Joju George could make it as heroes from junior artist, then we need to think why can't we too, rather lamenting about struggling.
In my case, if I could excel in something, that is none other than films. I realized that I have more knowledge in films than in any other field. This means that I enjoy doing it and being part of it. So why not make use of it than leaving.
What kind of roles interests you?
It depends on the script. In some films, we feel like doing negative shaded roles and in some positive roles. The character which will help one explore our potential is what interests us.
Upcoming movies
I finished shooting for Operation Java just before the lockdown was imposed.
Before that I was part of movies including One, King Fish, Anugraheethan Antony, Mohankumar Fans, Kurbani.
Later, I got a break for about 8 months I the then joined movies such as Four, Aarattu, Thathvika Avalokanam, the Hindi-Kannada bilingual Cynide Mohan, movie by G Marthandan and one more movie in which I will be playing the lead. So, it's been a lucky time and I am happy to say that I am 'Anugraheethan' (blessed).
