Mohanlal was very protective while filming an action scene with me: 'Thudarum' actor Prakash Varma | Exclusive

First-time actor Prakash Varma, who became an overnight sensation in Kerala for his performance in the Mohanlal-Tharun Moorthy film 'Thudarum' is no stranger to the film industry. The actor is the nephew of the late actor Jaganannatha Varma, known for his work in films like 'Lelam', 'New Delhi', 'Sukhamo Devi'. Before venturing into ad films, he had assisted filmmaking giants like A K Lohithadas and Viji Thampi.

His first tryst as a producer was for Lal Jose's 'Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal'. The ad filmmaker known for producing some of the most iconic ads in India, including the Vodafone Zoo-zoo told Onmanorama that there was a time when he had dreamt about working full-time in cinema and had even sought chances to work with some of the big names in Malayalam cinema. "I have always wanted to tell stories and make films. This was a dream since I was in Class X. If you have observed, almost all of my advertisements tell a personal story," he said.

Prakash, who played George sir, in the already hit movie 'Thudarum', is touched by people's love for his character and performance in the film. "To be honest, I am touched and overwhelmed by the response coming my way. I am also happy for the entire team, including Tharun Moorthy, Mohanlal, K R Sunil," he said. "My character arc was written well and that helped my performance. Also, I was able to perform better because of Mohanlal's aura. Lalettan's presence in the film reflected on my character," he said.

Prakash said Mohanlal's nuanced performances in films have inspired his work as an ad director. "I have observed Lalettan as a kid. Everytime you re-watch his movies, you pick up various nuances of his performance. There is so much to learn from his performances as it is detailed," he said.

Prakash said Tharun Moorthy reached out to him after he received his photograph captured by the film writer and photographer K R Sunil when he visited Kerala for an ad shoot. "K R Sunil is a close friend of mine.  I didn't know he had captured a candid photo of mine and send it to Tharun. Tharun was already familiar with my line of work and approached me asking if I was interested in acting in a certain 'situation' in the movie. He added that there would be a 'good man' acting in the film. Initially, I did not know they were referring to Mohanlal, but I am super happy about this outing," he said. 

Prakash also added that he was floored by Tharun Moorthy's narration. "He and Sunil came to Mumbai to narrate the story to me and I was struck by the way Tharun narrated the story," said Prakash, also appreciating Tharun's confidence in casting a first-time actor in such a crucial role.

So did he have any concerns facing the camera for the first time? "I saw this as a challenge. In fact, I thrive on such challenges. But, yes, I was quite worried because acting was new to me, and I was quite worried I would waste other people's time while I tried to perform in front of the camera. But, from day one, everyone made me comfortable on the sets. Tharun has this way of bringing the best in actors and he did that with everyone. My only request was not to place me in a combination scene with Mohanlal on the first day, but I think we shot one of the most intense scenes from the film on that day. Thankfully, everything went well," he said.

He added that Mohanlal and producer M Ranjith's small gestures and words gave him the confidence he needed as an actor. "It would be small handshake or a fleeting touch on the shoulder, but that means a lot to a debut actor" he said.

He recalled how Mohanlal was very protective of him on the film sets, especially when they shot the action scenes together. "One of the most challenging shots was a rain scene with Mohanlal. That was challenging because we were shooting in artificial rain in the night and the entire action sequence was new to me. Mohanlal had a cold but the rain did not bother him. His dedication and the ease with which he performed made me want to push myself harder. Also, Mohanlal was very protective of me while shooting the intense action scene. He was extremely careful while performing. He is like that with everyone," said Prakash.

Ask him, if he has plans to continue acting, the actor said, "Of course. But I don't think I will do another character like George sir again. There is a risk of getting typecast in every industry and if I am given the chance to play another policeman with the same kind of grey shade, I will avoid it. I similarly approach my ads. I never take up similar projects because I don't find them interesting," he said, while adding that he is always open to play negative roles.

The ad filmmaker-cum-actor says he has plans to direct a film in the future, though advertisements will always be his bread and butter. "I have started working on a script. But I have a lot of ad films lined up and I will be committed to working on that for a while. But definitely, I will be back to doing films," he said.