I am not answerable to what happens with my personal life.
My dream is to become a director. I want to direct a Hindi film. I have two scripts ready. One of them is a fantasy-adventure, while the other is a thriller. I've assisted my brother Selvaraghavan, who's a well-known director in Tamil cinema. I've also made short films.
Revathi madam is a legend, and I have seen young actresses set her performance as a benchmark.
I would be lying if I said I did not feel bad when 'Shamitabh' failed, but I was proud to be associated with a film like this. If it were easy to know the pulse of the audience, then all movies would be blockbusters.
I suffer from stage fright, so I blabber on stage and stop midway through my performances. I cannot even write a cheque, as it makes me nervous. Being around people makes me nervous. But I'm very comfortable in front of the camera, and this I realised many films later.
I'm going to be quite choosy about singing. If I connect to a tune and like what I am offered to sing, I'll do it. I am an actor by profession, not a singer.
I haven't experienced college life. It's the phase that my character in 'Raanjhana' is set in. But it isn't that bad, either. I have nearly 30 films behind me and a National Award to boot.
In the beginning, I was riddled with major complexes about my looks. Even now, here and there, these complexes crop up. But as the days progressed, I learnt to handle them much better.
Once I finished writing the script, I couldn't find my Pandi. It was actually little difficult to cast for the role. One fine day, when I was shooting for 'Vada Chennai', Raj Kiran's name just popped into my head.
Ilaiyaraaja is my most favourite music director. His music was my lullaby, his music was my food, his music was my childhood, his music was my first love, his music was my failure, his music was my first kiss, my first love failure, my success... he is in my blood.
The screenplay has to be gripping. That's when the film will work. Then, I see how much I can relate to the character I'm playing.
I took up acting upon the insistence of my filmmaker father, Kasthuri Raja. But I am glad for it: sometimes one identifies one's calling; sometimes it singles one out.
I come from a very humble background. My father had to work really hard to become an assistant director. For a large part of his youth, he worked in a mill and took up odd jobs to make ends meet. We lived in a small room and could only afford a meal a day.
I would be lying if I said no. I have an idea for 'Pa. Pandi 2', but I don't know when it will happen or if it will happen at all.
I have wanted to direct for quite some time, but I wanted to be ready and know what I am doing. I wanted to know the basics.
When I joined films in 2002, there were all kinds of rash and unkind comments that were made about my looks in the reviews.
I made shorts films, learning the dos and don'ts. Most importantly, I've been editing all these short films. Nothing can teach you filmmaking like editing can.
It's a huge burden to be known as Mr. Rajinikanth's son-in-law. Once I married his daughter Aishwarya in 2004, I lost my identity.
Wherever I went, I became a son-in-law. It was a terrible phase for me. I had to work double hard to get back my identity. Whenever I gave an interview, the first question would invariably be, 'What is it like to be his son-in-law?' Now that question comes somewhere in the middle of the interview. Hopefully, soon, it won't be asked at all.
It all started with my father's directorial debut, 'En Raasavin Manasile,' which starred Raj Kiran sir as the lead.
