Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 25, 2019)

Till 2015, Prabhas was known as a Telugu film actor. One mega film — S S Rajamouli’s Baahubali — changed the course of his career. Today, he is a pan-India star, and the Baahubali hangover lingers on. It’s hard to believe, but his larger-than-life character in the movie is a stark contrast to his down-to-earth and reserved persona off-screen. Point it out, and the actor admits that he’s lazy and extremely shy in front of a crowd. With his next film, the trilingual Saaho, gearing up for release, the 39-year-old actor spoke to BT about the pressures that come with expectations from three film industries, cross-pollination in cinema and why he will never enter politics. Excerpts:

Baahubali and Saaho have two things in common — grand action scenes and you leading the show. However, Saaho is evidently different from the period film that catapulted you to pan-India fame. Clearly, a lot rides on your shoulders to bring this film a promising opening. Your thoughts…
I didn’t have that pressure when I worked on Baahubali, but this time around, the pressure is indeed high. I’m not the only one feeling it; the entire team feels it because everyone has worked hard on this project for about two years now. The response to the trailer of Saaho has somewhat eased that pressure because viewers seem to have liked what they have seen. Yes, the Baahubali effect will definitely be there; it’s not worn off yet and probably, never will. While I don’t want people to forget Baahubali, I don’t want them to recall it while watching Saaho. We wanted people to see me in a new avatar and we have consciously worked towards that. Also, for any film to work, it has to have content that appeals to people. That is what worked in Baahubali’s favour. I know that expectations are high because I’m a part of Saaho. If things don’t work out well, it will impact me, but we’ll think of that when we get there.

When Rajamouli approached you for Baahubali, he was already an established filmmaker. After working with him, you chose to work with Sujeeth (director of Saaho), who is just one-film old. Were you at any point apprehensive about the decision?
The pressure for this film to work is on each one of us and every film has its own risks. Having said that, the makers of this film have introduced a lot of new talent in the past. Sujeeth, too, has been a part of many projects before. The stress is high because we didn’t think that our budgets would escalate so much, which adds an element of risk. After Baahubali, we were pondering over what we should come up with next. We wanted to make a love story, but couldn’t find the right script. That’s when Sujeeth told me about Saaho. He has worked hard to add scale to the script. We also have a strong screenplay. When we heard the final narration, we were sure that we could go ahead with this film after Baahubali.

Talking about Saaho, there’s an interesting coincidence about it — while it is your first film in Hindi, it marks Shraddha’s debut in Telugu. Did the fact that you both were sailing in the same boat, help?
She was good with Telugu from the word go, she was also fantastic with romantic scenes. The chemistry seen in the film’s poster is thanks to her. On my first day of shoot in Hindi, I didn’t have lengthy scenes or dialogues. By the second-third day, Shraddha and I had hit it off well and I was getting comfortable with Hindi. I know how to read and write Hindi, but since it’s not our spoken language, there was a slight discomfort. I had a tutor on the set, who helped me speak correctly. Also, I insisted on the dialogues being written in Devnagri so that I could get my pronunciation right.

Coming back to Baahubali, has its success changed the way you choose scripts now?
Yes, that film changed the course of my career. If you look at the larger picture today, trends in cinema — from action to family to realistic films — change in a matter of months. So, it’s not easy to entertain the audience anymore. Even the biggest masters of cinema in the country can’t ensure what will work with the audience. So, for any actor, choosing a script is not easy. Today, people know me in almost all the states of India, thanks to my last film. But I don’t know what they will think of me after Saaho releases.

Do you realise that you are now catering to two different kinds of fan base — one that worships the star and the other that doesn’t forgive a star for making wrong choices in most cases?
Yes, I do realise that, and it’s an interesting space for an actor to be in. It’s hard to please people, who speak so many different languages and whose cinematic sensibilities are varied. The only way to work in a country with so much diversity in cinema is to go with a script that you firmly believe in. The rest will find its way.



At one point, competition for you was limited to Tollywood. However, after Baahubali, every top actor from across industries is potential competition for you. Does that ever unnerve you?
No… (smiles!) This divide between North, South, East and West will become a thing of the past. I don’t know when, but it will, for sure. Baahubali reiterated the fact that you can make a film, which can appeal to an entire nation. I remember, Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) had run in my mother’s village for around 100 days and my grandfather loved Salman Khan. It was a simple love story that appealed to so many people. Cross pollination between industries has always happened. Sholay (1975), too, inspired so many remakes down South. However, I don’t think we have consciously tried to make too many Indian films (movies that appeal to the audience across the country) in the real sense. Business is about competition, and instead of competing with one another internally, we can join hands and compete with the largest film industries in the world. We can take Hollywood head on. Slowly and steadily, there will be more films that will work nationally, erasing barriers and making us one of the biggest industries in the world. When Sachin Tendulkar hit a six, it didn’t matter if he hailed from Mumbai or Hyderabad. All that mattered was his batting skills.

As an actor, who has worked in almost all genres of cinema, what kind of films appeal to you on a personal level?
I like action films like Matrix, but my favourite film is Geetanjali (1989). It’s a Telugu film, which doesn’t even show a slap on screen. That’s me. I can like anything that strikes an emotional chord. As an actor, I only feel that I need to give something new to the industry.

With the kind of exposure you’ve had, have you ever thought about getting into filmmaking?
I don’t think I can take that route. As a director, there are too many things to pay attention to, why get tortured doing so much? (Laughs!) I love acting and I am happy doing that.

Many actors, particularly from the South, have stepped into politics. It almost seems like a natural transition in their lives as public figures. Will we ever seen you in the neta avatar?
My uncle (Krishnam Raju) was a star-turned politician, and once, during our summer holidays, we had campaigned for him. I was very young then, and I didn’t feel comfortable with it. I live for cinema and this is my life. It has made me who I am. Now, I am getting comfortable being in the public eye, but I can never become a politician. I respect them and I think they can do a lot for the nation, but I am not that person. I can only act and entertain.

It’s strange, but the fact is that most male actors from the South have not had a very long run in Bollywood. On the contrary, women from the South have ruled Bollywood for years...
The past will be what it is, but the future could well be different. Increasingly, we will have more actors who will cross over into different regions. At the end of the day, it is India that we’re catering to.

Your stardom has increased manifold in the last two years. Has it changed anything at home?
I was a star in Telugu cinema even before Baahubali released. My uncle was a star and my dad (Uppalapati Surya Narayana Raju) also made films. So, people at home know what stardom is. Also, it’s not like I had it easy. I had to work hard to go from one stage to another in my professional life. Baahubali was a dream that just happened. It made my family happy while it left me thinking, ‘Is this for real?’ My family is inundated with calls from people who simply want to meet me. In fact, my mother gets irritated at times. She just wants me to rest it out after a hard day’s work.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; August 22, 2019)

Prabhas has been jet-setting to different cities to promote his upcoming action thriller, Saaho. The film, which was simultaneously shot in Telugu and Hindi marks the 39-year-old actor’s debut in Bollywood. The day (rather, the night) we met, he had just finished filming for a reality show. Though he was a little fatigued, the Baahubali star never showed it and answered every question candidly — be it the immense pressure that he is under for Saaho, which comes after the massive success of his mythical period dramas that made him a national hero, wedding rumours or his link-up with South actress Anushka Shetty. Over to Prabhas...

Saaho is being touted as one of the biggest action films with a budget of Rs 350 crore. Did the success of Baahubali scale it up?
Yes, it was after Baahubali that the designing and the scale of Saaho become big; but the idea was in place earlier when Baahubali was being filmed in Telugu and Tamil. Even the script was ready. But after the success of the period drama, the action scenes were mounted up, the set-up was made bigger, and corrections were made to make the story stronger.

Was it your decision to start the film only after Baahubali 2?
Actually, after part one, we decided to take a gap of six months during which I thought we will shoot for Saaho because I knew Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017) will take one-and-a-half years. But after Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), I was so tired. I also felt it wouldn’t be good to shoot for a couple of months, stop and restart because, in between, I’d have to shoot for Baahubali 2. I cannot do the (different) looks or shoot them because I know the way it goes. And as I said, I needed some rest, so we decided to shoot after Baahubali 2.

Between the two action films, which one did you find more challenging?
Baahubali was definitely more challenging. Saaho is a contemporary film and the action scenes are designed to the next level. But in the former, everything was new. I always wanted to do a period film and the most exciting part was the war. In Saaho, the action is real. The truck that you see sliding in the trailer is real, it is not CG (computer graphics). That vehicle was travelling at a speed of 40 miles per hour and we needed to stop it. That stunt had to be done in real motion and it was extremely hard to stop the truck because the tyre was out of control. So, we got the drivers from the Hollywood film Transformers, and a lot of action and stunt masters from around the world to get that real feel.

Are you the kind who does all the stunts himself?
I do most of the stunts myself. When I was new to the industry, I was very enthusiastic and wanted to do all the stunts even those not captured by the camera, including the dupe shots! Later, when you start getting injuries, you think, okay, you’ll do what is necessary. I have done a lot of action films in Telugu, so, after some time, your body tells you that you need to be careful.

Saaho will be an acid-test for you coming on the back of Baahubali and it’s also your debut Hindi film.
Yes. I know. There is a lot of pressure on me, but the script is the master for any film, even for Baahubali. Also, because Saaho is releasing in so many languages, and the budget is so high. Sujeeth (director) worked for so many years on it. He and the producer are my friends, so it’s also a personal thing.

It was reported that you took a 20 per cent pay cut for Saaho...
Yes, because for films like Baahubali or Saaho, you can’t take whatever remuneration you get when you’re in demand. That part can instead be used to make the film bigger. These films require a huge budget and a lot of research because they haven’t been tried before.

How was the experience of filming it?
It was interesting because my friends were involved and they took a lot of care with details. Sujeeth is young and excited with fresh thoughts. He spent a lot of time on the film’s pre-production — on the script and planning. I think it was great of him to manage big names from the South like Sabu Cyril, Madhie sir and Sreekar Prasad in his second film, with such a high budget. There were (internal) fights but he managed so well, he never fought or showed his anger.

While you make your debut in Hindi, Shraddha Kapoor forays into the South with this film. Did you help each other?
The first day Shraddha spoke Telugu, I was shocked. She must have practised but still she was so good. She was excited about shooting the Telugu portion because it was new for her. The same thing happened to me while shooting Baahubali in Tamil because that was a first for me and it brings new energy. While filming Saaho, I used to ask several times whether my flow and accent in Hindi is right because words can be corrected later in dubbing, but the flow has to be right. I had a Hindi tutor, Kamal sir from Mumbai on sets and even during the dubbing.

Was it difficult to shoot simultaneously in different languages?
Yes, it was strenuous. I have been doing films for the past 16-17 years, where after you give a shot and it’s okay, you are done. But here you have to do it again in different languages and it becomes strenuous for actors and technicians because you have to capture the whole mood again. Sometimes, it’s that spark, which you get once. I am not a many take actor, I get done in a couple of shots, so it was stressful for me.

The film was to release on August 15 but was pushed by two weeks. Are you happy with the shift?
I’m happy because quality can’t be compromised, especially for a film one was working on for so many years. I understand it is not right for the business, and also for other films, which had to shift their releases because they already had plans. It is wrong from our side but for the quality of the film, I don’t mind.

Do you like doing action movies?
I like to do action as well as love stories. In Telugu, my favourite film is Geetanjali (1989) in which there is absolutely no action, not even a slap.

What would you like to do next?
I want to do a romantic movie or romcom after Saaho. But I will plan once the movie releases and I know the result.

You have had hits and flops in your career. How do you deal with it?
My first two films did not do well and I thought I will never get a hit. However, offers were pouring in and I got a big blockbuster. But then there was a phase when for three years my films were disasters. That was the hardest time. Then I had two hits and a flop. Next, Mirchi was a hit, Baahubali happened and the last four years have been really good. Now, after Saaho, let’s see...

Every time your film is up for release, there are rumours about your marriage, and there has been talk about you and Anushka Shetty dating each other...
I know there have been a lot of rumours since the last four years. Once I was linked to a politician, whom I had never met. That was one of the most hateful rumours, it was irritating. Anushka and I are friends and when we did Baahubali, we worked for four years together. People liked the love story and Devsena (her character). It is common to get linked with your co-star. But you cannot hide something like this for two years. And, why should we hide if there is something?