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The Rediff Interview/Sarath Kumar

'I want hundred per cent polling, only then will we be able to form a good government'

Sarath Kumar is the only Tamil film-star who is quite accessible. His personal secretaries fix up appointments and call you back, unlike many others who are not even courteous. 'I did not mind even though I had to wait for nearly 45 minutes at his residence, as it took some time for the star to finish shooting and reach home for the interview,' recalls Shobha Warrier.Tired and fatigued, he was then. But after a cup of hot coffee and a change of dress, he was back to being energetic and smart. After the interview, which lasted nearly an hour, he said it was the longest Q&A session ever in his life. An excerpt:

You are not only an actor but a politician too now. So when you sit back and think, do you think as an actor or a politician?

As far as my profession is concerned, I am an actor. Even when I interact with the people as an actor, I think of doing something for them. That has always been there in my mind. I plunged into politics not because I was an actor but because I had always been thinking of the people.

When did you become conscious that there are people... there are 'have-nots' in society who need help from the 'haves'?

I would say from my college days. It was then that I became conscious of the entire society. Later on, as an actor, I interacted with lots and lots of people. I was also trying to help a lot of them. So, I thought if I became a politician, I would be able to do more work, by being a part of the government.

When we met in 1995, you said you were thinking of joining active politics because you wanted to serve society.

Yes, that is precisely what I want to do even now. I want them to be educated. I want them to understand the importance of voting. People should feel that it is necessary to vote to get a good government. In the last elections, we had only 45 pc, 50 pc or at the most 60 pc polling. That is no polling at all. I feel that people should not look at polling day as another holiday when they can go on a picnic.

Do you think that is the only reason why they are not coming out to vote? They may have become cynical about the whole exercise.

I think our people should get more conscious about themselves, the surroundings, society and their duties. They say, 'what difference does it make with my one vote?' That's not the right attitude at all. One vote also makes a lot of difference and they should feel motivated to go out and vote. I want hundred per cent polling. Only then will we be able to form a good government. On the contrary, what do you see now? Everybody standing out and complaining that politics is dirty and why he should get involved in such a dirty business.

But, what is your opinion, is politics not dirty?

It is not. People just point their fingers at a few politicians and say, politics is dirty. Instead of pointing their fingers, let them involve themselves and create a cleaner government.

Is it not true that a majority of the politicians are not interested in serving society but interested only in serving themselves?

That is the way people want them to be. Let me give an example. Take my own profession. Many people stand in the queue for hours to buy tickets to see a film, but some call me for tickets because they do not want to stand in the queue. Like this, there is urgency in the minds of the common man to get things done at the earliest. So, it starts with asking for small favours but finally grows into big proportions. But if we take a decision that I will stand in the sun for my chance to come, there will not be any corruption.

We had good role-models during the freedom struggle. But now we see only self-centred political figures.

So create one (good role-model). Why do you have to say that you don't have one? If I say something sensible, why don't the educated people at least listen? Why can't the people of one particular area unite and make it clean in every sense?

You said, even when you were in college, you wanted to do something for society. But if you ask a collegian now, he would say nothing works here. He is very cynical and pessimistic about the way India is moving. Are you aware of this?

Yes. But it is a very bad attitude. The precedent set by politicians has resulted in this sad situation. If every individual tries to be a leader and do something in his or her locality, our society will change. Otherwise, no.

Do you regret having contested the 1998 elections?

No, not at all. I don't regret anything in my life. I like to work positive and think positive.

Were you disappointed with the results?

I was a little upset because I lost the election. Then I began thinking, what next? The next day I drove down to Madras and started shooting. Some movies, despite your working very hard, fail. You cannot stop acting because a movie of yours has failed. Life goes on. I worked hard in the elections and about 2,70,000 people voted for me. If not for the Coimbatore blasts, I would have won the elections. I am sure about that. Even now I want to do a lot for the people and I have age on my side.

Why do you need fan clubs? Do they do any social service?

Of course. That is what we are doing. Do you know how these fan clubs are formed? They come to watch your movies, they like you and a kind of friendship develops between you and the filmgoers. When they appreciate your work, they come to see you quite often. What we did was, we channelled a lot of money through them to help the poor and the needy. Now God has given me so much, I want to share it with the others. With my mathematics degree, I wouldn't have earned this much.

How did the mathematics degree holder come into movies?

Even in school, I was interested in movies and I wanted to be an actor.

Why did you want to be an actor?

Because I had an idol in MGR. I was a fanatical fan of MGR. But my father wanted me to be a police officer. In fact, earlier I had an eye towards that but later on, it changed. My brother-I-law who was a minister in the DMK government told me that a police officer had to listen to politicians and he wouldn't be able to take a decision on his own! Then of course, I always had this acting thing in me. I wanted to be like MGR. What attracted me to him was the way he maintained his health.

Who did you like more, the actor in MGR or the politician in MGR?

I liked the actor in MGR. I adored that man. His thinking was positive. He never had a song in which he would say he would go down. He always had pep.

But somebody else wrote his songs...

Yes, the songs were written by Kannadasan and many others. But he might have had a hand in it. I can say it for sure because I see that there are positive feelings in my songs and I correct my songs if the lines clash with my ideas. So, his ideas would have been there in the songs.

Does that mean that you use your films to convey some message?

Yes. If you want to serve people, I think you should give some kind of a message to the people and live up to the message that you give in real life also.

Is it not difficult?

It is not. I don't find it that way. If I say something, I will stick to it.

In most of your movies, you have a larger than life image. Can you live up to that image?

When you are entertaining people, a little exaggeration is needed. That is entertainment. True-to-life characters cannot be there in movies. It is like the mannequins in shop windows. Shops need them to attract people. We need entertainment to bring people to the theatre. And once they are inside, you can give the message.

Are the messages subtle and hidden?

It is and it is not.

When they see you as a larger than life character in films, the expectations will be very high.

You have to try to live up to that.

That is why I asked, is it not difficult?

See, you may beat up 20 guys in films but that can't happen in real life. People know that too. They know it is entertainment. But it is not difficult to be a down-to-earth person, which I am. When they come to me, I try to convince them about positive aspects. Movies are accepted, exaggerated entertainment. But they look beyond that and try to find out, is this man the same as I see in films? If you can convince them that you are, you have won.

Then they may idolise you.

Yes, they will idolise you. It will break only when you don't live up to their expectations. If you don't talk to those who come to see you or shake hands with them, they may feel, 'this guy helps an old woman cross the road in films but in real life, he is so different'. So, the image gets a beating and the next day I don't think he will go and see my film. Let me tell you, I don't act in front of people and in real life. I like to be nice and cordial to everyone.

What according to you is a good film?

A good movie will have a good storyline with a good message to be given to people. Then, you can ask me, do all movies give messages? The movie I like may not be liked by a teenager but a good family movie will be liked by all because they can watch without wriggling on the seat.

What is acting to you, is it passion or just a profession?

Acting is everything to me. Number one, it is my profession and I am a true professional. I like to act, I like to get into the characters that I am portraying and perform.

How do you get into the characters? How do you prepare yourself?

I listen to the storyline and it starts entering me straight away. Then I start thinking about the character and how I can portray him. If it is an old man, I try to recollect the old people I know. I start watching people even when I travel.

How much do you prepare for each character?

The preparation starts from the moment I hear the story. It takes some time to get into it, I can compare it only to the first few moments after you get the question paper.

How long does the character remain in you? Or, do you forget him the moment the director says 'cut'?

They remain in me for a long time. After a day's shoot, I do a post-mortem of myself. If I do a film at a stretch, they remain in me for longer time. Recently I acted as an old man in Natpukaga who had to go to jail and face many hardships. I became one with the character and felt sad when he too felt sad.

So, you become that character inside also.

Yes, I become that character. I start thinking and feeling like the character. The character can affect you but he will not be there all the time. I still cannot forget the son's character in Suryavamsham.The old man's character in Natpukaga is really pathetic. And you won't believe, every time I see the film, it brings tears into my eyes.

Do you watch your movies?

Yes.

When you watch a film of yours, do you see you or the character that you have portrayed?

If it is a good character like the old man in Natpukaga, you forget that it was you who is performing. When you get engrossed in a character and start feeling for the character, you forget that it was you. Funny though, but you get choked by your own performance.

How do you feel when you have to run around trees? Do you enjoy that?

You have to enjoy any work that you are doing. So, I enjoy that too. Certain things are there in films, whether you like them or not.

Don't you think films should be realistic and closer to life?

Yes, they have to be closer to life. Only then will the audience feel empathetic.

But many ingredients like songs and running around trees are exaggerated and are not there in real life.

You keep them aside and look at films, they are realistic. If they are exactly like real life, people will not like to come to the theatre and watch them. A little exaggeration is needed as films are for entertainment.

I feel in Tamil movies the exaggeration is more. They are dramatic when compared to Malayalam movies. Do you do it purposely?

The pattern of filmmaking in Malayalam is entirely different from the pattern in Tamil Nadu. In Andhra, it is entirely different. You just see the way they jump. Every moment, there is a song and there are heavy movements but the audience likes it. Filmmaking is done to cater to the audience. You can't make films just for the educated classes that sit with their noses up. Films are for the commoners in the smallest village. It is the only entertainment that they have.

You mean it helps them forget their problems.

I wouldn't say problems. After a hard day's work, films help them unwind and take their minds off. If I want to take my mind off, I play basketball in the backyard or play a game of shuttle. That is my way of unwinding.

Do you enjoy realistic films?

I do, I do. They are good films. I like that kind of films. But I am a star and I feel that my producer should make money and not lose money, and the audience should enjoy my films. So, we have to choose a via medium.

Am I right if I were to say, in such a situation, the star in you takes precedence over the actor in you?

You are not right. Acting is acting. Acting in a commercial movie and an art movie is the same. The line is very thin. The commercial film has more entertainment whereas an art movie provides entertainment at a different level. My responsibility is more in a commercial movie because I have to satisfy my audience and my producer. Filmmaking is very difficult these days, you know.

Do awards matter to you?

A lot. First, people have to accept your film and the ultimate is an award for you and your film. Your film runs for hundred days and then you get an award for your performance, I will say 'yes, I have done it and I have been recognised.' Appreciation from the audience is the first award and then comes the award given by the critics.

Do you feel bad when your film flops?

I do but I get over the feeling fast. I am like the axle of the cycle and I don't like to be its foot-pedals of the bicycle. I don't get overtly excited when a film becomes a big hit or very disappointed when it flops.

Are you consciously detaching yourself from success and failure?

No. I have always been like this. I am a normal human being.

But normal human beings do get excited, they do get hurt too.

I do get excited. I do get hurt. Emotions and feelings are there. But I don't overtly react to all this. Then, I would have to sit and brood after a flop. But I have been like this always. If a film of mine is a big hit, sometimes my friends insist on celebrating and we do celebrate.

Do you have a lot of friends?

Not many. Very limited friends' circle and all of them are my old friends. I cannot make new friends because you don't know what they are looking for. But I love to move with people. I love to have a lot of friends.

Being a star, do you miss normal life?

I will tell you an incident. Recently at Gobichettipalayam, my car tyre got punctured. While my driver changed the tyre, I got into a bus and went to the location. I was very happy. I enjoyed sitting in the bus and talking to people. They were excited but I was also equally excited. It was after a long time I was going by bus. I felt nice talking to the people.

Didn't they mob you?

No, they talked to me. Some asked for autographs. When I am shooting in villages, I go for cycling in the mornings and meet a lot of people. I have tea at many houses. In fact they wait for me in the mornings.

Have you started mingling with people only after you joined politics?

No, no. I have always been like this. I like to talk to people. I like to mingle with them.

Why did you join the DMK?

Because my uncle was in the DMK and my brother-in-law was a minister in the DMK government. My father was a part of the Dravidian movement, so it came naturally to me.

You had a lot of problems with Jayalalitha during the latter part of her rule. Do you think she will come back to power in the state?

I don't think so. She promised stability at the Centre. But what kind of stability did she give? She is not only trying to topple the state government but the trying to topple the central government too. Do we have Rs 10 billion for another election? At least she should be responsible for that. You should be responsible for the people who pay the taxes. It shows total irresponsibility on the part of the person. Why can't she wait for her turn and go the people with her grievances? If you can convince them, you win the election.

I don't think about her at all. I don't care about the person at all. She comes out with statements everyday and who has the time to react to all that. Today's statement says, if the prime minister wants to come to Tamil Nadu, he should take the permission of the AIADMK! Such ridiculous statements! Such irresponsible statements!

I say, if you have done nothing wrong, you go to court. Be brave and don't tamper with your witnesses. Don't try to transfer people from their original posts and try to bring in your people. Or, if you have done something wrong, tell people courageously that you have done wrong, like Bill Clinton did.

Now that you mentioned Bill Clinton, let me ask you one thing. Many magazines are writing about your personal life. How do you take it? Don't you feel bad?

Of course, I feel bad. I feel personal life should not be discussed in public. It is not going to mater at all. Yes, it will matter to the public when you are a leader and the people look up at you.

They look upon you as a role model. But he is not God, he is also a human being. To err is human and to forgive is divine. Bill Clinton openly said, he did something wrong. I would say what he did was totally wrong and he shouldn't have done it at that level. Now that he has said sorry, you feel for the man. At least he had the guts to admit it and he has got his wife to support him. That means his character otherwise might have been sound. I really appreciate his wife.

In America also, ordinary Americans are not interested in his personal life. But the media is after him. I feel the future role of the media should be to write constructive and positive things. By saying Sarath Kumar has done this, Sarath Kumar has done that, what do you gain? Why don't you write about the good things that I have done?

Doesn't it hurt you when the media writes about your personal life?

It hurts. It hurts very badly. See, everybody has got a personal life and I too have one.

The Rediff Interviews