Samuthirakani finds his ground finally
The actor shares his struggles, approach towards filmmaking, playing villain roles and Balachander's influence on him
Samuthirakani, not really a popular name with Telugu viewers, has garnered their attention with his rugged villain-ish look, speaking Srikakulam dialect, in the Allu Arjun-starrer Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. His latest look as Katari in Ravi Teja-starrer Krack got him closer to Telugu audiences further.
Although he directed two Telugu films so far — Shambo Shiva Shambo and Janda Pai Kapiraju, he has been recognised more as an antagonist than a director.
A year after Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, the actor says the praise that he has been getting for his negative role in the mob-centric, historical narrative Krack gives him immense joy. “I was scared of seeing myself as Katari on-screen during the look test.
It was completely director Gopichand Malineni’s call. It was his vision of projecting a villain on-screen. Ravi Teja on the sets was so exhilarating,” he says.
From grooming Ravi Teja for Shambo Shiva Shambo 10 years ago, to now sharing screen space with him for Krack — “Nothing has changed, the energy and his approach towards the craft are so admirable,” he says.
Share of struggles
Samuthirakani had his share of struggles when he had travelled to Chennai in 1992, soon after graduation. Recalling those days when he had to run from pillar to post seeking film roles at film production companies, the actor shares he had faced enough insults.
“Doors shut on my face. Many mocked me for the way I used to look — a lean, bespectacled person. But the initial offer came from Sundar K Vijayan who hired me as a copywriter just because he liked my handwriting. And thus started my journey.
I started writing for television soaps for more than 3,000 episodes. Later, I fumbled with directing a movie and again joined as an assistant for director Ameer Sultan to learn the tricks of trade. I worked as a co-director for Karthi’s first film Paruthiveeran. My break came through Raadhika Sarathkumar as I had worked for game shows like Selvi, Arasi and Thanga Vettai where 30 assistants under me worked for massive projects,” he adds.
Samutharikani doesn’t like to write stories keeping heroes in view, when it comes to commercial filmmaking. He says he has his own set of ideas and stories largely derived from the lives of the common public. “I have written enough scripts during the lockdown.
And I am planning to come back to direct one in Telugu as well,” he says, adding that he is learning the language gradually and he would like to dub for himself going forward. He wished not to disclose the role he is currently playing in SS Rajamouli’s RRR.
Impact of Balachander
Admittedly, the actor says his guru, K Balachander’s impact on his life and work is quite evident. “He used to say that a director needs to observe the negative points of an actor, only then the positive output would show on-screen. Greeting people wholeheartedly, respecting others’ time were some of his traits. After the movie Paruthiveeran, when I got to work for Nadodigal, he immediately observed that there was a roughness in the making. He patted me saying, ‘Ameer has influenced you. You were always a soft filmmaker’,” says the actor-director.
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