O Kadhal Kanmani is his second film in Tamil, but Malayali actor Dulquer Salmaan is on home turf, having grown up and studied in Chennai.
Mammootty’s son wears his celebrity status lightly and speaks in fluent Tamil without any hint of a Malayalam accent. Easy to talk to, Salmaan has an infectious smile playing on his lips the whole while. Occasionally it goes into hiding when a question is posed to him and he listens intently before replying. Soon the smile is back.
“Adi is a likeable guy,” says Salmaan of his character in the film, out this weekend.
How different is this lover boy to BKN of 100 Days of Love, his Malayalam film that released last month?
“BKN was full of self-doubt and insecurities having gone through a break-up. Adi is more confident, more brash and loud.
“I find this story different from Alaipayuthe [another romantic film by Mani Ratnam]. That was a simple and a beautiful story. This story is of a different time, of today’s youngsters. Mani sir is in tune with youngsters.”
Since O Kadhal Kanmani was shot in sync sound, Salmaan had to keep a watch on his accent, especially the English accent while delivering lines in Tamil.
“In other films, you improve during the dubbing stage but that safety net was not here,” he adds.
Carrying home the valuable experience of working in a Ratnam film, Salmaan compares the film’s experience to joining the prestigious Indian Institute on Technology. But it was not a teacher-student relationship. “There were rehearsals and I had the freedom to improvise.”
Remembering his time on the sets, Salmaan says, “What amazed me was the energy levels of Mani Sir and [cinematographer] Sreeram Sir. Their love for cinema and the craft was contagious.”
What about tips from his father?
“The best thing about dad is he never interferes,” says Salmaan.
“His father was a farmer and when dad started in the industry, he had no one to guide him. He always says that I am responsible for my mistakes and also to learn from mistakes.”
The Chennai paiyan (lad) is counting the days until he can watch his film on home ground before starting his next films in Malayalam, the industry he entered with Second Show.
Salmaan will be working with directors Martin Prakkat and National Award-winning cinematographer Rajeev Ravi soon.
