Red hot Prabhas on turning Ten - TeluguPeople.com News

'If I'd known I wanted to be an actor from the beginning, I wouldn't have bothered studying as much as I did,' begins actor Prabhas who reckons his latest film Mirchi as his biggest success yet.

After finishing his undergraduate course in commerce, he took the acting plunge and hasn't looked back. Starting his career in 2002 with Eeshwar, the actor who says Mani Ratnam's films and the film background in the family are what probably propelled him towards the industry, had his first major break in 2004 with Varsham.

However, with his last film not doing so well, the well received Mirchi has a left a visible impact on the actor; you can't miss the beaming smile under the beard he now sports.

Talking about the recent lull in his career he says, 'I still don't take flops casually; I take it very seriously if my film doesn't do well.' In all fairness, nobody can really get used to delivering a series of flops, but Prabhas' motivation to do better most likely stems from that.

An out-and-out commercial actor, he says his first allegiance is to his fans. 'They have to like the film. I won't deviate too far -- in terms of character ' from being 'the' hero. I think Mr Perfect is the maximum I've ever have, and ever will, stretch away.'

Nevertheless, at the same time, he knows as an actor he can't be stereotyped. 'I was in fact getting bored of doing action films all the time. Which is why I did films like Darling and Mr Perfect. But now, I'm going to get back to it.' And he will do so in quite the epic manner.

Starring in a lead role in SS Rajamouli's period film Bahubali, Prabhas says he's currently undergoing training in sword fighting. 'Trainers from Vietnam have been brought in. Both Rana (Daggubati) and I are undergoing training together. We will also go through a more intensive training in sword fight itself later on.'

Rana Daggubati who's been roped in to play the antagonist in the film, is also seemingly taller than the six-foot-odd actor. Considering both men will be beefed up for their roles in the films, are the two going to go head-to-head?

Smiling bashfully, he says, 'I can't tell you that.' Hypothetically, if they were to clash, how does he think his fans would take it? 'It would be quite exciting. Rana's actually an inch and half or so taller than I am. You'll have to wait and see.'

While the audience will have to wait at most a year or so before the film hits screens, Prabhas has waited almost four years for the project to take off. Telling us more, he says, 'Rajamouli came to me with the script a while ago. I was able to hear just a few lines, but I was already hooked. I've been waiting since, but things didn't fall into place. He got caught up in Eega and then I had my projects.'

His determination to work with the director was such that Mirchi was almost skipped on. 'I was waiting for things with Rajamouli to work out but I didn't want to rush him; my director needs to be comfortable.

So for six months after Mr Perfect, I didn't sign anything.' But eventually, the time frame accommodated what has now turned out be his biggest success yet.

Made entirely by his friends and cousins, the Prabhas has a more personal connection to Mirchi. 'They went all out. If it was anybody else, they would've cut corners, but I think these guys spent more than required. The focus was on making a good movie.'

Playing the lead, along with Anoushka Shetty, his next film with Rajamouli will be his third collaboration with the actress. 'I'm very comfortable with her now. She's good at getting people around her comfortable. She' also a good human being, so it's nice to work with her.'

So does he think Mirchi will put him in the coveted top spot in the industry? Brushing aside the question, he says, 'I don't think a few hit movies can really determine that. I believe if you've been consistently doing well for at least 10 or 20 years, that's when you're really at the top.'

Having just completed a decade in the industry, looking back, Prabhas feels that in the years to come, he must pay more attention to the scripts he chooses. 'A film like Chakram was appreciated by families, yet my fans weren't all too thrilled. In that sense, I think I should choose more carefully,' he explains.

Favourite people in the industry? 'I like the way Puri Jagannadh thinks, the way Rajamouli builds his movie and Karunakaran's narration. These things I've been trying to learn from them constantly.'

So if not acting, or preparing for a role, what does he like doing? 'I'm a very lazy person. I like to laze around or hang out with my friends, and just relax. I also like to travel, but I do that anyway when I'm shooting.'