Prabhas became an overnight nationwide sensation with Baahubali. His latest release Radhe Shyam is doing well in South India. The Free Press Journal caught up with him for an exclusive chat.
When asked to make a choice between good content or a good director, he says, “Content and director are very important. I did work with a new director in Radhe Shyam. It is just his second film as a director. I introduce new directors. We have to take that risk. It does not mean that all successful directors’ films will be successful. We have to take risks.”
Unlike other stars who are flocking to OTT, Prabhas has no such intentions. “I’m not interested in doing OTT films/series right now. We have to see. OTT is still very new. There is definitely a good advantage with the advent of OTT, especially during the pandemic. If you say star image is getting affected, though I don’t know about all that (laughs). Then I will definitely not work in OTT,” he explains.
Prabhas doesn’t endorse many products. When quizzed about it, he says, “I am not very keen on endorsing though I got a lot of offers. I don’t know. It’s in my nature that I don’t like to expose myself too much. I don’t see myself in a lot of ads. Definitely, I am particular about products I endorse.”
There is a huge trend now where South Indian films are being remade in Bollywood left, right and centre. Speaking about it, he shares, “We never expected Baahubali to be such a huge success. Pushpa: The Rise we did expect because Sukumar is a very good director. But I didn’t expect KGF: Chapter 1 to go on such a huge level. The remake of Salman Khan’s Maine Pyar Kiya ran for more than 175 days in Telugu. My grandfather was a die-hard fan of Salman, so he watched the film and said, ‘Yeh hai hero!’ So the exchange of remaking films from the South or Bollywood has always been there. It’s not that it has opened up now. If Pushpa: The Rise and KGF: Chapter 1 did well, we don’t know if Punjabi and Gujarati films can do well. It’s all an experiment, and it’s not a rule. It depends on the audience what they may like and not like.”
Prabhas will be seen alongside Saif Ali Khan in Adipurush and Amitabh Bachchan in Nag Ashwin’s next, Project K. Opening about his experience of working with the two, he reveals, “When we are not shooting any scene, we go away into our caravan. Saif sir Amitabh sir, both don’t go anywhere. They stay on the sets. Saif had completed his shot and had packed up for the day. He had changed his dress and just came on the sets to bid all of us goodbye. He came on the sets and inquired what was happening? My close up was happening, and he immediately said, ‘Why didn’t you guys call me to give the cue?’. He stood there and gave the cue. These senior actors are amazing. Amitabh sir is something else.”
Prabhas does have a wishlist for a Bollywood director he would like to collaborate with. “I didn’t know audiences would like me so much after Baahubali. I met Raju Hirani when I stayed in Goregaon. We were living just two houses ahead of him. I love him and also love his films. I hope that one day we will work,” he concludes.
