Director Sudha Kongara, who worked with Akshay Kumar in his latest film Sarfira, spoke about the initial creative differences she had with the superstar on the set in an interview with India Today. Sudha Kongara, who helmed the original Tamil film Soorarai Pottru with Suriya, also revealed that the producer had to play the mediator between Akshay Kumar and herself when both of them were unwilling to “give in”. When asked to share about her first encounter with Akshay Kumar on the set, Sudha Kongara recalled, “Both of us were quite individualistic in our approach to the script. He understood me and I understood him. Certain things that I’m very particular about, I don’t give in. And when I don’t give in, Vikram steps in. And then he’ll say, ‘No paaji, no paaji, you have to…’ It worked so brilliantly.”
However, the director didn’t shy away from revealing that Akshay Kumar’s process was different from hers. “I was stuck to the original… But this character isn’t quiet, he’s happy, he jumps around. He’s happy. Akshay brought that to the character. In the beginning, I didn’t understand him for about six days. We had our frictions. But he’s not the kind to get angry or shout. He’ll look through you. I didn’t care, because I was getting what I wanted anyways. When he’s upset, when he’s a little low, he gives you the best.”
Sudha also praised Akshay Kumar’s professionalism on the set. “He doesn’t even take a break, he doesn’t go off-set. I’ve never even seen him go to his vanity…”, said the director.
Earlier, in an interview with Galatta Plus, Akshay Kumar talked about his perspective and how Sudha is different from other directors in her approach towards the actor. Akshay Kumar said, “Sudha is a director who sets up her camera, and tells the actor what they need to do. But there are many directors who ask, ‘You tell me what you’re going to do, and I’ll move the camera accordingly. Sudha was telling me what I have to do, not the other way around.”
Sarfira is the official remake of the film Soorarai Pottru. Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal, Seema Biswas acted in the film. The film is running in the theatres.
