First of all congratulations on Yavvana (song from Sathya). How does it feel the track topping almost all music charts for quite sometime now?

Thank you..Its definitely a wonderful feeling and I hope the popularity of the song transpires for the film as well.

Simon K King was relatively a lesser known musician until Yavvana. Were you expecting his music to have such a reach?

No. I was initially very sceptical about roping in Simon as his last film was about three years ago. But my director Pradeep Krishnamoorthy had a strong conviction about having him as the music director. And thanks to him (Pradeep), not only the songs but I am very happy with the way the background scores have come out too. A big thanks to Simon King for this.

Sathya is a remake of Kshanam. Since its a mystery thriller, would there be any surprises awaiting those who've watched the original?

No. We didn't see the need to change anything despite our film thriving on the whole "suspense factor". Of-course there are a few additions according to our Tamil audience's taste but pretty much everything has been retained. But I assure you people will like Sathya even better than the original

Your choice of films right from Lee have belonged to different genres. For instance Lee was about sports, Naanayam was about bank-robbery, Jackson Durai was a horror-comedy..Is this script-selection conscious?

I wouldn't say it is a deliberate choice but one thing I look while selecting a script is whether it would work with the audience or not. The only conscious choice I ever made was for Naaigal Jaakirathai which has a completely out-of-the-box story and fell under the experimental genre.

Talking of conscious choices, what is it that you look for in a script before finalizing it. Also how far do you think has your script-selecting process helped?

I think my script-selecting process has worked for me in the last 4-5 films of mine (laughs). As far as the script selection process goes, it should first and foremost have potential for me as an actor; and it should definitely have comedy in it.

You attended an acting workshop at the New York Film Academy in LA. What was one take-way from that course?

The acting method you see there is very different from the acting that we use in Tamil cinema. But the workshop definitely helped my acting a lot. I was taught to be more natural on-screen with my emotions and no matter what the scene, i was taught to give it with full energy.

You are one of the very few actor in Tamil Cinema whom the audience has accepted playing both good and bad. Have you ever thought this acceptance was may be due to your father's (Sathyaraj) legacy (famous for playing both hero and villain)?

One thing I'd like to point is that my father's legacy has in no way attributed to my career (laughs). He has produced three films of mine, yes, but other than that Whatever I've achieved or the acceptance level is because of the inputs the audience have given me.

Now that you mention home production, is there a default-hope from a director's end that a script would be bankrolled by Naathambal? If so how do you handle it?

See, in a week I listen to 4-5 scripts of which I end-up liking 1 or 2 scripts. Every script comes with a budget and only if it suits mine, I would be able to take it over. So if director comes with the sole criterion of me producing the film, I end up not taking the offer. It is understood that we can't be producing each and every film that comes our way.

What is one major difference between working for a home banner and otherwise?

For me, the stress level is obviously more while working on a home production. Its easy to follow instructions and do what you are told to but when it comes to decisions, it far more pressing. Of-course I have a team who handle all the manual work but eventually the decision-making has to be passed through me and that I find that stress adding to the actual work.

Any future projects that you are working on?

Well I have Ranga that is coming up after Sathya. Apart from that I am listening to a lot of scripts.; you would know when I like one. (The actor signs off).

Sibiraj features alongside Remya Nambeesan and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar in Sathya and has played the titular role in the film. The film is produced under his home banner Naathambal Film Factory and is a re-make made on the story by Adivi Sesh.