National Award winning dance choreographer Dinesh will be making his screen debut as a hero in Oru Kuppai Kadhai that has grabbed a lot of eyeballs ever since its recent audio launch. Jyothsna Bhavanishankar catches up with Dinesh Master to make him share his experiences doing the film.
Oru Kuppai Kadhai was something that I had not expected. I had gone to meet Ameer sir on a different note. Kuppai Kadhai director and producer had come to meet Ameer sir. There was a talk that surfaced there which suggested that I act in it. I very jocularly brushed it aside saying that there will not be a heroine to suit my height. But they insisted that I listen to the story and then decide. I also nodded and left the place and never paid much attention to the talk. Later they compelled me to listen to the story and after I discussed with my family, I heard the story and immediately agreed upon listening to the story.
Why I agreed instantly was because of the story being different. If it had been a normal one where hero goes behind the heroine, roams around park, beach or malls, I would not have said yes. It talks about an issue that we generally read a lot in newspapers. I expect at least a couple of people to mend their ways after seeing this film. That is the kind of story.
The backdrop of Kuppai Kadhai is about a rag picking boy. Even a rag picker will have a family, right? He will have parents and in his life also would feature marriage, children etc. The film will talk about these things. Although the backdrop of the film is about a rag picker, the film is a family drama.
If I talk about my role in the film, it will be like throwing light on the entire film right away.
I did not find any difference. I have been a dance master for the past 18 years. Before that, for many years, I have danced in groups of Sundaram Master, Prabhu Deva Master, Raju Sundaram Master etc. Masters have asked us so show small emotions while dancing in front of the camera and I have done that. I have also performed solo shows in front of the camera. Therefore it was not something that was new to appear or perform before the camera.
No, I did not do any homework. Director would explain the scene and I used to enact. I had almost become like the character. But after I am done for the day, I used to call everybody from director to assistant director to editor to find out about my performance, whether my work was good enough or should I have done better. I am someone who would extract work for a dance scene and I did not want to fall behind in my role as hero. I was conscious on that. The crew felt I had done well. Now, it is for the audience to pass their judgment.
I am a director's Master. I deliver what the directors need in a particular dance sequence. I have done films like Ram, Subramaniapuram, Eesan, Paruthi Veeran and Aaukalam to name a few. The portions that I had done in these films will be in line with the story and they would be in sync with it. I felt it should be the same with Kuppai Kadhai too and I had suggested it to the team. They also were in the same page as mine and we had done the same way. There are minimal dance movements in just one song and they are not force fitted because I happen to be a dance master.
I felt very shy and embarrassed because my nature is like that. I am a very straight forward and down-to-earth person who believes in not forgetting the path that I had travelled. I had no family back up or anything of that sort when I entered the film industry. I came alone.
But I need to thank many people for what I am today. My brothers Narayanan and Ravikumar were the first ones who put me on stage in my school days. My friends who paid my school fees were the ones who helped me financially to procure card in dancer's union in 1993. But Prabhu Deva Master and Nagendra Prasad helped me enter film industry. They only took me to Sundaram Master and put in a few good words about my dancing capabilities. Later I learnt the craft from Prabhu Deva master and Raju Sundaram master.
My brother's friends Karuna anna, Muruga anna, Dheena anna and Senthil anna also helped me a lot.
My travel was from the last row to the middle row to the second row and then first row; then I became an assistant. I came to cinema in 1993 and in 2001, I became master. In 2002 Vijay sir gave a great song to me which was like a turning point in my career- All Thotta Bhupathy Naanada. I can proudly say that Vijay sir lighted the lamp in my life. My thanks to him! After that, many songs have started coming and by God's grace and my parent's blessings, many have become hits. From there, I have travelled now to be a hero in a film.
I will not see any of my awards because I believe that if I see them, it might go to my head. I have got many awards but they are not for me. They are all for my children and grandchildren. According to me, the best award is to work for a longer time in cinema and be contemporary. I should be a competitor to the newcomers. Take for instance, PC Sreeram, he is still working. His students have also come in, but he is still contemporary. Same is the case with Mani Ratnam. There are so many like this. They have been in the industry for a long time. As regards me, this is the best award.
I am not hasty in anything. Offers had been coming. But I did not take anything. Dance is like my Kuladeivam which I cannot leave. We need to go to Kuladeivam temple right? If you ask me what is acting, then I would say it is a Murugan temple where Kumbabishegam is being done. I was called for Kumbabishegam and I went there. I have prayed and come back which is to say I have acted and returned. After this, if Lord Murugar and Saami (Tamil audiences) accept me, I will go to Murugar temple often. If audiences accept me, I will act.