After an impressive outing in director Bala's Naachiyaar earlier this year, GV Prakash will next be seen in Sema. Directed by debutant Vallikanth, the film is written by director Pandiraj. It is expected to be far-removed from the usual brand of youthful films that GV associates with. Sema was censored in September last year and will finally hit theaters this Friday. The multifaceted actor–composer says, "Sema will be a feel-good family entertainer with a rural flavour. Pandiraj sir approached me with this subject, which was replete with comedy, motherly sentiment, a husband-wife relationship and also portrayed matchmaking in detail. It felt like a fresh film and gave me the opportunity to reach out to children and families in the rural belts. I think Sema is the first Tamil film in which matchmaking sequences will work out well. After many attempts, the protagonist finally finds a girl. But, there are issues that cause a lot of drama to unfold in their relationship."
Popular comedian Yogi Babu, who made his mark in GV's Enakku Innoru Per Irukku, will be a major attraction in Sema.
Anurag Kashyap called me after seeing the trailer of Naachiyaar and said that he couldn't even recognize me and that I was a completely different character
"He is currently the top comedian in Tamil and is a part of all the big films. His portions in Sema will not only be comedic, but emotional too. I think this is the maximum screen time he has had so far. I really loved the character of the friend in Arjun Reddy, who stays with the hero through his ups and downs. Yogi Babu will have a similar role in Sema. We had good fun while shooting on the main roads of Trichy. We had to shout from a mic and sell vegetables from a small van; Pandiraj taught us the nuances. Yogi Babu is also a part of my forthcoming film with Adhik Ravichandran and Baba Bhasker's Kuppathu Raja," says Prakash.
There was an expectation that GV would bag the coveted National Award for his performance in Naachiyaar. Was he disappointed to have missed out?
"The National Awards are based on the mindset and tastes of the concerned jury. I would've been happy had the award come my way but there is nothing to feel bitter about, either. It isn't healthy to work with an eye on awards. With Naachiyaar, I wanted to prove myself as an actor and Bala sir brought it out beautifully on screen. I'm very happy that I did that film and it has taken my career forward. Anurag Kashyap called me after seeing the trailer of Naachiyaar and said that he couldn't even recognize me and that I was a completely different character. He also expressed his interest to work with me. Naachiyaar has opened doors to more challenging, performance-oriented films. My upcoming films with directors Vijay, Vasantha Bala and Sasi will further chisel me as an actor."
After K.Viswanath sir, I feel Rajiv sir is the one who has handled a film based on music convincingly
Director Rajiv Menon is back to direction, 18 years after Kandukonden Kandukonden, with Sarvam Thaala Mayam, a film in which GV plays a musician. A.R. Rahman is composing the film's score.
"I learnt to play the drums and other native percussion instruments like ganjira and mridangam for this film. Rajiv sir has treated music very passionately and has also discussed Dalit politics. After K.Viswanath sir, I feel Rajiv sir is the one who has convincingly handled a film based on music. He has always given great importance to songs. We've travelled all across the country (Mizoram, Kashmir and Rajasthan) for a song and it'll be a spectacular visual treat. Sarvam Thaala Mayam will be another memorable film in my career. It'll release in Tamil and Telugu; we are planning an English version as well. The release campaign will be huge."
GV is also set to work only in the music department of Suriya's upcoming film with director Sudha Kongara. GV says he and Sudha go back a long way,
"I've known her since her days as an assistant director. Musically, this film will be a different area for me and we are trying to deliver a new, unexplored sound. The composing is almost done. It'll be an interesting film; it's too early to reveal more," he says.
After Sema, GV has Kuppathu Raja and Sarvam Thaala Mayam in the release pipeline. He has also completed the shoot of 100 Percent Kaadhal and is halfway through his untitled film with Adhik Ravichandran, in which he will be paired with Amyra Dastur. Among his other projects are 4G, a sci-fi film heavy on visual effects and Adangathey, a political thriller shot in Varanasi, directed by newcomer Shanmugam Muthusamy.