Simbu on why he has always been on time while shooting for Mani Ratnam’s films!

Chennai: Actor Silambarasan, who is fondly referred to as Simbu by his fans, has now disclosed why he has always been on time while shooting for ace director Mani Ratnam’s films.

Simbu, who is a part of director Mani Ratnam’s upcoming film ‘Thug Life’, featuring Kamal Haasan in the lead, during a recent discussion held to promote the film, spoke about how people kept asking him how he was always on time for Mani Ratnam’s film shoots.

“A question that several people have asked me is,’You go correctly to Mani sir’s shoots. How is that?’,” Simbu said.

“They also ask, ‘Is he strict and are you scared of him?’ ‘Is that why you go on time to his shoots?’,” he added.

“Honestly, I don’t fear him (Mani Ratnam). I like him a lot. I have not been late even on a single day while shooting for Mani Ratnam sir’s films. In fact, I have reached the spot before him sometimes. The reason is I am an actor. If we trust a director and a producer to act in a film, firstly, they should make the film in the time they say they will make a film. First, a director has to come on time. Only then will all the actors come on time,” Simbu said.

“Similarly, if Mani sir tells a story, he will not come to the shooting spot and wonder how he must take the shot. If he comes, he knows what he must take. What has to be done? He will complete a film in the time he has promised. He will not waste the time of an actor, not waste a call sheet. Payments will be made on time, film will release on time. So when a man has practised all these for so many years and has perfected it, who will not come on time,” he asked.

The actor went on to say, “Similarly, when it comes to corrections, there are a few directors, who will sit in front of the monitor and tell from there itself, ‘Do this or that’. Mani sir, even if he is seated far away, will come to you and tell you what he wants.”

“If I had got directors like Mani sir, my fans would have been very happy and several films of mine would have been released. I could have done a lot of movies,” he said, saying that if Mani Ratnam calls him for even three films, he would drop all his other work and go and act for him.

–IANS