I am basically a very shy person: Prabhas
However, the actor is quick to add that the physical stress has been far less for this film when compared to his earlier magnum opus.
It’s quite possible to spot actor Prabhas in Chennai in the morning and in Hyderabad by the evening. On a hectic promotional trail of upcoming film Saaho, the actor is also busy giving interviews all the way up to midnight. “It’s hectic for me because the film is releasing in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. While there were several actors who could promote Baahubali, I have to do this one all alone,” says Prabhas, modestly admitting that he never expected his film to become such a craze all over India. “I struggled a lot to give even one hit initially. Post that, one or two of my films tanked. But then, Rajamouli took over and the two parts of Baahubali became a super success, creating an unthinkable history,” says the actor, who states that the success of Baahubali egged him on to do Saaho — a pan-Indian film with a budget of more than Rs 300 crore!
However, the actor is quick to add that the physical stress has been far less for this film when compared to his earlier magnum opus. “I used to do an action scene every day for Baahubali and even had to ride a horse. But Saaho is more technical, so there is less physical stress. Of course, I am definitely more stressed out about the outcome of this film,” says the actor with a laugh.
A screenplay-based film, Saaho is suitable for any language, says Prabhas, adding that it does not deal with any current day issues even though he is playing a CBI officer. As for rumours that either he or co-star Shraddha Kapoor is playing a dual role in the film, he says, “Shraddha is definitely not playing a dual role and as for me, watch the film to find out!”
The actor is candid enough to admit that the actress was not always the first choice for the film. “We did considered a few other actresses initially, although we were certain that we wanted someone from Bollywood. Shraddha is known for her romantic movies, so we roped her in as there is enough romance in the film. Also, we thought she would give a fresh take to the action scenes, so all the more reason to get her on board,” he explains.
Admitting that he is shy by nature, the actor confesses, “When I meet a person for the first time, I don’t talk much, but if I meet him/her regularly, then I talk a lot.” As for his time-off, Prabhas says he likes going out with his friends. “I have nearly 15 to 20 friends from my college days. We like to chit-chat or go to Europe and the US for holidays together. I also watch a lot of films,” he shares, adding that he is a fast shopper. “I don’t shop for hours, I just go and pick up whatever I like and complete my shopping in minutes,” he says.
Usually tight-lipped about his family, Prabhas reveals that he spends a lot of time with them. “We all live side-by-side. I just met my sister and her two sons. My brother also stays next to me and I meet him and all my family members regularly,” he shares. Quite suprisingly, the actor says that he doesn’t go to the gym regularly. “I go only twice or thrice a week to the gym. And I am particular about food only when I am shooting for a film, otherwise I eat everything,” he reveals. Given that the teaser and trailer of the Hindi version has the actor mouthing Hindi dialogues on his own, Prabhas says, “I didn’t get any complaints about my lines from Hindi speaking folks!”
As for the recent appearance on a dance show, where he shook a leg with Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon, Prabhas says, “Anil Thadani (Raveena’s husband) is my close friend from the Baahubali days, so he asked me to do two Hindi shows, even though I tried to convince him otherwise. In fact, those kinds of dances are not really my style, but once I was on the show, I had to do it,” he shares with a smile.