Holding his own

The pressure of being Sivaji Ganesan’s grandson can be oppressive, but Vikram Prabhu has managed to keep his head above the water. So far so good. After a long schedule this month, the actor is getting some time off to be with his family. “I have been working without a break for a while now. I need a break.” Currently working on three movies (Ivan Vera Maadhiri, Arima Nambi and Sigaram Thodu), Vikram says he is more confident than before. It is well-known that the actor took his time to don the greasepaint, but it wasn’t because he wasn’t interested in movies. “I hold a bachelor’s degree in theatre. Contrary to what people think, it was not as if I was never interested in movies. I have always wanted to be an actor, but I felt the time wasn’t right. Which is why I waited before I decided to do Kumki.” The actor says his career has gone according to plan so far. “My next three films are different. I did not want to get typecast as a villager who is always around with elephants,” he laughs and adds, “I am playing a youth in the city and I like it.” Has his industry experience matched his expectations? Like most young actors, Vikram understands the impact of Internet on the film industry and the changes it brings along. “The Internet makes the world smaller and the audiences are exposed to films made world over. Our filmmakers too are being influenced. The day is not far when our films begin to reflect our social reality,” he says.