This Venkata loves sankata

Actor-director Ramesh Aravind spends an afternoon at the MiD DAY office and shares stories and secrets over strong coffee. His film, Venkata in Sankata, a comedy on the travails of a cop, releases on February 13.

This Venkata loves sankata

"There are two golden rules in the film industry. Never fight with your producer and never fall in love with your co-star," quips popular actor-director Ramesh Aravind, sipping on coffee at the MiD DAY office at 4.30 pm on Sunday.

The conversation is peppered with witty repartee and hearty guffaws. It's easy to understand why the down-to-earth actor is popular with his colleagues and fans.

Rapid fire round

Why slapstick comedy from an actor who is capable of serious cinema? "Comedy is necessary in dark times. I feel happy to give people a complete entertainer. But making a film like Taare Zameen Par will always be on my radar," he admits.

Candid and charming by turns, it's easy to see why he's an interviewer's delight.

Where's the sankata (trouble) when you're surrounded by a bevy of beauties, we ask. But he insists that the four-month schedule was so packed for him as actor-director that he began speaking to the girls only over the last few days. "You actually did a course in acting in London?" he asks Sharmila Mandre, when he learns that she's had formal training.

His cast and crew share an easy camaraderie with him. They enjoy his wisecracks and he revels in their gentle ribbing.

"When Meghana calls me on the phone, I don't understand a word of what she's saying. I say, 'OK, OK, Bye' and then ask her what she actually said when I meet her in person," he jokes, taking a harmless dig at his US-born heroine's accent.

The Kamal factor

Ramesh effortlessly switches gears from banter to serious conversation when asked if he has finally got over his Kamal Hassan fixation.

"Had a scribe asked me this question a few years ago, I would have got all huffy. Today, I admit that Kamal's influence has been huge. He is like a school of acting. I always show him my films because I value his opinion.

He minces no words when he sees my films. I'm waiting for his verdict on Venkata in Sankata," he replies.

If the film is as grounded in reality as Ramesh, the star who has no starry airs, box office registers will be ringing, we're sure.

A typical day in the life of Ramesh Aravind
Tongue firmly in cheek, the actor-director takes us through his routine.u00a0
6 am: Wake up ('My kids are the best alarm clocks in the world')
6:15-6:30 am: Pretend to exercise ('Six-pack abs are best left to the Aamirs and Shah Rukhs of the world')
7.30 am: Leave for shooting ('Read, plan my day and watch films on DVD while my chauffeur negotiates traffic-clogged roads')
7 pm: Pack up ('More movie-watching in the car. I am a complete film buff, so I enjoy long drives as long as I am not driving')
9 pm: Dinner with family, horsing around with the kids and bedtime ('Even an actor needs his beauty sleep!')