“I am the only male lead in the female oriented film called Siyappa”: Prabhas Singh Rajput

By Jyothi Venkatesh

The dashing as well as debonair actor Prabhas Singh Rajput, who plays the only male lead in an out and out women oriented action film called Siyappa says that the name of the character that he is essaying in the film is Veer Pratap Singh. The fun cum action cum adventure film is all set to be made for a popular International OTT platform which has streamed several mainstream Hindi films during the pandemic. The film will be directed by Vikas Phadnis who is making his debut as a director with the film.

Prabhas is not exactly a novice in films since he has earlier acted in the Anurag Kashyap directorial called Mukkebaaz, besides a short film. Prabhas has also acted in a dew TV serials like Crime Patrol on air on Sony TV. “My dad is a farmer and it was he who encouraged me wholeheartedly to pursue my interest in acting by asking me to join a theatre group and stay acting though he is still a farmer”, quips Prabhas as we start talking over coffee at a suburban coffee shop.

Prabhas who confesses that right from the time he was just a tiny to the was very keen on taking up acting as his career, adds that it was with Manzil theatre group that he honed his skills as an actor by being part of three different plays, which were staged at the Shriram Centre in New Delhi to a thundering applause. Prabhas has also learnt acting from stalwarts like Barry John and Chittaranjan Giri and also acted in nukkad plays at Connaught Palace in New Delhi in the formative years of his career as an actor.

Also read: “Arjun Pathak is the most difficult character I have played”: Kartik Aaryan

Prabhas says that his favorite actors in Bollywood are Hrithik Roshan, Sunil Shetty, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan and Alia Bhatt, Jacqueline Fernandez, Katrina Kaif and last bit not the least Jahnvi Kapoor. When asked who the directors are in his wish list, Prabhas hesitatingly names Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Kabir Khan and S.S. Rajamouli, who had helmed the Bahubali franchise.

Prabhas who confesses that being part of web series or films that have passionate kissing as well as nudity is not at all his forte, admits that he had even said No to an offer which had come from Ekta Kapoor to him to act in her popular web series XXX, because he was not ready to bare his skin of the show. “I did not bag the offer to act in Siyappa just on the platter just because Vikas Phadnis is an old friend of mine. I had to give strenuous audition for my part and it was only after he felt that I was fit for the part that Vikas gave me the role.”

To prepare for his part, Prabhas has started his home work which includes working on his biceps, learning not only martial arts but also dancing. Prabhas Singh Rajput signs off on a serious comedy note. “When I took all my friends to the theatre to show them Mukkebaaz which was my first film, I was not only embarassed in front of my friends  but also shell shocked to see that my part had been scissored away by director Anurag Kashyap”.