Actor-filmmaker RJ Balaji's next big film, Singapore Saloon, directed by Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara fame Gokul is all set for a grand release in theatres starting January 25. In that light, RJ Balaji sat down for a candid conversation with National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, the Editor-in-Chief of Galatta Plus, to talk about the much-awaited film, while also explaining why he feels leading Tamil actor Dhanush is his choice to play him in his biopic.
Rj Balaji, who had in an earlier interview mentioned that he preferred two-time National Award-winning actor Dhanush to act in his biopic, said, "I'm not going to research what I said. The success of Dhanush or probably the acceptance and [why] the people like him so much [is] because he's like not that 'hero' hero they have seen. And, to me, I consider myself as a very ordinary and normal boy. Even today there's a relevance and I recently went to IIT Saarang where I had a spotlight event. I was in a closed room with 700 young kids between the ages 17, 18, and 19, and I was so happy during those one and a half hours because the energy, the connect that I had with the audience back in 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2012, it happened once again in 2024. So, if I want to have that connect, I have to be myself. I can't pretend that I changed everything suddenly. I like being like this. So, as a normal boy, I can only see him and when you told me that I mentioned his name [to act as me], I said so because he's the only person who you can relate to any character."
Talking further about Dhanush, RJ Balaji further stated, "You can watch him play VIP or Thiruchitrambalam. All these really good Dhanush films are films that you think that boy is someone that you know or that boy is you. And, as far as I know, he's fluid on the screen. I earlier told you about learning what I'm receiving now. He's received so much over the years. I'm saying as a craft during the time when his film Devathaiyai Kanden came out, I've seen the Dhanush who would get angry. Even in Pudhupettai, in fact, he would angrily shout. As an actor, he entered the industry at the time and he's getting groomed. But, you watch the Dhanush getting angry now, you'll see a [change] in his craft."
RJ Balaji added, "In my next film, I've done a scene which requires me to be extremely angry and so I suddenly shout. For me, if I have to emote angrily, it's got to be me yelling. So, from that place, someone has traveled so much and yet he's vulnerable on the screen. I can relate to him as someone that I know or someone that is like me. So, I think he'll perform in not only my role, but any role that comes his way, and if it's going to be my biopic, I'll be the one who writes it because I know all the darkest things and the right things to say."
Watch RJ Balaji in conversation with Baradwaj Rangan in the video below:
