Prakash Varma, 52, the long-lasting promoting movie maker, has created a few of India’s most riveting commercials, together with Vodafone’s ZooZoo marketing campaign, Hutch’s pug sequence, the traditional ‘Your second is ready’ sequence for Kerala Tourism and the favored Dubai Tourism one that includes Shah Rukh Khan amongst umpteen different memorable movies. Varma, the co-founder of Nirvana movies (a Bangalore-based firm), views himself as a risk-taker who desires to push boundaries with every bit of labor. The yr 2025 noticed him take a step into uncharted territory with a strong efficiency in Tharun Moorthy’s directorial enterprise Thudarum, the place he performed the villainous ‘George sir’ that’s positive to get him many extra roles within the Malayalam movie trade. Excerpts from an interview:
Hello Prakash, the film Thudarum reverse Mohanlal has given you star standing within the Malayalam film trade. Now, I’m positive film provides will begin pouring in. Being an promoting trade icon, did you ever lengthy for an performing profession in films?
No. In my early days, I sought alternatives to turn out to be an assistant director in films, however by no means for an performing task. There have been provides since Thudarum, however I need to decide solely the best initiatives. It was an opportunity that I took because the provide was made to me (Thudarum), and it appears to have labored, given the response and acceptance I obtained after the movie was launched. A lot gratitude.
I’m not skilled in performing or theatre or something, however I’ve labored with actors, and I observe folks as a part of what I do. I used to be unsure if I might pull off this massive position, that too up towards a powerhouse like Mohanlal, who has many years of exemplary work behind him. In truth, I used to be truthfully nervous that I might be losing his time and director Tharun Moorthy’s time if I didn’t ship. Happily, I used to be made to really feel welcome and accepted as a part of the staff, quickly into the shoot. Tharun assured me that he had discovered his George (Prakash’s villain character within the film) and all was comfy thereafter.
I’ll act if I can handle the time and really feel I can tackle the problem.
So, when are you directing a full-length function movie?
Appearing was by no means one thing I wished to do. It was at all times directing. So far as the highway forward for me is anxious, sure, directing a full-length function is my objective. Hopefully, I’ll get there quickly. There’s a plan to get a film shoot up and working in 2026. However that is the film world, and plans can change.
You’ve at all times been a risk-taker with adverts like Zoozoo and the Hutch pug and numerous different concepts that pushed the envelope. Now you might be about to take one other danger with directing a film. What makes you a compulsive risk-taker?
With regard to directing a film, I’m considering, if not now, when? What’s there to worry? You’re proper. I’m a danger taker within the sense that I’ve at all times preferred to push the boundary. That makes the entire course of thrilling. You must attempt to do sensible work. After all, typically it might not work the best way you wished, however that’s effective by me. You attempt once more.
Work is about contemporary concepts, thrilling challenges, and new collaborations. The final thirty years have taught me to be grateful and grounded and to encompass myself with just a few good folks.
How totally different is advert filmmaking in 2025 in comparison with, let’s say, 25 years in the past while you began out?
As an advert filmmaker, I perceive that the brand new period of promoting has many challenges, comparable to rising tech, tighter budgets, and so forth, however I really feel it is very important keep targeted on telling good tales, as they by no means exit of vogue. We must also hold the target market in thoughts and never deviate from that.
Probably the most memorable adverts join us by a robust thought, an endearing story, or comedian timing. Manufacturers ought to be assured of their capacity to attempt new issues and keep true to their messaging relatively than do too many issues in a brief span.
Each movie would not need to be a success, however as a substitute of doing too many issues, you must do just a few and do them properly. The longer term is at all times thrilling. We study, adapt, and make modifications. We have now to reshape our considering and use our time and assets properly. The enjoyment for me is in creating and in doing. One can by no means predict the end result. You possibly can solely attempt. The remainder is just not in anybody’s management. You win some, you lose some.
What retains you going creatively after so a few years?
I attempt to discover a stability between private {and professional} journeys. I should be enthusiastic about what I’m doing, and that features work, journey, exploring new locations and experiencing meals and tradition, particularly with my household.
It’s additionally about deeply having fun with what you do. When you’re in love together with your work, it ceases to be work. I like being on units. The manufacturing, sound design, music, and the entire course of may be very fascinating. The bottom line is to get pleasure from that course of and interact with skills from the world over.
Are you amazed by the expertise that Malayalam films have produced in the previous couple of many years? particularly administrators who’re making classics of their first try. A few of these administrators have by no means assisted anybody else.
The filmmaking tradition in Malayalam has at all times been wealthy. Even kids throng movie festivals to see nice cinema from everywhere in the world. You must see the sort of questions they ask. Our filmmakers are very assured and have readability. All of those come from the tradition that we have now developed through the years. Our viewers may be very open to new concepts and is very advanced of their tastes. So, this circulate of expertise doesn’t shock me. We’ll produce even higher films in instances to return, and thoughts you, we produce such good high quality work with low budgets.