'SOME FILMS REQUIRE ME TO OVERACT'

Actor Lal discusses what stardom means to him, his approach to acting, working with Elan on Star, and more

-  SREEJITH MULLAPPILLY

THERE is a moment in the trailer for Star where Kavin, who plays an aspiring actor, poses for a picture with the cut-outs of Vijay and Ajith.

The man who takes the picture is Lal, who himself has rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest stars of Indian cinema.

A director-turned-actor, Lal has shared screen space with Mohanlal and Mammootty in Malayalam, Ajith and Dhanush in Tamil, as well as Prabhas and Pawan Kalyan in Telugu, to name a few.

Lal made his Tamil debut with a dual role in Vijayakanth's Engal Anna, directed by his longtime collaborator Siddique. From his experience working with stars, Lal defines stardom as a byproduct of hard work, talent, and a constant drive to return from setbacks. "You have to work hard to earn stardom and, more importantly, retain it. If you look at stars in any industry, they all go through a phase in their career where their films do not work, but they keep fighting and eventually come out of it," says Lal.

For someone who started as an assistant director in cinema and a co-director with his frequent collaborator Siddique, Lal has rarely felt starstruck. "I like all good actors and respect them. I do not necessarily see any of them as stars," says Lal.