Rajuettan and the Art of Interviews
Did anyone see the recent Prithviraj's interview with Anupama Chopra (Hollywood Reporter India) ?
People might hate on him, he might not be a gifted actor like Lalettan, and his detractors might even call him a limited actor... but he is THE best communicator and interviewee in the English language, bar none, in our film industry. And possibly one of the best in the country. The ideal person to market Mollywood and our films outside Kerala and India.
A lot of folks think if someone speaks English poshly a la Shashi Tharoor, uses big words, and maintains a dignified body language, they must be a brilliant communicator. That is a huge misconception; that is only surface-level. There are tons of other attributes that make you a top-tier communicator, and Prithviraj checks all the boxes. Evident from this particular interview:
Ability to articulate clearly and lucidly
Fluency and clarity of thought
Gestures and body language: Prithvi is able to seamlessly incorporate his acting abilities into his communication.
Providing apt anecdotes with a dose of humor
Masterful inflection and use of adjectives
Here's the main thing: he doesn't let the interviewer set the tone, lead the conversation, or hijack his train of thought. What he wants to communicate, he says bluntly and fully, irrespective of what the interviewer thinks or how the audience might perceive it.
Like Shashi Tharoor and SRK, he possesses that natural charisma that makes you want to listen to him. He has the rare ability to inspire the listener.
Crucially, he always operates with a clear agenda on what he wants to convey to the audience and how they'll perceive it...that is incredible clarity of thought.
If you watched the entire interview (and kudos to Anupama Chopra for giving him the space to express himself), the part where he talks about SS Rajamouli and Varanasi literally pulls you into that world.
After that particular segment, I felt truly inspired by Prithviraj's words and realized two things very clearly: first, the sheer amount of hard work that goes into Rajamouli's films and the genius behind the man; and second, that Prithviraj is one hell of a communicator. R10's objectives were entirely met.
A limited actor maybe...but a master communicator, a marketing maverick, and a shrewd businessman. Truly an asset to our industry.
PS: Let’s be real...Prithviraj is a corporate machine dressed as a filmmaker, and every single thing he does is carefully orchestrated for market capitalization. This isn't PR praise... it’s a clinical observation. Even if you dislike his acting or his cold, transactional hustle, you can not deny his absolute supremacy as an interviewee.