Jyothika has created history for Red Carpet by gaining more than 7 lakhs views…

She has always been like that, she is a better actor than me and also enjoyed huge success before me as soon as we completed Poovellam Kettupaar` her career graph jumped with films like Kushi`, Thenali` etc. while it took eight years for me to taste success.

Sometimes do you feel threatened that Jo is a bigger force than you?

Why should I she is a part of my life and we so much together and I am happy that she is who she is…first I was a big fan of her and then we became friends and later fell in love and then the husband factor comes and the fan is always there and I am still her fan and I have a lot of respect for her and I am definitely not threatened and I am the wrong person for you to ask that.

You have spoken so much about your dad, tell us something about your mom…

My mom has been home 24/7 for so many years and that too, she came from a small village and during those days it must have been very tough for her being the wife of a leading hero and that too he used to do ten films a year and romance ten heroines (laughs). It was a big challenge to pull this off for my mom. Now that I am a dad, I can understand how it used to be for my mom right from schooling us and guiding us in life. When my mom and dad were newly married, she did not even know how to use the landline phone and used to just keep the receiver on the table after speaking without hanging up but since she studied home science she had a group of great friends who helped her out. Now I am proud and love it when my mom takes complete control over the household and dad never does anything without consulting her. Her memory is even sharper than my dad`s be it recalling events to correcting dad. She is the one who introduced us to the village life and we are so thankful to her for showing us our roots and never letting the feeling that we are an actor`s sons get into our heads.

How is the relationship between Jyothika and your mother?

They are the best of best friends, of course, during marriage, there was some friction which is usual for any inter caste marriage as well as my mom did have some apprehensions as to how Jo a Punjabi girl would settle into our family. Nowadays I am the one who feels guilty as I temporarily reside in Adyar I may miss calling my mom but Jo will never miss talking to my mom even a single day. Even recently Jo took my mom to a detox centre in Coimbatore and for ten days the two of them spent together which even I have not in recent times.

What do you have to say about the politics of Nadigar Sangam?

Sivaji sir and MGR sir, at the peak of their careers headed the Sangam for ten years each and they did it for a reason. Lot of actors have a very short career spans and especially the drama actors without any other alternative will not know what to do next. 6000 families are involved in the Nadigar Sangam who all have families and children and are in old age and they need medical help, school fees etc. So we need to handle them with responsibility and not use them as vote banks . There is a plot in the heart of Chennai which should be put to better use, which will benefit all of the members. For some reasons we were not getting the right answers from the former office bearers and most of the members wanted a change for the better and that is what led to the elections and a new body to be elected.

Are you happy with they way things are now at the Nadigar Sangam?

Yes of course when the Nadigar Sangam building happens it will take care of the entire needs of the members. I am very happy to have been associated with the star cricket show we conducted and actually we expected only 10 percent from ticket sales and the rest from sponsors and telecast rights. It was not a war or a world cup but just a fun show by actors and we all gave our best and that too at 45degrees heat. Now there is a nice and very friendly atmosphere among all actors and that day was a very very eventful day and I will cherish the memory.

There are rumors that you don`t have a good relationship with Vikram but you still took part in Spirit of Chennai`?

That is news to me I and Vikram have mutual respect for each other and I even sent flowers and called him up after watching I`. I don`t know if I should say all this to prove a point, but the shoot of Spirit of Chennai` was so cool with Vikram directing and Vijay Milton cranking the camera and all other actors coming and doing their shots.

What is your view point on your colleagues as you have a good relationship with all actors?

Everybody is doing good from Sivakarthikeyan to Vijay Sethupathi , Dhanush, Vijay and Ajith all are doing great. I think only the deserving will be appreciated. It is not that just because there is a craze the films will do well,but Vedalam` ,Theri` and Vijay Sethupathi movies are doing good and this shows that in spite of piracy people have to come to theaters they are supporting us and we are thankful.

What happened to the film that you and Jo are supposed to do together with Anjali Menon?

We have great respect for Anjali as a writer and we her films like Bangalore Days` and we loved it and we called her with an idea we had. We are just waiting for her to revert back to us with the completed script and we will immediately start.

There are rumors that one day you will join politics…

I am a responsible citizen, I vote and I understand what is happening around me but I am not into hardcore politics. My focus is on only one portfolio and that is education and I always think about how better our schools and colleges can be and especially the less fortunate students and how to set up their lives. Politics is a big big playground and I have not thought about entering it at all, even though a lot of actors in Tamil Nadu and South India have been successful at it. I have had offers from politicians, but I have said no.

Has Jo watched 24`?

No just like everybody else she has just seen the teaser and trailer and is eagerly waiting to watch,but one thing she has told me is that this is going to be a very important film in my career. She is one person who has been supporting this project from day one.

What is the budget of 24`?

I don`t know it could easily be somewhere around 65 Crores and after the promos and other expenses it would touch 70 Crores.

What is th