'Style maketh a man'

He was one among lakhs and lakhs of children who were in the thrall of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. But he was also one of those very few who also had in him that single-minded devotion and was blessed with the oceanic talent to emulate Jacko. And that is what made Prabhu Deva what he is: The Indian incarnation of MJ.

 Prabhu Deva was a 13-something when the Jacko mania bit him. He confesses that he would watch MJ videos several times over until every tune and move of Jacko seeped into his unconscious mind. Then began the most difficult part of recreating the trademark moves, jigs and shrugs.

 And when Prabhu Deva decided to try his talent on the silver screen he struck gold. His Gentleman performance soon led to Kadhalan where his portrayal of a dancer-hero got him several such roles.

 This Jackson lookalike is now an actor and director of repute. After debuting in Telugu with with Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana as a director, Prabhu Deva has not looked back. His latest directorial venture, Wanted, starring Salman Khan, is a remake of Pokkirri. “There are both, good and bad, sides of remakes. The good thing is that you always attempt to remake a hit which is much easier. But you also have to recreate the same magic. That’s a challenge in itself,” Prabhu Deva told Metrolife.

He’s also set to act in a Tamil film Kalavadiya Pozhudugal where he plays a lover boy. “The script revolves around two people in love and the time they share together,” he says. Prabhu says that he’d play just about any role and but horror films are something he’s crazy about and confesses to spending hours watching films of that genre on television and videos. “It’s scary and thrilling at the same time. There must be some excitement in whatever you watch.”

While he’s fascinated about Hollywood he says that he’d never want to stray into it. “I am happy playing my part out well in our country. Offshore movies don’t excite me as much,” he says.

Prabhu Deva is a Kannadiga, born and brought up in Chennai. His father, Muguru Sundar, is a dance director of repute who worked in scores of Kannada films before settling down in Tamil filmdom. Prabhu Deva had been cast opposite Upendra in his first Kannada film H2O and says he hasn’t ruled out acting in namma Kannada films, if he’s offered an appropriate role. “Nannage Kannada gottu, but not as well as you do,” Prabhu Deva says, making it clear that he is delighted to be in his homeland.

 He feels Bangalore’s mosaic of cultures has made it a rage across the country. “The traffic is unbearable but I love the City for its people and weather.”
Originally, a Bharatanatyam and Western dancer, Prabhu Deva has always been innovating, experimenting, mixing and matching moves of different schools of dance.
“Style maketh a man,” he believes. “New songs, new beats and new steps. This is what dancers do to reinvent themselves from time to time,” he says.