'There's no time to stand and stare'

Tamil actor Jiiva is both excited and nervous about his latest movie Mugamoodi, that is slated to hit the screens on August 31.He appears in a superhero avatar and like all
superheroes, he too cracks down on everything evil.

But Jiiva is quick to clarify that this is not another remake or a copy of ‘Dark Knight Rises’ or ‘Batman Begins’, but is original from the word go.

“The film is original and the concept is unique. Although it is woven around a superhero theme, it is made in such a way that the ordinary people and those of all age groups can relate to the character.

I appear in a normal mode in the first half and it is only in the second
part of the film that I don the superhero costume, which weighs quite a bit,” Jiiva tells Metrolife, even as he is busy travelling across the country and overseas to promote the film.

It’s been hectic forJiiva, who will soon start shooting for his next film.
“After all the promotional activities, I will return to Chennai on the day of the release, after which I have to begin work on my next film. I just about manage to eat enough and grab some sleep — only to return to work again. There’s no time to stand and stare,” he says.

Recollecting the time shooting for Mugamoodi, Jiiva says that they spent almost 90 days shooting only during night. “The director said that I had to learn kung fu. I had already learnt martial arts and only had to brush it up. I trained under a tough master during the shoot and he made sure I didn’t slip anywhere.

I even injured myself during the shoot but now, all that trouble seems worth it,” he says.
Jiiva thinks the costume he wears is pretty wacky. “It is well designed and I didn’t have too much trouble slipping into it. There are no unreal moments in the film. I won’t be
surprised if all the kids start calling me Mugamoodi uncle after they watch the movie,” he laughs.

The film is titled ‘The Mask’ in Telugu.