Your father and you have both picked up fights with AMMA. What is the similarity between the ban that your father faced and your current position with AMMA?

My father and I did what we felt was right. We spoke what we thought was right. My father stood by what he said. My decision to stand up to AMMA has nothing to do with it.

Did you consult with AMMA before you made your decision on signing the KFC agreement?


I had lost out many film offers on an issue I had nothing to do with. Still, I supported AMMA and waited for months without any work at home. I had lost out three big offers. Senior stars were the ones who were supposed to take the decisions in AMMA. I don't say that they didn't try, but, they weren't able to reach a decision. When I asked them about it, they said that losing couple of films was fine. It was no big deal. That made me uneasy.

I'm starting my career here. The directors and producers are under no pressure to cast me. I don't think those superstars would have said the same thing had it been 15 years ago when they were starting their careers. Now, they are superstars. Even if they don't shoot for a year, the films with them in the lead roles will wait. It was not the case with me. Still I was ready to wait. The president of AMMA assured me that the problem would be solved before we return from the Gulf countries. It didn't happen. Nobody said anything to me. I had to decide fast.

Did you consult with anybody else before you arrived at this decision?

 I had talked about this to my family members. I had also spoken to people like Fasil, Vinayan, Kamal, Ranjit, Lohitadas and Bhadran on this.

Did you speak to other stars?

In the cine industry I wasn't all that close to other actors. I had excellent relationship only with the directors of my films. They are like my gurus. Actually, this is the case with many actors too. They are usually closer to their directors than with other stars.