Here is a collection of interviews done as part of the promotion for Unnaipol Oruvan / Eenadu. Before you check out each of them, sample the highlights.

Kamal in The Times of India:

Is there friendly competition when two classy actors work together? In the case of UO, you and Mohanlal?
Absolutely. And we like each other. All the while, every actor is in competition, whether he is in the same film or not. Whenever I watch a good movie of Mohanlal’s, I feel like doing a movie better than his and when he watches a good film of mine, he feels likewise. We both initiate and encourage each other. The idea is that if the competition is negative in nature, we will only head downwards. The gravity will drag us down and we will have to remain there. To get up and fly, we need to motivate each other. The concept of destroying your enemy completely is a concept that does not exist in modern day warfare. When it is a non-existent concept in the art of modern day war, how can it be there in the field of art, in which enemies don’t exist?

Mohanlal in Rediff.com:

I was more attracted to the story than the role. More than anything, Kamal Haasan was a major attraction.

While I was dubbing, Kamal Haasan was with me throughout to help me with my Tamil diction. I told him not to trouble himself and after the dubbing was over, if he needed any corrections, I would come and re-do it. Do you know what he said? He said, ‘I am very selfish about my films’. Because he had good command over the language, he stood by me throughout. It shows how passionate he was about film making.

Unnaipol Oruvan is produced by Kamal Haasan. Did you at any point fear that you would be overshadowed?

Such thoughts are unnecessary. Only insecure people think on those lines. I need to think how well I can portray the role given to me. If you are insecure about your role and if you feel that the other actor will overshadow you, you should not commit to such films. It is very shameful to think that the other person will overshadow you. I don’t think that way at all.

Chakri Toleti in Rediff.com:

This was your first film, and you were directing people like Kamal Haasan and Mohanlal who have won several national awards. Were you nervous?

I was more excited than nervous. It was a great opportunity and a directors’ dream to work with artists like Kamalji and Lal.

Did you at any point feel that you will be overshadowed by the Haasan family?

[Laughs] It did not even cross my mind because of the relationship I have with Kamalji. He has given me 100% control over the film. I really appreciate that. I am fortunate to have such a producer. He is playing multiple roles in the film, that of the producer, lyricist, and actor.

Ganesh Venkatraman in The Times of India:

Kamal sir has always been a big inspiration and when I met him during the first schedule, I was awestruck by his preparedness and dedication.

[With inputs from Ananth]