Experimenting with a Horror – Comedy: Sonu Sood and Prabhu Deva

Can you imagine a connection between comedy and horror? Seems unlikely, but that is the perception that the Sonu Sood – Prabhu Deva starrer Tutak Tutak Tutiya promises to change. The film also sees Sood stepping into the shoes of a producer for the first time.

As the horror comedy gears up for release, in not just Hindi but Tamil and Telugu as well, Pandolin catches up with the two actors to know more about the experience of working on this unique genre. Sonu and Prabhu Deva also talk about their roles, shooting a trilingual film and more.

Prabhu Deva

Prabhu Deva

What was it about the film that convinced you to be a part of it?   

I was extremely excited about this movie because of its genre. In the past, I have done comedy films, but not a horror – comedy. The experience of working on this film was very different and that was the main reason for me to do it. In fact, at some point, I would love to direct a horror film and explore the genre further.

I was extremely excited about this movie because of its genre

Tell us something about your character in the film

There are three main characters in the film played by Sonu Sood, Tamanna and me. My character, Krishna Kumar, is a guy who likes modern, city girls but he ends up marrying a village girl. The film is a horror-comedy, so as it progresses, you see horror in a funny manner and how the three characters deal with it.

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As the film has been made in three languages, was the process different and challenging as compared to shooting in one language? 

We would first shoot in Hindi and then do the same scenes in Tamil and Telugu. Besides the three main leads, the supporting cast is different in all the three films. Also, the scripts of the three films were slightly altered to suit the sensibilities of the particular audience. The process was a challenge, not just for me, but for all the actors and even the director.

Shooting in three languages was a challenge, not just for me, but for all the actors and even the director

Prabhu Deva and Sonu Sood during the making of Tutak Tutak Tutiya

Was it difficult to bring in the fear factor along with comedy for such a genre?

According to me, that is the job of the director and writer as they are the ones who point the actors in the right direction. It may be tough for the actors, but it is even harder for the director and writer. As actors, we listen to the narration of the story and build our characters on the basis of that.

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As an actor, how do you prepare for your roles? Do you also follow the same process for your actors when you are directing? 

I have been acting for a long time now and after so many years, I don’t follow any kind of a process. I closely listen to the director’s brief and try to understand what he wants and once the cameras are on, I do just that. But when it comes to directing, the situation is reversed. And I become the one who deals with everything, from the actor to the sets, so it is my responsibility to look after every detail.

Sonu Sood

Sonu Sood

What is it that drove you to venture into production?

I met A. L. Vijay (director) and he narrated the story of this film to me. After listening to the narration, I thought that I should produce it because I’ve always wanted to make a product that would thoroughly entertain the audience, and that is what this film is. I wanted to produce a film that I would like to watch in a theater. For me, the film should have great music and elements of suspense, thriller and comedy, everything that this movie has. Moreover, it is a horror – comedy, a genre that has not been explored much in our industry, so that also excited me as an artist.

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Is there a story behind the title ‘Tutak Tutak Tutiya’?

Everyone has heard this song and being a Punjabi, I have danced to it during my childhood. There is no particular meaning to the name, it is a mystery and so is our film. Also the name indicates celebration as the song was normally played during happy occasions. I wanted a title that was different, a bit mysterious and also fun. I bounced the idea off some people and they liked it, so I thought that we should go with it.

I wanted a title that was different, a bit mysterious and also fun

You play an actor in the film, did that make it easy for you to connect to your character? Also is comedy something that comes easily to you?

Yes, it wasn’t difficult to relate to my character. The challenging part was to act seriously to create situations that the audience would find hilarious. But comedy is something that comes easily to me. In fact, sometimes I write my own lines and dialogues. Those dialogues have also gained popularity. So, if I have an idea for a scene I do share it with my directors.

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Sonu Sood with Tamanna and Prabhu Deva

Being your maiden home production, what was your involvement in this film like? Was it challenging to juggle between the roles of an actor and producer?

It is a tough job because as an actor, your job is to only act, maybe share your inputs with the team, but as a producer, you have many other responsibilities. You are answerable to so many people and you know that you have to be the captain of the ship and bring everything together. More importantly, you are responsible for the quality of the product. To play the role of a producer is very challenging, but I am happy that I had a team that I could connect to.

As a producer, you are responsible for the quality of the product

What kind of films do you wish to produce under your banner?

The first thing that I would look for in a film is good content and something that excites me. I would like to explore myself as a producer and do films that are entertaining. Moreover, they should be films that I can connect to. It takes a lot of time and effort to make a film, therefore, I don’t want to make anything just for the sake of making it. I think as a producer it should be creatively satisfying and worth the effort.

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