After being side dish, Santhanam to serve full meals

Today���s a big day for Santhanam as his debut film as hero, Vallavanukku Pullum Aayudham (VPA), hits the screens. ���Personally, working on this film has been a refreshing experience. I hope the audience too feel the same freshness,��� says the actor, who talks about VPA and more...
This film is a remake of SS Rajamouli���s Maryada Ramanna. Why did you choose this script as your launch pad?
Only a comedian can do justice to this script.Moreover, the film has all the necessary elements that audience look for in an entertainer. So, I thought this would be a perfect script for my launch as a hero.
What are the main highlights of this film?
A cycle will be one of the characters in this film. TR sir has lent his voice to the cycle���s character. In certain scenes, I have tried slapstick comedy without talking much. My punch dialogues on Chennai in this film will be enjoyable.
Do you think turning hero at a time you were doing well as a comedian was the right decision?
I don���t have a background in films. None of my family members have acted in films. I had to begin my career from scratch. So, I decided to learn cinema and wanted to take one step at a time. After having gained experience in films, I am now confident that I can entertain audiences for three hours as a hero. I think I���ve made the right decision at this point in my career.
As a hero, you need to anchor the film. Do you feel more responsible?
So far, I have just been a side dish in a meal. Now, I have to serve a full meal. Obviously, I feel I have a huge responsibility. All these years, audiences have seen me only in comedy scenes. Now, they will watch me in all kinds of scenes, including action and romance. I have put a lot of hard work to score in all the scenes in this film.
Will you continue acting in comedy roles too?
I am trying to strike a balance between the two. I have committed to a lot of films. I will finish all these projects and then decide on my next film. I will ensure that my films as a comedian do not affect my projects as a hero. Basically, I would like to be an entertainer, all the time.
Your style of comedy has been compared with that of Goundamani���
Just because I also have a similar style of giving counters, I have been compared with him. It is actually a compliment to me. But technically, we both have different styles. Only if I act with Goundamani sir in a film, will people know the difference in our styles. I like Goundamani sir and Thangavelu sir���s comedy and they have inspired me a lot.