'My dream is to make Ilaiyaraaja's biopic with Dhanush'

'Dhanush is a unique talent.'
'There is no other person in the industry whom I envy as a writer and a director except Dhanush.'

They have done just one film together, Shamitabh in 2015, in which Dhanush played a mute man from Igatpuri, who lives out his childhood dream of becoming a successful Bollywood actor by using Amitabh Bachchan's voice, only for the two to mess up their careers over ego issues.

However, the warmth and respect the duo has for each other has continued over eight years with writer-director R Balki asserting that Dhanush is the most complete cinema person he knows.

On the occasion of Dhanush's 40th birthday on July 28, Balki tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya, "He's so simple and non-starry. He knows exactly what has to be done, nothing much has to be told to him. Even when you are directing him, you just have to shake your head indicating a 'yes' or a 'no'."

Shamitabh was a most difficult role for any actor to play

As a person, Dhanush is the simplest human being there is.

As a performer and a professional, he is par excellence.

Shamitabh was the most difficult role for any actor to play because it was incredibly new in terms of performance.

The voice was Amitabh Bachchan's, but when speaking in that familiar baritone, the expressions had to be his own and Dhanush was remarkable!

Amitji also understood that for someone else to perform to his voice was a huge challenge and he was very supportive.

Dhanush, of course, was hugely respectful of Amitji.

Who is not?

There was a very warm tuning between them.

Shamitabh was a mind-blowing experience, a very special film for both him and me, but even after that, what I have always admired about Dhanush is that he's the most complete cinema person I know.

I am a bigger fan of the writer and director

Not just as an actor, he is also possibly one of India's finest writers, one of India's finest directors and a fabulous producer.

I thought I was a big fan of the actor, but now I am a bigger fan of the writer and director.

In fact, there are times when I don't know which one to choose, the actor, writer or director.

As I keep telling him, he has a sense of cinema that wins people's hearts.

His stories are simple, but beautifully told, without him trying to show off his craft.

Pa Paandi, a comedy drama with Rajini sir (Rajinikanth) in the titular role, which Dhanush wrote, produced, directed and acted in, is such an outstanding film.

Every time I see him, I ask, 'How did you write this so simply?' and he replies, 'It just came naturally to me.'

He's a singer and a lyricist.

A complete package!

I narrated the the script of Shamitabh and he said, "I want to do it"

My dream is to make Ilaiyaraaja's biopic with Dhanush.

I see Raaja sir in him because in some way, Dhanush's face looks like that of the master composer, lyricist, singer who has scored music for over 1,000 feature films in a career spanning three decades. He's also the first Asian to score a symphony for the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

For both of us, it would be a dream come true to see him play the maestro on screen.

So, on his 40th birthday, I just want to say that if I ever make this film, it would be the biggest gift I can give Dhanush because like me, he is also one of Raja sir's biggest fans.

What was my first meeting with Dhanush like?

Nothing much really.

He had flown down from Chennai and was in Mumbai for something.

I didn't know him then, I just knew his wife (Aishwarya Rajinikanth), but I still called him and he dropped by my office where I narrated the idea and the script of em>Shamitabh to him.

He said, 'I want to do it, I want to do it.'

In two minutes, he was on board.

There is no other person in the industry whom I envy as a writer and a director except Dhanush

He came to the set in the same way and also for the promotions, he's so simple and non-starry because he's a film-maker.

He knows exactly what has to be done, nothing much has to be told to him.

Even when you are directing him, you just have to shake your head indicating a 'yes' or a 'no'.

I envy his acting, writing and directing abilities.

In fact, there is no other person in the industry whom I envy as a writer and a director except Dhanush, he is a unique talent.

I envy his body's metabolism.

He can eat seven meals in a day without putting on even a gram.

May he always be blessed with metabolism, always look like a school boy and be the genius actor and film-maker that he is.