Rakta Charitra not a planned launch: Suriya

Mumbai: Popular Tamil actor Suriya sayshis Bollywood debut Rakta Charitra was not a plannedlaunch.

"It was a script that Ram Gopal Varma had and was aunique one. I wanted to work with him for a long time andthings just fell in place," Suriya told PTI.

Suriya said it was the first time he workedsimultaneously in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil versions for themovie, a high intense revenge drama directed by Ram GopalVarma.

The second part of the movie releases on December 3.

"In the first part, my character was the hunted. Thesecond one is about a man wanting to wreak vengeance for theloss of his loved ones. I'm an engineer who wants to settledown in a job, when life takes an unexpected turn," he saidand denied that the film has gone overboard with violence.

The 35-year-old actor said it was a huge challenge todo three versions simultaneously. "Doing the first scene wasdifficult but repeating the same in other two languages waslike doing another take," Suriya said.

He said he would do Tamil first and use the sameemotions for other two versions. "The 'first AD system' thatRGV adopts helps save time. The assistant directors are givena clear brief of the scenes, everything is ready well ahead,so there's clarity on the sets," Suriya said.

Even though his recent films have been highlysuccessful at the box office, Suriya says the initial fiveyears of his career were full of struggle.

His major break came in the form of 2002 filmNandha, directed by Bala. Playing the role of an ex-convictwho is very attached to his mother, he received a Tamil NaduState Film Award for Best Actor.

Suriya said he owes his success as an actor toNandha. "It was the role of a juvenile prisoner. There washardly one page of dialogue for me. I had to play with my eyesto emote. I was noticed as an actor with this movie," herecalls.

"In the initial five years, I was not the chooser. Ihad to take up all opportunities that came my way to get ahold in the industry. I had to work for survival," he said.

Suriya is currently working on 7aam Arivu with hisGhajini director A R Murugadoss where he plays a physicallychallenged circus artiste.

"Our biggest challenge is to overpower Ghajini," hesaid adding that the film is slated for release in mid-2011.

Even though he is the son of actor Sivakumar, Suriyaworked in a garment export factory for two years before beinglaunched in movies in 1997 by Mani Ratnam in Nerrukku Nerdirected by Vasanth and produced by Mani Ratnam himself.

The actor feels the aesthetics and sensibilities ofcinema in South and Mumbai are different. "In Mumbai, it isurban while in Tamil it is more middle class. Besides, cinematickets in Mumbai and up north are steep as compared to TamilNadu," Suriya said adding that Tamil film industry was moreconservative than Bollywood.

The actor said that Mumbai was not new to him as hiswife Jyothika is from Bandra.

He said he was open to good offers from Bollywood buthis Tamil film commitments were a priority for him.