Prakash Raj says cinema doesn’t have fair play because of people like him: ‘We monopolise it and don’t allow others to come’

As per Prakash Raj, there is 'no fair play' in cinema, and people like him are monopolising the industry as they also need to 'survive'.

Prakash Raj says he got the right mentors at the right time in his career. (Photo: Prakash Raj/Instagram)

Actor Prakash Raj, who has been actively working in Indian cinema for the last forty years, feels there is no particular code that aspiring actors can crack to become successful in their careers. As per the senior actor, there is ‘no fair play’ in cinema, and people like him are monopolising the industry as they also need to ‘survive’.

When Film Companion asked Prakash the code that upcoming actors can use for a successful career, he replied, “Nobody has an answer for that because there is no fair play. One is you think you are worthy enough to be in cinema, (you) may not be, (but) who will tell us that? Or, somebody sees you are worthy enough and chisels you, moulds you to it. Also, to be an actor, you need to decide where do you want to be, only in cinema, or you want to express or become popular like others, what is your agenda?”

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Prakash Raj said that he was one in a million who was lucky to get the right mentors at the right moment. “People like me are one in a crore example where I found the right mentors. I found K Balachander. After that, the credit should go to me because I used that opportunity, at every window, space or stage they gave, I was always saying, ‘Will this fetch me 10 more films?'” Prakash added.

Elaborating on why there is no fair play, the Iruvar star explained, “That fair is not there because people like me, we monopolise it so much that we don’t allow others to come, because it is our survival. Sometimes, directors and writers also say, ‘When we already have a readymade fellow, why do we have to find someone else, we will pay him more, will give him some more films.'”

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However, the actor believes things have changed a bit after the growth of OTT space, “People are now not only seeing popular actors. Anyone who tells a good story is becoming popular today.” But that too is eventually getting monopolised with big companies stepping into it. Prakash Raj concluded, “Every time a transparent system comes, human beings find ways to monopolise it. People who don’t know anything are deciding what script and what actors because now big numbers are involved.”

Prakash Raj was last seen in director Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: II. Next, he has Guntur Kaaram, Devara and Pushpa 2: The Rule in the pipeline.

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