Had fun on the set of Zoom: Ganesh

Comedy and entertainment take centre stage for Golden star Ganesh, as he prepares for the release of his film Zoom this week. The film is directed by Prashant Raj, who Ganesh is working with for the first time. Ahead of its release, the star gives us a glimpse into some behind-the-scene moments while talking about his work in the film. Excerpts'

What's the most fun thing about being part of Zoom?
In keeping with the title, the film is colourful and entertaining. This is the first time that I have played a guy who is part of an ad agency, and, for this, we worked on a different look in the form of costumes and hairstyles. Shooting for this film was fun from the word go. With talented actors like Radhika Pandit, Sadhu Kokila and Kashinath on the set, the fun just did not stop. A lot of comedy films begin on a fun note and then get serious by the time they are halfway through. That is not the case with Zoom.Yes, there are emotional scenes, but there is humour in everything that you see. There is a message going out too, but it is the sort of film that makes for a great stress buster for the viewer.

What sort of message would a comedy film impart and to who?
The story is about Santhosh and Naina ' one believes in hard work and the other in smart work. And the situations that arise due to their beliefs are hilarious. However, personally, I believe one has to work hard and then work smart too. I have always believed in the saying that luck happens when hard work meets opportunity. So, this is a message for the youth of today ' a film that showcases the importance of hard and smart work in a fun way.

The film took you to Italy for a pretty tight schedule. How was it to shoot there?
The days are long there, and we got to pack in a lot more work in one day. We would begin by 3 am and shoot would go on till 9 pm, sometimes longer because the day ends only by around 11.30 pm. I survived on black coffee all day, as I really love the way they make it there.

A lot of emphasis has been given to the music of the film. How important is that to a film?
Music is extremely important, as it is released much before the film. It sends out a feeler of what to expect from the film. And if the music is a hit, the picturization of these songs add to the popularity and, therefore, attract more people to the theatres to watch the entire package. Zoom is fairing pretty well in that aspect. Prashant has a good sense of music.

What is a normal day like for you these days?
I begin my day at around 5-5.30 am every day. I exercise, and then have breakfast. When I am not shooting, I drop my daughter to school and return home to either read books or watch films. On the days I am free, I even pick up my daughter from school ' that happens on at least 4 to 5 days a month. Otherwise, there are movie shoots or promotions that keep me busy. If the makers take a film through according to what was promised, I go out of my way to promote it, if not, I usually take a backseat after I am done with the film.

So, Zoom is obviously a film that has met all your expectations?
It is one of my biggest releases this year. Not just in the state, but for the first time my film is releasing in over 50 screens abroad ' in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia simultaneously. I am looking forward to this one because I have personally enjoyed watching the final product.