Prem is no more a lover boy

A string of romantic hero leads and his boy-next-door good looks... it���������s no wonder that actor Prem is popularly known as Sandalwood���������s Lovely Star. And, though, Prem isn���������t complaining, the actor is determined to break the stereotype and reinvent himself in a new avatar.
Two of his upcoming films, 'Shatru' and 'Kettavanu', will see Prem in action mode, playing a cop in the former and a rowdy sheeter in the latter.
But more than the fact that Prem is playing a police officer in 'Shatru', the film has been in the news for the actor���������s six pack abs. ���������I worked hard towards an image makeover. I spent hours in the gym to get a lean and mean physique so as to look good in a khaki uniform. Once I reached my goal weight, my trainer and I decided that I should work towards a six-pack too. I went on a diet and wasn���������t even drinking enough water to get those chiselled abs, which audiences will see during a fight sequence in the film,��������� says the actor.
Does he still have a six-pack? ���������Are you kidding me? It is impossible to maintain a six-pack continuously without harming your health,��������� says Prem, adding, ���������But I am still working out for at least three hours a day and have been taking karate lessons. I now hold a black belt in karate. I guess this will help me make the action sequences look realistic.���������
The brawny look, hopes Prem, will also stand him in good stead for his next 'Kettavanu', in which he plays a local don. ���������My character is based on a real-life rowdy, but the production team has decided not to disclose his name. The audience will have to figure it out when they see the film. We start shooting for the film, directed by Priya Belliyappa, at the end of February. This is perhaps the first time that a woman is handling such a subject,��������� says Prem.
But why the change in the choice of films? ���������I have been branded as a loverboy. I got bored of doing the same thing over and over again. The feedback that I got from friends and fans also was that they wanted to see me in a different light,��������� says Prem.
But what if audiences don���������t accept this makeover? ���������I haven���������t thought about what my plan of action will be if these films don���������t work,��������� he says.