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Buddies in real life Vinu Mohan and Vineeth Sreenivasan in ‘Cycle’

“The idea was born during our late night sessions in coffee shops on M.G. Road. I would reach Kochi for recordings and Shaan would also be in the city. But it would be late in the night when we would get some free time to hang out, chat, discuss and talk music in one of the coffee shops. Then we would go to Shaan’s house for a jamming session,” says Vineeth.

Work on the album will begin in March, says Vineeth. Like ‘Friends,’ in which Vineeth had worked with a group of his friends, this too will be a joint effort and feature songs that evoke different moods. “However, unlike ‘Friends,’ I will not be directing the videos of this album. We plan to get a professional and the shoot will be in Kozhikode,” says the budding lyricist.

Displaying flashes of his father, Sreenivasan’s linguistic felicity and his brand of humour, Vineeth says that he donned the role of the lyricist to save money. “Two songs have been written by Anil Panachooran and Rajiv Alungal. Five songs are all done. We need two more,” he explains.

However Vineeth, the Libran, refuses to speculate whether this album will see Vineeth the lyricist overtaking Vineeth the actor and the playback singer.

“Things have just happened in my life. I have never planned anything and my parents have always been supportive of my career decisions. It was a lucky break that made me a playback singer. I have always been passionate about music.

But never once did I dream I would become a playback singer,” says Vineeth whose ‘Ente Kalbele’ in ‘Classmates’ remains one of the biggest hits among recent Malayalam songs.

He adds that even his entry into tinsel town was another of those lucky breaks.

“I was very apprehensive whether viewers would accept me as an actor,” he admits candidly. Comparisons with his father never bothered him as “he is incomparable; his experience and wealth of talent make him way ahead of me. He was an experienced theatre person who had already studied films and acting when he made his debut in films. My stage experience is limited to a few plays I did as a child.”

Did his father advise him? “When the actual shoot of ’Cycle’ was going on, my father was immersed in the work on ‘Kathaparayumbol.’ But we had worked together on an advertisement and then he had pointed out certain areas that I had to improve and work on.”

And what were those tips? “I would prefer that to remain confidential,” he says laughing.

Although Sreenivasan has not seen the film in a theatre, as he is in a shoot in Pollachi, the proud father managed to see the rushes. “Again, my father had both good and some not-so-good things to say about my acting.”

Vineeth says director Johhny Antony, and senior actors like Jagathy Sreekumar and Sai Kumar helped him a great deal on the sets with words of advice and encouragement. “Most of my combination scenes were with Vinu Mohan, a good friend. That comfort level certainly helped me feel at home on the sets.”

But Vineeth, who nurses ambitions of making it as a director, feels that his close encounter with moviedom has exposed him to the hard work and tension that is an integral part of every team that makes a film.

“Even after a film reaches theatres, the work of the director and the producer is not over. Efforts to promote the film are an additional responsibility and many directors and their associates willingly lent their time and talent to ensure the success of a film.

There is more to directing a film than just calling the shots and I don’t think I have that in me at this point in life,” he says.

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