Speaking the Tamil dialogues almost killed me: Winston Chao

He is a well-known actor in China and Taiwan, and has worked with people like Ang Lee, Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh. Now, Winston Chao will be seen as a gangster plotting against Rajinikanth in Pa Ranjith���s Kabali. The Taiwanese actor, who was in the city this week to dub his portions in the film, opens up to us on his experiences of working on the film, his impressions of the Superstar, speaking Tamil dialogues, his love for curry, and more...
What was your initial reaction when you were approached for this film?
I was excited and curious because I���ve never been to India and India means something very exotic to me.But I���m not totally ignorant about India either. I���ve seen movies about India and the major religion in China is Buddhism, and Lord Buddha was from India.
Were you aware that there is a Tamil film industry here?
No. Most people outside India have an idea of only Bollywood. But after I came here, I realised it���s not like that. I���ve become aware that the Tamil film industry is a very important film industry in India, in some ways probably even bigger than Bollywood. Bollywood doesn���t represent all of Indian cinema. There is Kollywood, Tollywood��� So, now, I share this knowledge with my friends in China.
What about Rajinikanth? Had you heard of him previously?
Again, no. But when the casting director flew to Beijing to discuss the project, he showed me some of Rajinikanth���s film clips and I thought, ���Ah, this actor is so adorable. His body language, expressions, and his little tricks seem unlimited. This guy is remarkable.��� So, I was excited that I���d be working with him.
How was the experience shooting with him?
Very nice. He���s a wonderful person. Even though I���m a veteran actor who has been in this industry for 25 years, I still learnt a few things from him.
Can you elaborate on this?
Well, he has this ability to calm himself down, fully concentrate and grab that moment��� I think that is very important in acting. I think he uses every second while he is acting. And personally, he is nice and humble although he is such a mega star. He'd treat friends, the crew, the workers on the set and fans the same way. Stars are for fans to adore, but he's one actor that people will respect instantly.
Did you watch any Tamil films before you started work on the film?
No, things happened really quick. After I signed the film, I came to India the very next month to shoot Kabali. And I didn���t do any research��� didn���t read any book or videos on India either because I wanted to come here and experience it first-hand.
How different was shooting for a Tamil film compared to the other films that you have done so far?
The very obvious difference was that on the set there was two to three times the number of people we have in China in the crew. But I never felt the set was crowded. Everybody had very specific jobs to do and I was amazed at the coordination between different departments. I���ve been on some films where the various departments got in each other���s way, so I was very fascinated by this. I don���t know if this is standard here considering this is my first Indian film, but I was impressed. Otherwise, as far as the film industry is concerned, I think the system followed is pretty much the same across the world. So, as an actor, it���s not a problem for me to act under different filmmakers. I���ve been working in China, America, Singapore, Japan, and Europe, and we work everywhere the same way.
Did you have to modify your acting techniques for this film?
Different countries have different cultures and different personalities. So, yes, I had to throw it out a little when it came to the performance. In China, I mostly have to internalise my performance, but here, especially since Kabali is an action film, I had to externalise things. I have made very few action films, probably two. It has mostly been melodramas or historical epics. So, every time before the director said ���Action���, the assistant director would come up to me and say, ���You have to be REALLY angry���. Probably because I did not show enough emotions on the outside (laughs).
What kind of role do you play in the film?
I don���t want to be a spoiler, and I have been told not to talk about it, so I cannot describe it in detail. But I play the villain opposite to Rajini sir.
Did you have to perform any stunts?
No. (Leans forward and whispers conspiratorially) Because I���m the boss of a gang, you see. I didn���t have to do any complicated or difficult action��� only stylish things like shoot a gun or cut people (laughs).
What about the dialogues? Were they entirely in English or did you have to speak Tamil as well?
I had to speak English, Chinese, Malay, and��� Tamil! And oh, speaking the Tamil dialogues almost killed me because I didn���t have a chance to really learn the language. I had to memorise it by sound��� just like how you learn a French song. I might not know the meaning but I would know the sound. I would ask for the meaning of the line, but I did not know what each word meant individually. Still, I don���t think I have said the lines accurately, but I know my lip movement was right. So, if you were to dub it, it will be in sync. But I���m somewhat used to this process because in some films, I have had to speak Japanese and I do it the same way.
Any words or line that you remember?
I just remember one line ��� Ore oru naal vidren. Un kudumbathoda jolly-a nimmadhiya thoongu.
Are your fans aware that you are doing a film in India?
Yes, they know it. Some of them even asked me, ���Are you going to dance and sing?���, and I have had to tell that this is an action film and I don���t do those. And even if I had to dance, I���d have to practice for months as I���m awed by the dancing in Indian movies. There are so many movies and still, the dancing, the costumes and the background, they are all different. Everybody is so happy and lively and that's really entertaining.
Did you see the teaser of Kabali? Did you get any reaction from fans or friends?
Yeah, I saw it on YouTube. Some of my friends saw it as well and they liked it. They went, ���Oh, so this is the style of the film you are participating in!��� The teaser is all about Rajini sir, and there is this little expression he does as he walks out in a shot and my friends were like ���God, he���s charismatic!���
We learn this is your third visit to Chennai. Have you had the chance to check out the city?
I���ve had very limited time to other things during every visit. The first time I came here, I was here for half-a-month and then we moved to Kaula Lampur for another half month. The second time I came here was to do some reshoots and that was only for three days. But both these times, I managed to find time to go to a textile shop and grab some scarves and pants for my niece and my female friends. They love those cotton pants; they are so comfortable, light and the colour��� so beautiful. I think India produces the finest cotton in the world.
How do you find the weather?
I like hot weather. I���ve heard that in Chennai summer is sometimes over 40 degrees, so that might be a little too hot for me.
Have you tried out the food?
Of course. I do not know the names of the food, but I was taken to different restaurants and I enjoyed them all. My favourite was this place that was not a large restaurant (again, I do not know its name and have to ask the person who took me there for it), but the taste was so delicate and the flavour so refined. I love the way they serve the food��� over a banana leaf. You know liking a place, it is not decided by the scenery or other things; it is by the food you get there. I love the curry here. I have tasted curry in China and Taiwan but they can no way be compared to authentic Indian curry. I'm told that in the north of India, it is sweeter, and here, it is hotter, but I like spicy food, so I can never get tired of it. God, I couldn���t stop having curry with rice (laughs). It tastes so good. During the first time I came here, I gained three kilos in the half month I spent here.