"I came to cinema for money. I had to settle a loan of Rs 10 lakh. I had no other go, so I thought I'..." — Vijay Sethupathi

I have always felt that doing too much of homework makes the performance look plastic. I don't even watch the monitor after I finish my scene because I can't reprise it. I just go with the flow.

I don't differentiate a film as off-beat or commercial, because I just don't understand the difference. 'Naanum Rowdy Thaan,' for example, wasn't written for me. It came to me by chance after two or three other heroes turned it down. I agreed to do the role, as I liked the script immensely.

I don't overact, so people think that I naturally act well. I underplay my roles, and that has worked for me.

The energy of first-time directors is tremendous. They work beyond the limits for a hit in this competitive industry.