Prakash Varma all set to turn movie director next year, after ‘George sir’ in Thudarum turns heads

Ad film maker Prakash Varma had created waves with his role in Thudarum opposite Mohanlal. Now he wants to direct a full-length feature film in 2026.

Prakash Varma, 52, the iconic advertising film maker, has created some of India’s most riveting commercials, including Vodafone’s ZooZoo campaign, Hutch’s pug series, the classic ‘Your moment is waiting’ series for Kerala Tourism and the popular Dubai Tourism one featuring Shah Rukh Khan among umpteen other memorable films. Varma, the co-founder of Nirvana films (a Bangalore-based company), views himself as a risk-taker who wants to push boundaries with every piece of work. The year 2025 saw him take a step into uncharted territory with a powerful performance in Tharun Moorthy’s directorial venture Thudarum, where he played the villainous ‘George sir’ that is sure to get him many more roles in the Malayalam film industry. Excerpts from an interview:

Prakash Varma played the antagonist George in Mohanlal-starrer Thudaram in his acting debut.

Hi Prakash, the movie Thudarum opposite Mohanlal has given you star status in the Malayalam movie industry. Now, I’m sure movie offers will start pouring in. Being an advertising industry icon, did you ever long for an acting career in movies?

No. In my early days, I sought opportunities to become an assistant director in movies, but never for an acting assignment. There have been offers since Thudarum, but I want to pick only the right projects. It was a chance that I took as the offer was made to me (Thudarum), and it seems to have worked, given the response and acceptance I received after the film was released. Much gratitude.

I am not trained in acting or theatre or anything, but I have worked with actors, and I observe people as part of what I do. I was not sure if I could pull off this large role, that too up against a powerhouse like Mohanlal, who has decades of exemplary work behind him. In fact, I was honestly nervous that I could be wasting his time and director Tharun Moorthy’s time if I did not deliver. Fortunately, I was made to feel welcome and accepted as part of the team, soon into the shoot. Tharun assured me that he had found his George (Prakash’s villain character in the movie) and all was comfortable thereafter.

I will act if I can manage the time and feel I can take on the challenge.

So, when are you directing a full-length feature film?

Acting was never something I wanted to do. It was always directing. As far as the road ahead for me is concerned, yes, directing a full-length feature is my goal. Hopefully, I will get there soon. There’s a plan to get a movie shoot up and running in 2026. But this is the movie world, and plans can change.

You have always been a risk-taker with ads like Zoozoo and the Hutch pug and countless other ideas that pushed the envelope. Now you are about to take another risk with directing a movie. What makes you a compulsive risk-taker?

With regard to directing a movie, I’m thinking, if not now, when? What’s there to fear? You are right. I’m a risk taker in the sense that I have always liked to push the boundary. That makes the whole process exciting. You should try to do brilliant work. Of course, sometimes it may not work the way you wanted, but that’s fine by me. You try again.

Work is about fresh ideas, exciting challenges, and new collaborations. The last thirty years have taught me to be grateful and grounded and to surround myself with a few good people.

How different is ad filmmaking in 2025 compared to, let’s say, 25 years ago when you started out?

As an ad filmmaker, I understand that the new era of advertising has many challenges, such as emerging tech, tighter budgets, and so on, but I feel it is important to stay focused on telling good stories, as they never go out of fashion. We should also keep the target audience in mind and not deviate from that.

The most memorable ads connect us through a strong idea, an endearing story, or comic timing. Brands should be confident in their ability to try new things and stay true to their messaging rather than do too many things in a short span.

Every film doesn't have to be a hit, but instead of doing too many things, you should do a few and do them well. The future is always exciting. We learn, adapt, and make changes. We have to reshape our thinking and use our time and resources well. The joy for me is in creating and in doing. One can never predict the outcome. You can only try. The rest is not in anyone's control. You win some, you lose some.

What keeps you going creatively after so many years?

I try to find a balance between personal and professional journeys. I need to be excited about what I am doing, and that includes work, travel, exploring new places and experiencing food and culture, especially with my family.

It’s also about deeply enjoying what you do. When you are in love with your work, it ceases to be work. I love being on sets. The production, sound design, music, and the whole process is very captivating. The key is to enjoy that process and engage with talents from across the world.

Are you amazed by the talent that Malayalam movies have produced in the last few decades? especially directors who are making classics in their first attempt. Some of these directors have never assisted anyone else.

The filmmaking culture in Malayalam has always been rich. Even youngsters throng film festivals to see great cinema from all over the world. You should see the kind of questions they ask. Our filmmakers are very confident and have clarity. All of these come from the culture that we have developed over the years. Our audience is very open to new ideas and is highly evolved in their tastes. So, this flow of talent doesn’t surprise me. We’ll produce even better movies in times to come, and mind you, we produce such good quality work with low budgets.