At 65, Paresh Rawal is ready to chart a new inning—the actor is set to make his Tamil debut with Soorarai Pottru, which is based on the life of Air Deccan founder GR Gopinath and features Suriya in the lead. In his first brush with the South film industry, the veteran is evidently impressed with its efficiency.

"It is such a joy to work with Suriya. He is such a huge star with [a massive following] across the nation, but he never behaves like one. Most stars here are so disciplined and focused; they don't throw a tantrum on set or throw their weight around. In the '90s, people appreciated the working style of the South industry. Here, your shoot gets over on time, you get your payment on time, and so on. If the director has called for a 9 am shift, the entire team will be present, regardless of how big a star one is," he says. Rawal, who had collaborated with then-newcomer Jyothika in Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998), is amused how fate has now united him with Suriya.