CHENNAI: For his 40th birthday, actor-choreographer-filmmaker Prabhudheva has flown home to Chennai to be with his two sons and very close friends.

Said the maker of ‘Rowdy Rathore’ emotionally, “These are friends with whom I go back a long way, from outside and the film industry. I haven’t met some of them for over a year because of my hectic schedules. I’ve flown back to Chennai to be with them on my birthday. No party. Just a quiet get-together.”

On turning 40, Prabhudheva quipped:”I’ve heard life starts at 40. I wouldn’t know until I get there… I suspect 40 would just be another number. I have never allowed myself to stop and consider my age. I’ve always been on the move.”

Looking back on the year that was, Prabhudheva admitted it has been a whirligig of activities.

“I am wearing a number of hats and I’ve had to move to Mumbai because of the workload in the Hindi cinema. While I love dancing, and even acting in ‘ABCD – Anybody Can Dance” was fun, I remain at heart a choreographer,” he said.

Everyone in Mumbai wants a piece of Prabhudheva.

“I guess I am lucky. I’ve been working just as hard from the time I started 25 years ago. So we can’t say it’s hard work that has suddenly got me so much work in Mumbai. It’s a lot of luck and some hard work. I am glad to be in demand as a director. But like I said, I consider myself a choreographer at heart,” he said.

He flies back to Mumbai immediately after his birthday.

“I am enjoying the workload. Looking back at my 40 years, I see no reason to complain. God has been kind. Yes, there have been setbacks. But I’ve survived,” he said.

Prabhudheva made his mark as an actor with films like “Kadhalan” and “Raasaiyya”. Later, he went behind the camera to direct hits like “Pokkiri”, “Wanted” and “Rowdy Rathore”.

[With inputs from IANS]