With the 67-second teaser of the much-awaited Kabali starring Rajinikanth getting millions of views, the actor who bellows “ Yaar Ra Anda Kabali, Vara sollara Avane ” (Who is that Kabali? Ask him to come here) is in the limelight.
The villain who utters the line is played by Kannada character actor Kishore, who says that while the film “is about the Malaysian underworld, the socio-political and economic history of Malaysia is a key part of the setting.” The film explains why a character like Kabali emerges in a certain milieu, he adds.
The actor, popularly known as Nalla Villain (good villain) in the Tamil film industry after the release of Polladavan , is thrilled to act in the Rajinikanth-starrer. “Since Rajini sir is the villain of villains, one villain is not enough to counter him and the script demands it,” he says, talking about why he is one among the three negative characters in the film.
Mr. Kishore says that he was elated when he was first offered the chance to share screen space with Rajinikanth. “I was overjoyed to act alongside an actor who has grown into a legend,” he says, adding that Rajinikanth never let his larger-than-life presence intimidate him.
On his role, Kishore says: “I am a typical villain, wearing fat golden chains and bracelets! There is nothing much to speak about my character. I shot for over 30 days in Chennai and Malaysia.”
Kishore says he was bowled over by the talent of Radhika Apte, who plays the female lead. “Radhika is a talented actor and a thorough professional. The respect she has for language, which is a basic requirement for portraying a character, is simply amazing,” he says.
