Newcomer Rishi Rithvik, didn’t just act but transformed himself into a gangster from North Madras for his debut film Attu. “I am a computer science engineer, and I was an athlete from 2001 to 2006. I wanted to pursue my passion for acting and was scouting for opportunities. Rathan Linga, the director of Attu, decided to cast me in the pivotal role. He wanted me to put in a lot of time and effort to transform myself for the role,” says Rishi, who hails from Tirunelveli.
Rishi had quit sports in 2007 and had gained weight, a major concern for Rathan Linga. “I started working out and got a tan. I also started spending a lot of time in North Madras to learn the slang, mannerisms and body language. I started interacting with real gangsters and even ended up having lunch in their homes,” says the 33-year-old actor.
Did he have any inhibitions mingling with gangsters? “Initially, yes, I was fearful and had reservations. But once I understood their real nature I overcame it. I learnt to knock on the auto the way they do, to signal that it is time to leave, and much more, by observing them. I also learnt a lot of swear words, but I didn’t get to use it in the film,” he jokes.
Rishi says he had to completely transform his personality for Attu . “I am a soft-spoken person, and to get that rugged look, I had to grow my hair and beard for a year. My family thought I had gone carzy and stopped supporting me. They even stopped talking to me. But its understandable. I was away from home, loitering around with gangsters and discussing cinema with the director the whole day,” he says.
It was Rathan and Power Pandian Aasan (he trained Rishi in silambam, kathi and boxing) who were providing moral support to Rishi during the entire period. “Though I knew that Attu will be shot in the garbage yard, I was not prepared for the stench. I felt nauseous for a few days and then got used to it. The worst part was the fight sequence shot amidst real garbage, filled with broken glass bottles and all sorts of dangerous materials.”
But the effort was well worth it. “When my family saw the film, they were all in tears. They could finally understand me and the effort I had taken for the film,” he says.
He has signed up for Ugram , where he plays the lead role and producer RK Suresh plays the antagonist. The film will be the second to be directed by Rathan Linga.
