For an audience used to seeing Jayam Ravi as a light-hearted lover boy, and, occasionally, as a lean, mean fighting machine, 2012 promises to be different. For starters, there’s Ameer’s long-in-the-making Aadhi Bhagavan , which will showcase Ravi the actor. Then, there’s Samuthirakani’s Nimirndhu Nil , where he essays his first double role and looks all beefed up; Kalyanakrishnan’s Boologam , where he once again plays the role of a boxer after M. Kumaran, Son of Mahalakshmi ; and S. P. Jananathan’s untitled project with buddy Jiiva.
In a telephone interview from Bikaner, where he is shooting for Aadhi Bhagavan , Jayam Ravi admits the film is a step forward for him as an actor. “I discover myself as an actor with every film. But, this journey with Ameer, though tough, has been fulfilling,” says Ravi, who’s looking forward to testing his box office mettle this year. “It’s been a long time since my last release and I have to compensate by working hard. It’s nice to snap in and out of roles. I’m happy with this pace of work.”
COMFORT ZONE The actor has a string of successes to his credit, most of them produced by his home company and directed by brother Raja. “While working with familiar faces is comfortable, it’s nice to do films for other banners and directors too. For instance, in Peranmai, I played a character which had no reference points. It was the first time I worked on my look, and learnt that both performance and the look of the character matter.
SIBLING REVELRY Raja’s older than me by six years and I’ve always looked up to him, taken his suggestions… Of course, he bullied me when I was younger, not any more. He knows me best.
BUDDY TALK I’m looking forward to working with Jiiva. We’ve been friends for long, and, most importantly, he’s a good actor. Many of us in the industry are from film backgrounds. Be it STR, Dhanush, Jiiva, Vishal, Karthi or Sibi, we have been raised in the industry. That bonding is always there.
DIRECTOR’S ACTOR That I am. Only when an actor is willing to obey can he mould himself to suit the director’s vision. For instance, I just went by the brief given by Jananathan, who’s like a father figure. The result was Peranmai .
PLUS/MINUS I like to think I’m a good learner, sincere to my films and one who can easily adapt to any character. On the flip side, I feel I should have experimented with my films. With success, there’s a ready route to stardom, but you learn along the way… have the courage to do things differently.
CLOSE TO MY HEART My two-year-old son Aarav. I forget all stress when I spend time with him. Deepavali and Peranmai are very close to my heart but did not fare too well at the box office.
DIRECTION DREAMS I used to assist director Suresh Krishna. And, I studied visual communication. So, someday I might end up directing.
THE RIGHT TIME I’m happy to be in the industry at a time when we have so many opportunities. We are lucky to be part of a generation that has so much exposure to films, here and globally.
TWEETING AWAY I like my time on Twitter. It’s a great platform to interact with fans. And, I appreciate the positive and negative feedback. I retweet. It’s nice to read opinions that are not moderated. You know your fans are watching you. And, you know what they expect of you.
FUTURE FLICKS
Boologam (co-starring Trisha): The film has a lot of raw emotions. I share a great comfort level with the director and am looking forward to my second film with Trisha.
Nimirndhu Nil (co-starring Amala Paul): My first dual role. A great script, a character with two dimensions, and there’s the added advantage of working with hit-maker Samuthirakani. I’ve really worked on my look for the film. I spent two-and-a-half hours every day at the gym and followed a strict diet to achieve the beefed-up look. I’m delighted when people appreciate my get-up.
