South Indian directors are keener than ever on finding the right actor to bring their characters alive onscreen no matter what language they speak.
It doesn’t matter if they are unfamiliar with Tamil or Malayalam, or any of the other south Indian languages. An example of this would be Bollywood star Kajol, who returned to Tamil cinema after two decades earlier this month with VIP 2.
It’s Vivek Oberoi turn next, as he makes his Tamil debut with Vivegam, releasing in the UAE on August 24.
The international spy thriller stars actor Ajith in the lead. It’s his 57th film and his third with director Siva, the earlier two being Veeram and Vedhalam.
Kajal Aggarwal is paired opposite Ajith, while Akshara Haasan takes baby steps into the Tamil industry with an interesting role.
Oberoi’s association with south Indian directors goes back to Ram Gopal Varma’s Company, the film that started his Bollywood career. Later, he worked with director Maniratnam in Yuva, the Hindi remake of Ayatha Ezhuthu. Vivegam is Oberoi’s first Tamil film.
Oberoi admitted he had not watched director Siva’s earlier films but was impressed by his narration.
“I saw his passion and liked the little nuances in his telling,” Oberoi said. “I went back and watched Veeram and Vedhalam and enjoyed them. Vivegam is a notch above the two.”
Oberoi plays Aryan in the film, who is a close friend of Ajith’s character, AK.
Oberoi revealed he met Ajith, whom he fondly calls anna (older brother), on the sets of Bulgaria. Ajith welcomed him with a hug and thanked him for accepting the role. Much impressed with Ajith’s simplicity and humility, he remembers the star making tea and serving everyone on the sets.
He remembers shooting in Bulgaria at temperatures of minus 17 Celsius and staying wrapped in many layers of clothing to protect himself. He was awestruck seeing Ajith’s dedication to fitness.
“I used to wake up at 5am and go to our hotel’s gym and there saw Ajith anna already working out before me every day,” he said.
There is speculation that Oberoi is playing the antagonist. The actor said he believes that there are just two kinds of roles.
“They can be interesting or boring,” he added.
He clarifies that his role is a more dynamic character with variations and playing such roles fascinates him. For someone who is normal, being someone complex on screen is exciting, he added.
Calling Akshara Haasan kutty bomb, periya blast (small bomb, big blast), Oberoi appreciates her for selecting the role.
“It’s an unusual character and reminded me of the role I did in Company. She will make her parents [actors Kamal Haasan and Sarika] and sister [actress Shruti Haasan] proud,” Oberoi said.
Chennai is a second home for Oberoi having spent his holidays with his grandmother there as a child. His mother is from Tamil Nadu and he understands the language well. He does not like anglicising the language and believes in speaking it like a Tamilian.
Hollywood’s talent joins the cast
Amila Terzimehic, who has worked in Hollywood film The November Man, enjoyed her experience in Indian cinema. She said: “It’s a great honour to be stepping into Indian cinema through Vivegam. I thank director Siva for giving me this opportunity.
“This role not only required good acting skills but also great fighting skills. Even before meeting Ajith I was aware of his star status. To my surprise I found him simple, humble and the most professional actor I have ever worked with so far. He did even the riskiest stunts all by himself. There is an air of goodness and positivity in him.”
Meanwhile, the film’s stunt artist, Serge Crozon Crazin, has worked in Hollywood films including Casino Royale and The Transporter Refueled.
“Getting into Indian cinema through Vivegam was an honour. I was impressed with director Siva’s ability to visualise and he clearly knew what he wants. Working with Ajith sir was a memorable experience. Only after I finished my portions and came back home I discovered Ajith sir’s celebrity status. He was so simple and humble on the sets.
“But I must say the stunts he has pulled off were incredible. Without using any body double he did all the action sequences by himself. He is such a perfectionist and a hard worker.”
