Southern Spice: Meet Ganesh Venkataraman

Had the World Trade Center in New York not been devastated in 2001, Ganesh Venkataraman would probably have completed his Masters in the US and been working there now.

After the tragedy, his university aid was revoked and the Mumbai lad continued with his job in India.

The silver lining came when his friends filled up a Gladrags contest form on his behalf and before he knew it, the software engineer had turned model after winning the contest.

Panithuli, directed by Natty Kumar and releasing in India on August 10, is his first film solo. In the film, he plays engineering graduate Shiva, who believes he can live on love.

Modelling paved way into small screen. Venkataraman worked in Mayavi, India’s first 3D TV serial, which won a Seoul TV Drama award in 2007, before his film debut, The Angrez.

Bitten by the acting bug, he met Tamil director Radha Mohan, who was then scouting actors for Abhiyum Naanum.

“Radha Mohan told me it was a role of a young Sikh in love with a Tamilian girl and wanted a photograph of myself in a beard. I did not have any and from the director’s look I understood that he was not keen on selecting me.”

Not one to give up easily, Venkataraman disguised himself as a Sikh, complete with beard and turban.

“With my friend’s help I learnt few lines in Punjabi and reached the hotel where the director was meeting people. I just barged in speaking in Punjabi. He called me aside and said that he wanted my help in finding an authentic Sikh face.

That’s when I told him in Tamil, ‘Sir, I am Ganesh whom you met yesterday.’ He was shocked.”

Joginder Singh’s role in Abhiyum Naanum set in motion Venkataraman’s career. He has worked with Kamal Haasan in Unnai Pol Oruvan and in Kandahar with Mohan Lal and Amitabh Bachchan.

Venkataraman says: “It’s a thriller and the sequences are unpredictable. I sport two completely different looks. Initially, Shiva is a simple Chennai boy. But when his character moves to the US, the script demanded that he look stylish.”

Hugh Jackman’s make-up artist, Rose Hill, gave him a makeover.

“I enjoyed working with Natty and the team,” says the actor, who has now moved to Chennai.

He’s got plenty lined up: Tamil film Muriyadi — a remake of the Malayalam film, Passenger is awaiting release and Telegu film Damarukam, directed by Srinivas Reddy. Venkataraman is now working on Chandra with Kannada director Roopa Iyer, in which he plays a royal heir who has been educated abroad and lives in the US.

“Life has turned out great. Within a short span, I have worked in four South Indian languages. God has been kind. I have found my true calling,” adds Venkataraman.