Arun Vijay interview: On ‘Retta Thala’ and why he wants to do a light-hearted film next

Arun Vijay looks exhausted aft a agelong time of promotions for his upcoming film,Retta Thala. “We’ve been doing back-to-back promotions. The movie has travel retired truly well,” helium informs, arsenic helium sits down with america for a chat.

Before we delve into his Retta Thala, I inquire him astir a tweet that had gone viral station the merchandise of Dhanush’s Idli Kadai, successful which Arun featured arsenic the antagonist. The tweet was a clip of the actor’s ‘Dilruba Dilruba’ opus from his sophomore movie Priyam (1996). Looking backmost astatine his 19-year-old self, Arun reminisces astir the agelong travel helium has had. “What strikes maine is the information that I nary longer get specified creation numbers, particularly due to the fact that my prime of scripts has evolved to suit what the audiences want. And they nary longer privation unnecessary songs that distract them,” helium says with a grin. “In fact, I privation to bash a light-hearted movie with songs and drama next.”

He mentions how, implicit the years, galore person offered him proposal connected however to physique his career, but Arun has remained cognisant of what to instrumentality and debar what not to take. “For instance, I person ever done lone 1 movie astatine a time, which is wherefore I person done precise fewer films successful each these years. Those who entered the manufacture aft maine person done much films than I. But judge that we should let a task the clip it demands and that prime is much important than quantity.” When helium was overmuch younger, however, helium learnt his lessons the hard way. “I wasn’t mature capable to cognize however to take scripts, and my father” — seasoned histrion Vijayakumar — “wanted maine to larn it connected my own. So I made each the decisions.” So if a shaper thinks helium looked bully with a trimmed moustache, Arun utilized to travel it blindly. “Thankfully, the directors whom I worked with successful the aboriginal stages made maine realise those mistakes. Moreover, I besides ticker a batch of cinema; I observe however my counterparts prime scripts, and what the audiences look to like. My absorption has been connected analysing each of this and moving connected myself.”

Over the past 3 decades, Arun has proved his merit arsenic a superior histrion acknowledgment to galore noteworthy turns successful enactment films specified arsenic Thadam, Kuttram 23, Yennai Arindhaal, and Thadaiyara Thaakka. He stresses determination is nary acceptable mantra down his longevity. “The audiences cognize that Arun Vijay selects bully scripts; I person created that assurance successful them. So it’s important to support doing that, and past it’s astir however uniquely you cater to the audiences,” helium adds, stating the quality to accommodate to the changing times arsenic key.

He seems rather excited astir his upcoming film, Retta Thala, which, helium adds, has an engaging screenplay packed with twists and turns astatine the close junctures. The movie volition spot Arun play dual roles for the 2nd clip aft Magizh Thirumeni’s 2019 thriller Thadam. “In astir films, the dual roles would beryllium of a brace of twins who stock immoderate similarities betwixt them. When it comes to Retta Thala, these are 2 precise antithetic characters. So, cracking their respective looks, dialog transportation and assemblage connection was rather tricky but exciting,” helium says, adding that helium had liked however the film’s manager Kris Thirukumaran presented the characters to him. “One is Upendra, a antheral from Goa who carries a batch of swag successful him. Even the mode helium speaks volition beryllium rather stylish, and helium talks precise fast. The different quality is Kaali, a antheral from Pondicherry, who conceals a mysterious thing wrong him. If Upendra talks precise fast, Kaali seems similar idiosyncratic who is going done a lot,” explains Arun.

While helium has been a instrumentality of double-action films of Kamal Haasan and MG Ramachandran, Arun, beryllium it for Thadam or Retta Thala, chose not to look into however different actors person performed dual roles. “I wanted to bash it without immoderate influence. Only past tin we nutrient thing wholly new. I conscionable spell with what the manager says, the characters’ backstories, wherever they travel from and truthful on. I instrumentality these, and I widen upon them with my ain imagination.”

Action is often trivialised arsenic a shallow, pulp genre that doesn’t connection capable extent to its actors. So 1 wishes to inquire Arun if helium has ever been capable to excavation deeper into his quality and if helium has carried them beyond the scenes. “Of course. In Vanangaan, for instance, I couldn’t travel retired of that portion for astir 3 months. Some things, similar the acquisition of spending those days with specially-challenged children, stay etched successful my mind. I tin ne'er hide how, adjacent though they can’t speak, I felt what they were feeling.” The affectional beats successful his movie Yaanai, too, stayed with him, helium adds. “In Retta Thala, what Kaali goes done is thing I delved into. But due to the fact that I was playing 2 characters, I couldn’t support punching into 1 psyche; I had to support an unfastened mind.”

Action, erstwhile it is propelled by the close emotion, thrills Arun. “Action should beryllium sensible, and I get thrilled erstwhile I get to link to the concern connected insubstantial portion performing specified enactment sequences. A punch gets its worth lone erstwhile the audiences expect it to beryllium delivered astatine that precise moment.”

After Retta Thala, the histrion has his long-delayed enactment movie Borrder in the pipeline. “I person besides narrowed down connected a fewer scripts. My adjacent mightiness beryllium a light-hearted script; I request specified a detour. Moreover, I americium successful talks with my director, Magizh Thirumeni, for a film. Let’s spot however it each pans out,” helium signs off.

Retta Thala releases successful theatres connected December 25