'Nothing comes easy in cinema'

Vijay Sethupathi is one of those rare actors, who got to taste success, in a short span of time. "I have never been a planner in his life. I do my work and the rest comes in due course. Trust me, when I plan something, life becomes boring. So, I go with the flow like a dead fish," he laughs. 

The actor, who is awaiting the release of Orange Mittai, says he loves to experiment with diverse roles and characters. "Playing the titular role reminded me of my father. We have fought a lot, but those fights made me only close to him. Every son and father will relate to the movie."

The script, in fact, is more important than his image, states Vijay Sethupathi. "I have had the Orange Mittai script with me for quite some time now but no producer was willing to back it. Finally, I decided to produce it myself. I play the role of a 55-year-old stubborn man, in this one. The script is close to my heart for many reasons!"

Vijay Sethupathi likes to choose stories that appeal to him. “I see that most films are invariably recycled. The same stories are told over and over. Of course, there’s this expectation from audiences every time—that I will do—something 'different'. I don’t like to disappoint them. I choose my scripts carefully. When I do a role, I become the character, so that when people see me onscreen, they associate with whatever I do reasonably well."

A native of Rajapalayam in Chennai, Vijay completed B.Com and worked as an accountant in Dubai for three years. “I was bored with my job. I didn't like what I was doing. I came to Chennai and had a photo shoot with a studio near Vadapalani. Someone told me that I had a photogenic face, which prompted me to get into films. That’s how it all started,” he recalls. 

"I still can’t believe how far I have travelled—from an ordinary middleclass guy to stardom. Nothing comes easy in cinema. Would you believe if I say I was even rejected for a junior artiste role? But nothing stopped me from trying!"

The actor talks about how he put on weight after Soodhu Kavvum but never managed to lose it. “Luckily, that suited a few films including Orange Mittai,” he laughs. “Now, I am in a position to choose what I want. But I have never done any ‘safe’ movie. With my hard work, whatever I have done so far, has worked to my favour. I can't say a movie became a hit because of me. Every movie is a team work."

What does he do when he’s not shooting? “I rarely spend time with my children. But whatever time I have, I take them for night rides' I tell stories and put them to sleep,” he grins. 

Vijay Sethupathi confesses that he loves the thrill of good dialogues and the buzz of a good shot. “The day I became a hero, my dream was fulfilled. I have no fear of going after my dreams,” he signs off. 

(The piece was originally written for Deccan Chronicle)