‘I want to do serious roles’

Tamil actor Jayam Ravi has a voracious appetite for variety. After playing a kickboxing champion in ‘M Kumaran Son Of Mahalakshmi’, a freaky guy in Thillalangadi, a forest guard in ‘Peranmai’ and a Casanova who finally finds love in his latest blockbuster Engeyum Kaadhal, Ravi says he is still yearning for variety.

Admitting that he is tired of playing the good, romantic guy on the screen, he says he wants to do more serious roles. “It’s not just the young who watch my movies, I understand families too never miss a chance to watch my movies,” Jayam said.

Jayam had known movies ever since he could remember. His father and brother have been in the film industry and Jayam’s entry into Kollywood was only natural. But he didn’t rush into anything. He went to a film institute, studied for a year until he was confident that he was fit enough to enter the film industry. “My father is my inspiration. I learnt all the basics from him,” he said.

But Jayam never forgets to mention that the three people in the Tamil film industry, who have thoroughly inspired him, are Kamal Hassan, Rajnikanth and Karthik. “I grew up watching their films and they might be old now but in my mind they’re still young,” he says.

Jayam recalls that he really did his homework for the character of a tribal he essayed in Peranmai. “I had to lose 10 kilos for that movie. I still remember I met tribals and got trained in firing and archery before I began shooting for the film,” he says. And about his role in Thillalangadi, he says, “Who wouldn’t want to be as carefree as that boy in the movie? Some of my mannerisms in that film were aped by children. I was really touched,” he says.

He makes a cameo appearance in Ko. “Jeeva called me to do a cameo appearance in Ko and I couldn’t refuse. I was sure they wouldn’t let me down,” he says. In his latest film, Aadhi Bhagvan, he plays the role of a dreaded gangster. “I really like doing serious films but I know families love the kind of soft characters I do. Romance is evergreen but I would like to do something good for society through my characters,” he says and adds, “But I’ve realised that what directors capture is the audience point of view.”

Does he regret not straying into other language films? “I’ve had my reasons to remain the Tamil film industry but I would definitely try out different languages,” he avers.
Jayam is no stranger to Bangalore. He has a close circuit of friends here and understands Kannada very well but can’t really speak the language. “I was really moved when Shivanna said that his family members watch my movies and they love it. This coming from a legendary actor like him was impressive,” he signs off.