CHENNAI: With a smile and a white lab coat, Dr V Sethuraman sits in his clinic — a dream that he built from scratch. Coming from a family of doctors, his career did not suprise anyone. And since he always presented himself well even when he was in college, this doctor knew that dermatology was his calling. “I knew this was where I would end up, but I also knew that I did not want to do anything surgical. And that’s when I learnt about cosmetology and aesthetic cosmetology in particular,” says the MD of ZI Clinic.
After training under the late dermatologist Dr GR Ratnavel, Dr Sethuraman set up a clinic in the city and began the process of creating awareness about skin care and also offered treatment at affordable prices. “Skin care and treatment is not just for celebrities; we need to take care of our skin. For that, it is important to do check-ups and treat any problem that arises, then and there,” he adds. The celebrity-doctor who has acted in a couple of films talks to CE about his life as a sportsman, films and more. Excerpts follow:
Tell us about your schooling. Were you the popular kid in class or the studious one?
I studied in Montfort School, Yercaud. To be the popular one in Montfort, you need to take part in sports. I played tennis, athletics and others. I was actually keen on playing tennis but I had stopped sports and gymming after I started practicing, but now I am trying to get back to it. Growing up in an all-boys school taught me a lot. I became very independent and since I lived with my friends, I connected with them more and was not in touch with my family as much.
Do you have any phobias?
I have a lot of phobias, not just one (chuckles). To name a few — acrophobia (fear of heights), claustrophobia (fear of confined places), etc. In fact, a couple of days back, I did this movie with actor Santhanam in which we had a song sequence, which was being shot in a dark AC room. I was inside the room and kept feeling that something will attack me. So I used to keep coming out every now and then. Similarly, in one of the songs in Kanna Ladu Thinna Aasaiya (2013), we had to sit on top and do a dance step, and if you notice only Power Star and Santhanam did that scene, I wasn’t there in that, because of my fear of heights.
How did you get into acting?
While I was pursuing medicine at Annamalai University, I was involved in cultural activities, not because I knew to dance or sing, but just to get celebrities as chief guests and show off a bit in front of others (laughs). I brought actor Prasanna once and even Santhanam. At that time, Santhanam had just set foot into movies and was very popular for his jokes. That’s when I met him for the first time, and from then on, our friendship bloomed. We have been good friends for the last 14 years. It was through him that I got into movies. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would see myself on screen.
What’s your pick — Beaches or mountains?
I am a beach person; I love the calm and quiet of a beach. I love to travel a lot in general and make it a point to go and see different places. Next one on the bucket list is Spain.
Are you a foodie?
I would have visited every restaurant in Chennai at least once (laughs). I love to eat and try out different varieties of food, however continental is my favourite cuisine. I try and eat as much of it as I can.
If not a doctor, where do you think you would have ended up?
An engineer! It was only in the last minute that I got medicine. My principal did not give me biology initially and told me to take up engineering. I wanted to do that as well back then. So I think I would have definitely gone to the US and worked there as an engineer.
Acting bug
Dr V Sethuraman has acted in Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya (2013), Vaaliba Raja (2016) and did and cameo on Sakka Podu Podu Raja (2017)