Just uttering his name is enough to have women fans sighing. He’s effortlessly good-looking. In fact, lot has to do with his sharp features and smile — secrets of his charm. Cinema has been a fruitful experience for Ashok Selvan, who rose to fame with films like Soodhu Kavvum (2013), Thegidi (2014) and Savaale Samaali (2015).
Awaiting the release of Priyadarshan’s Sila Samayangalil, besides Kootathil Oruthan and an untitled flick by Gautham Ramachandran with Nivin Pauly in the lead and him in a cameo, Ashok is thrilled. The actor, who doesn’t shy away from articulating his thoughts, recently went on a bike trip to Leh.
He tells CE, “Now that I have taken a break, I am back to work. The journey provided an opportunity to analyse myself and my strengths. A couple of things weren’t working and I was away from people, social media and mobile phones. It was a great relief-cum-learning experience. Riding my bike up there in the hills gave me a high. The trip changed my perspective on life.”
There’s a sense of excitement in his voice as he talks about Sila Samayangalil. He grins, “I learnt a lot from Priyadarshan sir, Prakash Raj sir and Nasser sir just by watching them. When the makers approached me for the role, I was surprised. I knew it was a good product. Moreover, the film is important because it deals with an issue like AIDS, which has been handled with a lot of sensitivity. More such stories should be told. Everyone can relate to the film and it’s for the universal audience as well.” While agreeing that cinema must entertain, he opines, the medium must mirror reality and take on social issues. “That’s one of the reasons why I said ‘yes’ to Priyan sir,” he stresses.
Quiz him on his make-over; he laughs, “With this facial hair, moustache and beard nobody could recognise me. In a way, it’s good.”
Prod him more and he adds, “One of my films required a make-over, so I am in this get-up. I’ll shave off in the first week of October, as I have to shoot for the other characters.”
Ashok has been cherry-picking his roles since 2014. “I got similar kinds of roles back to back, so I had to reject nearly 50 scripts. I don’t fit into the typical Kollywood formula films,” he adds. Taking a quick look at his career path, he says he’s has been on an experimental mode and ended up signing a few, which proved to be productive. But why is he too choosy about roles? “There were times I would return from a shoot and feel worthless and I decided that I would not do roles and films that didn’t satisfy me. I have a responsibility to challenge and enthuse the actor in me and person that I am. I have to be convinced about my choice,” he says.
The 144 (2015) actor has one rule that he hopes to stick to — work only on one film at a time. He says his focus is to be a part of good films, which will make him feel proud as an actor. “This is the only profession I know. I have made it here with no background
in the industry. I have done theatre, street plays and more. I don’t want to act in 100 films, but I wish to be a part of films that will be remembered forever,” he elaborates.
Is there a director waiting to break free this articulate actor? He shares, “Well, I have done a few short films, but as of now I am more focused on acting. Maybe, I can think about
direction when I hit the 40s. Instead of waiting for some one to do it, you must go out and do it yourself. So, I might do it.”
We hear Kootathil Oruthan is a campus story, which revolves around a student who gets lost between the front and last benchers in a classroom. The film has Priya Anand, Samuthirakani, Anupama Kumar in important roles. Nivas Prasanna is the music director.