Looks like its going to be a fruitful year for actor Vaibhav, who was last seen in the Ajit-starrer Mankatha a few years ago. This year, the actor has three movies in the pipeline in Tamil. Cameo Film’s Damaal Dumeel(DD) is releasing on April 18, while Sekar Kammula’s Nee Engey En Anbe (NEEA) and Kappal will follow soon after. The actor has even more reasons to celebrate as he turns solo hero with these projects. What’s more, he’s moving away from comic portrayals to shades of grey and serious roles. In a chat with CE, an excited Vaibhav talks about the variety that’s spicing up his career.
“Damaal Dumeel is directed by Shankar’s former assistant Sreekumar. Incidentally, Kappal is also directed by another assistant of Shankar, Karthik! In NEEA, I got to work with the acclaimed Sekar Kammula. So it’s been a very interesting few months for me!” says Vaibhav.
So what is DD all about? “It’s a comic thriller, about an IT guy who stumbles upon a situation that lands him with gangsters. He gets greedy on seeing the big money that was at stake. The story is about how he tackles the situation. What’s exciting for me is that for the first time I will be playing a character with shades of grey. Usually, filmmakers come to me only with scripts involving comedy, so I’ m thrilled that I got to show a different side in DD,” says Vaibhav.
Remya Nambeesan, his heroine has crooned a number, set to music by Thaman. Another song by Usha Uthup has also been well-received. Sayaji Shinde plays a fake drugs dealer, while Kota Srinivasa Rao is a drug trafficker and money lender. Though Vaibhav enjoyed the shoot at IT parks in the city, he had to get down and dirty for one scene. “I had to jump into a stagnant waterbody around 2 am near Valasaravakkam for one shot. I was hesitant and shuddered to think of what lay below the thick, murky, black water, but I jumped in bravely anyway! I came out stinking to high heaven,” recalls Vaibhav.
In NEEA, he pairs up with Nayanthara. “It’s the Kahaani remake and a heroine-oriented story. I play a naïve cop and it was fun working with Nayan. She has no starry airs at all. She bravely walked on the crowded roads for several shots in Hyderabad’s old city,” discloses Vaibhav.
In Kappal, Vaibhav plays a small town boy, who is excited about coming to the big city and seeing plenty of girls. Sonam is his co-star. Vaibhav says, “The experiences my character goes through will be full of comic surprises and fun.”