He’s the debutant hero of ‘a film without a story’, but he’s loving every moment of it. For Santhosh, the Rajput boy brought up in Chennai, acting in films has been a dream since childhood.
So, when an audition got him the lead in Parthiepan’s Kadhai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam (KTVI), he couldn’t believe his luck. In a chat with CE, the youngster reveals how romantic scenes were the toughest part of the film.
“As a kid I used to practise acting in front of the mirror. I was always part of stage plays. Films were my goal, but I studied to fulfil my parents’ wishes. I did my BSc in Biotechnology and later an MBA in shipping and logistics,” says the 26-year-old. He worked in Dubai for a couple of years before returning to an MNC job in Chennai. His penchant for showbiz led him to dabble in modelling.
“Despite my successful career, I had no peace of mind because films were my goal. At a modelling event, I was introduced to director Parthiepan by my good friend Srini. I went for auditions and was finally selected,” says Santhosh. “It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m finally a part of cinema,” he adds.
So far, it looks like he has been spending his time wisely in pursuits that will help him in his film journey. The trained dancer, who did a live performance at the audio launch recently, was part of an amateur dance troupe in college, “We participated in Boogie Woogie, the famed dance reality show, and even in Thillana Thillana back home,” he reveals.
The former athlete and biker is also a trained scuba diving master and licensed to teach.
So the stunts were a breeze for him. “I like sports and my stunt in the film was a biking scene, so it was easy. But Parthiepan sir made sure we had all safety precautions in place,” he says.
However, it was the romantic scenes that had him stumped. “My first shot was a kissing scene. In all my years acting before a mirror, I never practised romantic scenes. So it took about ten takes to get it right,” he grins. Though he’s from Rajasthan, his fluency in Tamil earned him praise from Parthiepan. So what’s his role in the movie? “I play a film director,” is all he reveals since the plot is a mystery which the director wants to retain. Quiz director Parthiepan about this unusual film, and he says, “Earlier, I have made several films which were trendsetters and ahead of their time. Now, I find that audiences have changed. They accept experimental films. Several movies with fresh ideas have become hits recently. Hence, even producers are now more willing to back such scripts. So I felt, this is the ideal time to make a movie like KTVI.”
Along with newbies, he has a line up of stars like Arya, Amala Paul, Taapsee, Prakash Raj and Cheran in guest appearances. Thambi Ramaiah plays a pivotal role. Produced by K Chandra Mohan, the film is set for a summer release.