There’s a world of difference in an actor’s demeanour, poise and state of mind before and after the release of their film. While they’re slightly more guarded, cautious before the release of their film, they often tend to surprise you with their candid, uninhibited nature after the film’s release. And sure enough, riding on the success of his latest thriller I, actor Vikram presented a calm, relaxed demeanour as he spoke forthrightly about the success of I and his passion for cinema. “Normally, when a film of mine releases, it doesn’t matter to me if it’s a hit or a flop. My main goal is for the audience to enjoy it,” says Vikram smoothly.
With the film generating massive hype much before its release, the actor feels it has lived up to it and was overwhelmed with the response I has generated. “I don’t think any film got such hype in recent times, and though there were a few critics who did not like the film, the response from the audience was totally different,” Vikram points out.
The actor goes on to state that the response has been particularly good in Kerala, where it has released in 225 theatres. “We have already collected `19.5 crores in Andhra Pradesh, which is not a small amount by any standards, especially considering it’s a dubbed film. In Kerala, we have already collected more than the biggest Tamil film (which is more than any Malayalam film) in just one week,” the actor points out. Laying emphasis on the message that the film spreads,, which is love, Vikram, who was last seen in Bejoy Nambiar’s David, says, “The best cinema is always from the South. People who make realistic cinema are loving it. I think it’s a film with one of the biggest budget and it shows. Each fight took us about 12 to 15 days,” expresses the 48-year-old.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for I as the film ran into trouble with the transgender community, who protested against the portrayal of the community in the film. Brushing the controversy aside, Vikram explains, “It is nothing against transgenders or any other community. For that matter, there’s also a character who is a doctor (Suresh Gopi plays a perverted doctor in the film), in which case the entire doctor community would feel bad. What we have shown in the movie doesn’t hold true for all transgenders, doctors, models or businessmen. It’s just another character in the film.”
Vikram, who’s known for essaying powerful roles in films like Aparichitudu, drew tremendous praise for his performance in the film , where he played three characters, each requiring him to be in different shape and physique. “It was certainly very difficult and I put on a lot of weight and lost a lot of weight for those three characters. And I felt that it was needed. For the last character, even though the director said a prosthetic should be used, we managed. I thought, If I really lose weight, the transition will be much more dramatic and that has worked well,” shares the actor, a sense of satisfaction clearly visible on his face.
Working out and staying in shape was not the only challenge he encountered, as the actor had to stay indoors for a long period of time during the movie’s making. “For three years, I didn’t go out much, because if I look like a body builder, then people would know it’s about a body builder. Even if I go out, it would be with a mask and cap. Getting into the last character was most challenging. Even playing a role of a body builder wasn’t easy and I built a body in five months, in what would normally take one year. It was purely because of a lot of hours spent in the gym and a strict, healthy diet,” reveals the multi-talented actor.
Meanwhile, the success of I has once again catapulted Vikram to a cult status in Southern cinema. “To be honest, I don’t believe in this race for No.1. I just love cinema and I love acting,” Vikram signs off.