He made waves in the 1990s with two major hits - Roja (1993) and Bombay (1995) but little has been heard about Arvind Swamy for the last several years. He talks about his comeback film, and his prolonged absence.
You are doing a Hindi film 18 years after Saat Rang Ke Sapne opposite Juhi Chawla. Why did you stay away from Hindi and later even Tamil cinema for so many years?
My last film was with Mani Ratnam. After that, I quit films because I wanted to do other things. I had ideas and I wanted to do business. So I just went ahead and explored all of that in different parts of the world. I had started out very early in films -- I was about 21 when I did Roja - and I did not want to get caught within this one profession. Also, I wanted to be a full time parent and for 10 years my primary focus was to raise my kids. And I play a lot of video games online; so lot of my time goes in that as well.
Around three years back, Mani Ratnam wanted me to do a Tamil film with him called Kadal, so I came back. Before that I did not act in any movie, not just in Hindi, for a long time.
And how did you agree to do a Hindi film -- Dear Dad -- after so many years?
I did not plan on coming back and doing these films. There is something complex about the story and the situation in which the characters find themselves in the movie Dear Dad. It is a situation in which he seeks understanding from his family, his son, Parts of the story is extremely unusual but at the same time I know for a fact that families have members in similar situations. I felt this role was out of my comfort zone. And because it was out of my comfort zone I decided on doing it as it is the challenge. Right now, I am picking up roles which are out of my comfort zone, even in
Tamil. I am picking up roles which people don’t expect to see me in.
Is the movie based on a father-son relationship?
This film is not a story of a father and son. They are the primary characters but it is a journey of the man as he knows the direction in which he wants to go ... and I am talking metaphorically. It is a journey in which there are confessions and conflicts and seeking understanding not forgiveness. So it moves towards a resolution. It is not a regular father-son relationship.
How do you feel today when you see scenes of Roja and Bombay and all the famous songs you were part of?
I can still appreciate those shots (laughs) -- that is the good part of doing films. Even after 20 years you can still see and enjoy those films or most parts of those films. I feel happy that I did those films.
You were quite the rage after Roja and Bombay, especially among women. But you didn’t seem keen on pursuing your career aggressively.
I never wanted to be an actor. I was a reluctant actor. I enjoyed the process of making the film. But the fame that came with success was something that made me uncomfortable. I was not prepared for it, I was not ready. I was in my early 20s at that time. I enjoyed the success but I did not like the attention. I wanted people to see my film but leave me alone (laughs). It was stifling for me. If you see 100 people outside your house -- some people would like it and some people would want to run back into their house. I am from the second category. It is not that I did not respect it. I respected it but it is just that I did not know how to deal with it. I have been kind of a recluse but now I am very comfortable meeting people.