It is said of the late Hindi actor Pran that mothers found his name handy to make their naughty children behave; such was the penetration and fire in his eyes. So it was a moment of pride for actor Aruldoss when Kamal Haasan compared his eyes to those of Pran during the shoot of Papanasam. The actor is equally proud of having shared screen space with Rajinikanth in Kaala.
His acting journey began with Naan Mahaan Alla, and Aruldoss says he did that role in deference to the wishes of his good friend and director Suseenthiran. “My first love is the camera and after assisting UK Senthilkumar, I got the chance to work as the primary cinematographer on three films on the trot. But all of them did average business, which effectively halted my career behind the camera.”
However, thanks to Suseenthiran, his acting career took off post-Azhagarsamiyin Kuthirai. “The turning point for me was Soodhu Kavvum with my dada doctor character becoming a huge hit. After that I got a lot of inspector and rowdy characters. Directors are also inclined to use me in village scripts since my appearance fits those roles.”
Such has been the demand for him that Aruldoss says he has lost count of the films he has done. But is he not tired of doing a lot of similar roles? “To be frank, yes. I have actually stopped accepting cop roles for the time being. Or I end up wearing whites and mouthing the same sort of lines over and over. This is not my kind of cinema. I look for creativity in my characters.”
The actor says he draws inspiration from the likes of MR Radha and Senthamarai. “They had an individual style and made a mark with their mannerisms. I would like to have a trademark of that sort.”
In the long run, Aruldoss desires to produce films and set up a platform for young technicians. “It will be a way for me to give back to the industry.”