He’s just 23 years old and armed with a postgraduate degree in Electronic Media. But if you look for him in a corporate office, it’ll be in vain. Instead, you can spot him in Velai Illa Pattadhari, playing Kollywood’s youngest, bratty villain. Meet Amitash Pradhan, the new find of producer and hero Dhanush.
“I was hooked to acting when I saw Shah Rukh Khan in Baazigar, when I was just three. Since then, I have harboured a desire to make it in films.” From the Madras Players to Theatre Nisha, Amitash did the rounds, acting in 25 plays. To hone his skills, he even did a six-month course at Anupam Kher’s acting school An Actor Prepares, in Mumbai.
But his big break was a huge surprise. “Anirudh Ravichander and I have been besties from pre-school days. I was at his sister Vaishnavi’s wedding when Dhanush spotted me. I was completely astounded when he offered me the role in VIP,” he recalls.
Recalling his first shot he says, “I had to deliver a dialogue while having breakfast . I thought since I’ve done 25 plays, it would be easy. But acting before a camera means remembering camera angles, lights and movements, and I had a tough time. I thought I had perhaps chosen the wrong profession!” His training however came in handy to get the nuances of his character of a spoilt, rich and vengeful construction magnate’s son, “I had to be subtle yet impactful.” But a particularly tough scene challenged him, “Delivering a lengthy dialogue before Dhanush, with a large crowd watching at a construction site, was tough. But Dhanush, being the calm, helpful person he is, was extremely patient all through.”
Just back from theatre rounds, Amitash is on cloud nine. “The audience was cursing me through the film. That was the biggest compliment. Later they came and clicked selfies with me,” he says. About the future he says, “Lead roles or negative ones, I want to give everything my best shot.”