'Everybody's destiny is written and I firmly believe in it'
Raj Kamal, a renowned face on television, has waited for almost a decade to realise his dream. The Tiruchy boy who came to Chennai to act in films didn’t get any offer then. Having worked in television, the actor feels he’s blessed to have got every opportunity to showcase his acting prowess. “It was a long process to bag the lead role in Sandikuthirai. The director knew exactly what he wanted. After positive reviews, they have increased the number of screens. I am happy that the film has made a big impact and it’s a fantastic opportunity. I found the role exciting,” he smiles.
Though he has done many shows and serials, he always wanted to venture into films. “Actually, my debut film Mael Naattu Marumagan is due for release. I requested the director to release it after Sandikuthirai. The team was kind enough to listen to me,” he says.
TV actors becoming to successful heroes isn’t a new phenomenon in Tamil cinema. Ask him how challenging the whole transition has been, Raj Kamal tells us, “Everybody’s destiny is written and I firmly believe in it. Nobody can stop anyone. The line between television and movies is blurring with many established names seamlessly adapting themselves to both mediums. Many like Sivakarthikeyan, Senthil and Ma Ka Pa Anand are doing a good job in cinema, but not every small-screen actor gets to explore in K’town. I’ve been waiting for the right script for so long and chose a script, which will appeal to all sections of the audience.”
Raj Kamal feels it is all about luck. “When I did serials, I was conscious about not doing the lead. If I had done them, I’d have been stereotyped now. It was KB sir, who introduced me to soaps. My role model is Prakash Raj. I want to be like him. I stopped even doing those real-estate ads long ago. To be exact, four years. I said ‘no’ to 41 serials. Lots of offers for serials came my way. Many good banners approached me, but my conviction asked me to wait. So, I did. I was totally cut off from television. In fact, I remember running back to Kutti Padmini and Raadhika’s offices to apologise to them for not taking up those offers. But they have always been supportive. TV was really more of a training ground,” he recalls.
Talking about misconceptions he had about the film industry, he says, “I thought after seeing me on TV, people wouldn’t offer me films. I generally felt that they might not understand our style of acting or working hours. But I sincerely tried and it happened finally. I am done with TV, however I want to concentrate more on cinema. I enjoyed my stint in television and I am having fun doing films. I can be natural in front of the camera. That’s my strength,” he smiles.
Raj Kamal has two prerogatives. One, he should be comfortable with the team and two, his role should be substantial. Then, he’s game for anything! “I used to miss the kind of love and affection that viewers shower on me as a serial artiste. It’s always special because they treat us like family members,” he shares.
The actor says how he even lost 20 kilos in the process. “Thanks to my wife Latha,” he grins.
Up next, he has Innum Konja Neram in his kitty. “Shweta Pandit is paired opposite me. She’s a familiar face in the Kannada film circuit and has worked with actors like Sudeep,” he says.