It may have been five years since Kanna Ravi made his debut with Veera, but his journey as an actor actually began with short films in 2012. Now, after a wait of ten long years, the actor has headlined the Aha original, Rathasaatchi, which has premiered to highly positive reviews. “Rathasaatchi en paththu varusha uzhaippukku saatchi,” says Kanna. “The offer to play the lead felt like a feast for a man who hadn’t eaten in days. All these days, I have been testing the waters with supporting roles and checking whether people enjoy my presence. But deep down, I have always been longing to play a lead character. I have been rejected numerous times over the years, but now, I am positive that my break in Rathasaatchi will plant a seed of hope in the heart of struggling actors.”
He thanks director Rafiq Ismail for making this dream a reality. Rafiq, for his part, thanks writer Jeyamohan for trusting him with the rights to his short story, Kaithigal. “He wanted me to establish myself as a filmmaker and gave me the rights, even though directors like Mani Ratnam and Vetrimaaran were after that story,” says Rafiq, who goes on to talk about the nuances of adaptation. “It’s a story that could be seamlessly transformed into an OTT film, but the same can’t be said about short stories and novels in general. Rathasaatchi, for instance, wouldn’t be suitable for festival circles, as the treatment is rather loud. All I had to do was design a screenplay free of distractions. If this had been done for the theatre experience, then I would have had to create more moments for the audience to enjoy as a collective.”
Though the film is about blood, murders and revolution, Rafiq doesn’t show the violence literally. “This was a conscious choice,” he says,” I didn’t want to exploit my audience by exposing them to needless brutality. That’s why you don’t see the girl being stripped or tortured in prison. A reaction shot is enough. However, I had to show the death of Harish Kumar’s character in custody and the women being thrown into a boiling jaggery vessel to validate the transformation that Appu (Kanna Ravi’s character) undergoes.”
Asked if such hard-hitting sequences took a toll on him, Kanna says, “Thankfully, I have learnt to detach myself from my characters once shooting ends. I struggled during my initial days, but now I know how to deliver an effective performance without letting the strength of the script eat me. Growing my hair and beard long helped me get into the skin of the character and Rafiq’s inputs ensured that I understood the psyche of the character.” Playing Appu, in fact, impacted him in a positive way, he says. “Appu is a giver and a selfless leader. Having travelled with the character for several months, I can sense that I have become a better human now.”
Kanna got his entry ticket to the cinema by working on short films. He feels that recent short video formats like reels have made acting even more accessible for aspirants. “Social media clout does give a person an upper hand, but I wish aspiring actors understood that the foundation is skill and relentless practice. Without that, they will go nowhere.”
Rathasaatchi traces the life of a Naxalite, whose core principles are based on communism. Asked if Rafiq would be up to directing a film which goes against what he believes in, he says, “No! However, I am open to creative feedback from others that can make my craft better. But I would never let anyone influence the tone or ideology of my film. I see Rathasaatchi more as a film against violence than as a communist film.” He goes on to explain his stand using Maadathy, the film that marked his debut as a writer. “Maadathy is a fairy tale and a myth at the core. Through that narrative, we made an anti-casteist film. Likewise, I am up to experimenting with formats like horror or superhero films which are distant from reality. However, my films will speak about the politics I believe in.”