It is often said, “What goes around, comes around,” and isn’t that a wonderful embodiment of life’s cyclical nature? For actor Vidaarth, his latest release, Kuiko, took him back a decade when he wanted to make a film with director Manikandan based on a similar storyline. “I asked him to work on a story for me since a slew of my films were not working well. When he presented a script based on a freezer box, I was working on another film at that time, so he went on to do Kaaka Muttai. Later, we worked together in Kuttrame Thandanai,” he explains. “Even with Kuiko, Ramesh Thilak was initially cast in my role. Later, fate took a turn, and the project eventually circled back to me.”
For Vidaarth, it wasn’t just the script that made him say yes, it was also an ode to director Arul Chezhiyan. “We have been acquainted for many years and I wanted to do something for him. He is very focused and dedicated to his work,” he says. Kuiko, which tells the tale of how a freezer box changes the lives of several people in a village, stars Vidaarth and Yogi Babu in lead roles. Ensemble casts are not new to the actor, who recently starred in the hit film, Irugapatru, directed by Yuvaraj Dhayalan. However, Vidaarth admits that he doesn’t see himself as a star but rather as a character fueling the storyline. “I don’t look at it as a competition where I defeat a co-star to shine brighter. If I do that, I feel like I’m betraying my job. It sabotages the entire story. I only concentrate on how I perform my role and deliver it well. If you’re donning the role of a watchman, you should do your duty rather than transforming into a policeman,” he says.
Kuiko comes close on the heels of Irugapatru completing more than 50 days in theatres, and becoming a rather important Tamil film of 2023. “We have been bombarded with several messages and calls since the release. Recently, Prabhudheva and Karthi made calls and spoke to me briefly. Audiences from Andhra Pradesh have been celebrating the film. I am immensely thankful to Yuvaraj for giving me this role.”
Vidaarth’s filmography is sprinkled with a mix of rural and urban stories, some of which have stood the test of time like Mynaa, Kuttrame Thandanai, and Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu, while some have tanked and remained as forgettable ventures. He quotes the lack of publicity as the primary reason for this. “Advertisements and publicity are very important for the film to reach its audience. If you look at a small film that has had a successful run at the box office, it would have had a big banner or a director behind it. I couldn’t advertise Kuttrame Thandanai or Kurangu Bommai properly. Although I had the money to make it, there was not great support to release it. If it was a fairly big distribution house, these films would have had a far better reach,” he shares.
The Kaatrin Mozhi actor is quite vocal about acknowledging the setbacks in his career and doesn’t shy away from admitting the same. “More than 20 films have flopped for me. I don’t dwell on a film’s success or failure, because it involves teamwork and everything has to come together smoothly. I try my best to do my work properly, hoping that it resonates well with the audience. One of my co-stars asked me not to feel disheartened because I was taking up smaller roles, and my career is on a downward slope. But honestly, yaaru ivarta varuthapatta? (Did I even lament to him?) I’m involved in these projects as I’m exploring roles, but they think I’m working on these because I don’t have any films in my bag. In fact, even the audience are believing this narrative,” he elaborates.
These setbacks notwithstanding, Vidaarth expresses a deep sense of contentment and happiness about his life and career. “In this way, I can explore diverse roles and characters. I have never aspired to become a star since the beginning of my career. It is a huge burden to carry and I feel that I don’t have what it takes to handle stardom. Stars aren’t allowed to have failures. Once you achieve success, there is immense pressure to deliver bigger hits. You won’t be able to do roles that you love. I don’t face that pressure.”
Thanks to social media, Vidaarth notes that just like how it was while staging dramas back in the day, audiences can convey what they feel almost immediately. “It is encouraging as an actor to hear good words. It makes me even more happy when they tell me that they have rediscovered and rewatched my films,” says Vidaarth, who reveals he is unaffected by seeing his peers moving up the ladder, and isn’t part of any race to the top. “Earlier in my time with Koothupattarai, I played an old guard in just one scene in a drama, and still got appreciation from the audience. Right from that time, I have been clear about what I want, and what I should give importance to.”