Veteran actor Nizhalgal Ravi says he is still processing the kind of resounding success his recent film, Jana Nayagan, which marks Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay's cinematic swansong, is receiving. Comparing the theatre celebration of Kamal Haasan's Nayagan and Jana Nayagan, Ravi says, "I watched Jana Nayagan in Madurai, and it is clear they love him like anything. I was shooting there on the day of Jana Nayagan release and sought permission to watch the film. I have not seen anything like this since the Nayagan release. Such craze, love, and adoration for Vijay. My portions have been received well, and I am grateful to Vinoth for this opportunity. In fact, I am getting calls of appreciation even from those who haven't spoken to me in years."
Expressing his astonishment over Vijay's rise from an introverted actor to occupying Tamil Nadu's highest office, Ravi says, "Believe it or not, Vijay showed me no signs of his political ambitions. I have worked with him in Kushi (2000), Thirumalai (2003) and Kaavalan (2011). We have had plenty of conversations on sets of all these films; I never saw this coming." In fact, this isn't the first time Ravi is sharing screenspace with superstars who harboured political ambitions. "During the mid-90s, I thought that Rajini sir would make the plunge and go on to become the CM. Nevertheless, I am happy that this has happened to Vijay, who was someone I least expected to have this ambition. Even in the sets of Jana Nayagan, he was exactly how I saw him in Kushi. Just like how he is a different person on-screen and off-screen, he has proven to be a silent dynamite in his political career too."
Gifted with a commanding voice, Ravi says although his screentime was minimal, he was satisfied with how his character drives Jana Nayagan's narrative. "I realised that voice-acting is a very powerful department in cinema. I have been working as a narrator for shows on channels like Discovery and other documentaries. But it was KGF that showed me how powerful it is. Since then, I have been getting a lot of narrator opportunities like the one in Jana Nayagan," says the veteran. Pointing out that he enjoys the difference between narrating documentary shows and playing the narrator in commercial entertainers, Ravi says, "In a documentary, you will have to maintain the tempo of your voice from start to finish. There is nothing you can add to that script. But in films, you can play with inflection according to a scene's situation. Vinoth was kind enough to explore my voice range as he left that discretion to me. He would just explain the scene and let me do my thing."
Crediting Vinoth for having immense composure despite working with two of the biggest stars in Tamil cinema, Ravi points out, "Since Nerkonda Paarvai, he has been handling stars back-to-back. I have not seen him lose his cool even once. He is a composed person. Being a great storyteller and keeping his calm are important qualities for a filmmaker."
Having played a variety of characters throughout his career, the veteran actor points out that he still has the hunger to explore different roles that showcase his versatility to newer audences. "In a sizeable number of films I played in the 90s, especially with Rajini sir, I was cast as a cunning guy who would not reveal his true colours till the last moment. But I did not land a straightforward villain role," shares Ravi, who thinks audience liked seeing him play a cunning person and directors designed roles accordingly. "For some reason, directors felt I fit the bill of a sly bad guy and not an openly bad guy. I am very much open to playing such roles. Also, I came here for the love of acting irrespective of the roles. That is why I haven't really gone in search of any roles, even the purely antagonistic ones. I still only do the roles that come my way," says Ravi.
Up next, he has PS Mithran-Karthi's Sardar 2, and he is also playing a comical role in director Chimbu Deven's next. "That will be one of the most hilarious films in recent times. Vemal is leading the film, and Thambi Ramaiah is also part of the supporting cast. I have played a very different role in the sense of looks. In fact, my voice will be the only identifying factor. This film will be a laugh riot like Vadakkupatti Ramasamy and the Dhilluku Dhuddu films," signs off Ravi.
