I used to do mono-acting and take part in drama in school. I had a liking for acting, but never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would work in films. My first break came in 2014, through my friend who asked me to play a small role in Last Supper, which starred Unni Mukundan. Then, in 2018, another friend forwarded details of a casting call by Friday Films. That is how I landed the role of Chekuthan Lasser in Aadu 2. And that’s how this tech and design guy came to be known as a ‘film actor’ (laughs).
Rishabh Shetty is a huge fan of Mohanlal and Lijo Jose Pellissery. He, apparently, liked my role in Malaikottai….I received a call from the writer of Kantara, Anirudh Mahesh, who asked me to take a screen test and a costume trial. That’s when I met Rishabh, and he was impressed by my size (laughs).
It was an overwhelming experience. I was fine till the costume trials. It was only during the shoot that I finally saw the sets. That’s when the sheer scale of the film hit me. It took a while to sink in, and I felt really fortunate that Rishabh chose.
It was great working with him. One thing I noticed was that he wouldn’t impose his ideas. He first lets you do what you have in mind. If it does not meet his expectations, he would inform you what he has in mind and rework the shot.
However, if your way of executing a scene turns out to be better than what he originally had in mind, Rishabh would
appreciate and go with that.
I think my physique is my USP (laughs). I get a lot of queries about my height — whether I am taller than Amitabh Bachchan or Suresh Gopi, etc. I happily reply: ‘Sorry, no one is taller than me!’ (Hariprashanth is 6.4ft tall.)
I mostly get offered villainous roles, and sometimes a police officer. But not all films have worked out. Some have not been shot, some did not even take off.
Recently, I was offered a role in a Tulu/Kannada film as well. But I could not take it up, as I have committed to a project helmed by Joshiy sir — my second film with him, after Antony.
I work with a semi-governmental sports firm in Qatar. I have about 45 leaves a year. I use that to commit to films. I miss out on a lot of family functions and gatherings because of this. I usually can do two films if it is in Malayalam. In Kantara, all of my scenes were shot in different locations. I had to spend 18 days for the shoot, spread across a period of 14 months.
In fact, one of my last scenes in the films was shot just last month.
How was your experience working with big names in the Malayalam industry, including Mohanlal and Mammooty (in Parole)?
I am not a trained actor, and every role I do is a learning curve. I always enter a set believing that everyone is more experienced than me.
Mohanlal and Mammotty, of course, are full-fledged universities of acting! When working with Mammookka on Parole, I kept missing my timing during a fight scene. He was so empathetic and helped me figure it out. He, in fact, made me comfortable, saying he too used to have similar issues in his early days.
Similarly, during a fight scene with Mohanlal in Malakkottai…, I kept closing my eyes. It was hampering the intensity. He helped me correct it without any qualms.
One can soak up so much from their knowledge by just hanging around them.
