My dad was very supportive: Arjun Ashokan

Arjun Ashokan, son of actor Harisree Ashokan, got his first taste of acting when he debuted in 2012 with Orkut Oru Ormakootu, a film which also featured his father. And after a gap of five years came his Parava, which marked actor Soubin Shahir's directorial debut. He will be now seen in B.Tech, which will be released this Friday.

Though his father is a famous comedian, Arjun says he hasn't tried his hand at the genre yet. "The two characters I've played so far are different from each other. In Parava, I played a Muslim youth, and in B.Tech, I play an innocent and naive character. If I get a chance to do comedy, I'll definitely do it, provided they're substantial characters."

Asked whether his dad was supportive of him joining the industry, he says, "Yes, he was very supportive. He told me that if I'm interested in acting, then I should definitely go for it. He wasn’t against it. The same goes for my mother, who didn’t say anything."

Arjun adds that the one piece of advice he got from his dad was to be a good human being. "He wanted me to learn things by myself and be my own man, and have my own style when it comes to everything."

Though he can't reveal much about his new film, he is kind enough to share a few details. "It’s basically a college story with all the usual situations you would see inside a campus. If I tell you how different it is, it could be a spoiler (laughs). My character is sort of a nerd. He is a serious and disciplined guy."

Arjun is full of praise for his co-star, Asif Ali. "He is so chilled out. I spent an year with him. He is just like my elder brother and I've learned a lot from him. He is a method actor and is very good at adapting himself to the mood and style of the film."