Kanna Ravi is no stranger to OTT. In fact, he has quietly lapped up varied roles in this medium, building himself a weather-resistant nest and a career that speaks for itself. From Livin (2017), Fingertip (2022), Inspector Rishi (2024) in web series, to even films like Mandela (2021), Saani Kaayidham (2022), and Rathasaatchi (2022) premiering online, Kanna Ravi has been at the forefront of many a quality product on OTT. "I enjoy the freedom of OTT. Since the time I was working on short films, I knew that I could prove my talent in the digital space. I was neither in a position to wait for the right opportunity, nor could I demand a specific launch with a particular director. Filmmakers would call artists like me only after seeing our work, and I took the route of short films to series and then... films. I have acted in over 100 short films, five web series, and almost 10 feature films. What's remained constant is the effort I give for every format,"  explains Kanna Ravi.

Back to his home turf once again with a fresh web series, Veduvan, Kanna Ravi mentions that his role as Seyon is "completely different" from any of his previous works. "Seyon is a man who hails from a small village and goes to the city to become a police officer. This might be a tale you might have seen before, but I had the opportunity to play different characters within my role. I play a beggar, a city dweller, an undercover cop, and a village man. I was able to display a range of emotions, and I would consider this series as my portfolio," says the Coolie actor.

"In fact, I was quite jealous of him," says his Veduvan co-star Vinusha Devi, who, along with Vera Maari Office-fame Lavanya, are two of the many female stars part of the show. After playing girl-next-door roles in hit serials, Bharathi Kannamma 1 and 2, and Panivizhum Malarvanam, Vinusha is making her foray into the OTT space. "I wouldn't say my role of Shanthi is grey-shaded in Veduvan. But there are interesting layers to her role, and you will see it in the series," says Vinusha, who is dismissive about any kind of pressure to maintain the image she has built over the years. "I knew I had to pick the story as soon as I heard it, and I was sure that my character would resonate well with audiences. Director Pavan is the hero of the story. He is strict, but extracts the right amount of performance from us," she adds. Echoing her statements, Lavanya, who takes on an intense role in her first mainstream project, notes that she was unfazed despite being surrounded by immensely talented actors. "I adored my role as Vennila. More than the character's importance, I liked many nuances that the series added to my arc. There are no villains here. Everyone is a hero if we alter our perspectives," she says. Adding on, Kanna Ravi underlines that these women characters are not a prop in the show but "are the best" he has ever seen.

Kanna returns to play yet another gritty role in Veduvan, but deep down, he yearns to work in a romantic film. "I started my career with a romantic web series, Livin, and I badly want to act in a film of a similar genre. Of course, I am not in a position to tell directors to craft a role according to my wishes. With the stories I get, I'd want to prove my talent," says the actor, who reveals that he does have a romantic arc in Veduvan, and is striving hard to avoid being typecast. "Even when I was working on Livin, I was working on a starkly different character in Veera as a villain. Next was Kaithi and Mandela, followed by Saani Kaayidham and Kuruthi Aattam. I am trying my best to break patterns, but it hasn't been easy," he elucidates, adding, "I consciously decided not to take up roles that were too intense or required me to sport a beard. I was firm about that, and Lover gave me a chance to explore a new side of myself."

Veduvan also stars Sanjeev Venkat, a veteran in the TV and film industry with over two decades of experience. For Kanna, it was a “blessing” working alongside him. “You can learn from even their walking style. He was down-to-earth with no airs around him, but it was me who was hesitant to start a conversation on set,” he says. However, for TV serial actors Vinusha and Lavanya, who grew up seeing him in hit television serials like Thirumathi Selvam and Metti Oli, life had indeed come a full circle. “You tend to be scared around senior artists, especially if you are a newbie, but he taught me various aspects of acting, which made it a memorable experience for me,” shares Vinusha. Lavanya, on the other hand, expresses regret over not being able to share screen space with him. “I felt bad that I couldn’t act alongside him. He’s also known for his fiery and fast speeches from his time as a host on Maanada Mayilada. We witnessed it live during an event, and we were left speechless,” she says.

Well-known among Tamil TV serial viewers, Vinusha and Lavanya are aware that they’ll be introduced to a broader and possibly more diverse audience with Veduvan. “I had witnessed this with Vera Maari Office as even school children came up to me to talk about the show,” recalls Lavanya, with Vinusha mirroring her thoughts, “Even I was amazed that serials were being watched by children. Everyone is choosing the content they want to watch. Veduvan will mark a shift in how people see me as an actor.”

Meanwhile, Kanna Ravi is continuing to bask in the limelight after Coolie’s theatrical success and its OTT release, and is currently overwhelmed with the offers that have been pouring on his plate. “I have now become selective with my projects after Coolie,” he notes. “I am grateful, as it was my second launch into the industry. When audiences see me in person, they go from recognising me as a familiar face in the industry to addressing me by my character names. First, it was Ajaz after Kaithi. Now, I am being referred to as Simon's son, Arjun. That's the impact and the reach of these Lokesh Kanagaraj films,” he adds.

Kanna Ravi’s next project, Khakhi Squad, “came out of nowhere,” as he puts it. “Director Sakthivel Perumalsamy initially approached me to shoot a small portion, where I’d play a cop. I trusted his vision and went ahead with it. Suddenly, I hear that Ravi Mohan is presenting the film and that a launch was being planned. I was stunned!” he shares. “That’s when I truly realised that hard work never goes to waste. I believe the film will take me to places I’ve never been before,” he says, signing off with hope.