Kaali Venkat has been a familiar face in Tamil cinema for nearly two decades now, but for the actor, the ride still feels surreal. As House Mates hits theatres this week, the actor, in an exclusive conversation with CE, opens up about his journey in cinema and his healthy addiction.
“These past fifteen years have just flown by,” he smiles, looking back at the journey. “I unofficially started in 2006, but officially, it's been about 15 years. I feel incredibly grateful to have come this far in a field I love so much.”
Unlike many who step into the industry with big ambitions, Kaali Venkat says he came in without grand dreams. “All I wanted in the beginning was to act in four or five films and keep their CDs safely, just so I could show them to my future generations,” he shares. “Even today, I don’t have huge desires. The fact that I’ve made it this far surprises me. Whatever comes next, I’ll take it as it comes.”
The actor is currently neck-deep in work and admits it’s been a while since he’s had any quality time for himself. “My schedule has been packed for months, and it’s going to continue like this for a while. Thankfully, my manager makes sure I don’t get double booked and handles my calendar well. But when I shoot back-to-back day and night, my body protests,” he says.
Health, Kaali says, is something he takes seriously. “I’m addicted to walking! Some people are hooked on smoking or drinking, but my high is from my daily walks. If I miss it, I get restless. I love burning calories because that means I can eat guilt-free,” he laughs. “But don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about being busy. This is exactly the kind of work I came into cinema for.”
House Mates also stars Darshan, Aarsha Baiju, Vinodhini, Dheena, and Abdool Lee and is helmed by Rajavel. The film’s crew consists of MS Sathish as the cinematographer, Nishar Sharef as the editor, and Dinesh handling stunts. SP Sakthivel has served as a creative producer with Kalai Arasu as the co-producer. Playsmith Studios and South Studios are backing the film.