Sathish Ninasam: A story on IAS officers cannot be told lightly

Every role helps in building an artiste’s personality believes actor Sathish Ninasam. He explains that actors establish themselves in society with the kind of roles they pick, and points to his role as an IAS officer in the upcoming film, Chambal, directed by Jacob Verghese.

“With this character, I hope the audience will understand me in a different way,” says Sathish, who is of the opinion that even though films allow writers and directors to put across their thoughts inspired by real-life incidents, it still remains a work of fiction. “No film can ever get to the root cause of the incident. Ultimately, it is how the audience perceive it, that matters.”

Satish believes that there comes a time when an actor has to start taking on mature roles. “This is one such for me. Playing the role of a bureaucrat is risky. That’s where a good director like Jacob comes into the picture. A story on IAS officers cannot be told lightly; it has to be handled with sensitivity. I had faith in my director and plunged myself into the project. I am sure officers will be proud of the film.”

The story of Chambal will serve an inspiration to the youth, according to the actor. “They will wish to see an IAS officer like the one I play. It might also inspire a lot of youngsters to become IAS officers and live like Subhash (his character in the film).”

Sathish, known for his humourous, punchy dialogues and boy-next-door characters, is now trying his hand at a different genre. “When I can make them laugh, I can also prove myself with a role like this one. My film Lucia is a good example. I trust in my audience, and the feedback that has been coming in after the release of Chambal's trailer has been good.”

The trailer has also been creating a buzz owing to a so-called similarity between a character in the film and officer DK Ravi. Neither denying nor granting the validity of this claim, Sathish simply says, “Ravi was also an IAS officer, and certain aspects of his life have inspired the film. But it’s not about one person.”

The actor did not only refer to the script in preparation for his role. He also studied various IAS officers, and took inputs from the director. “Chambal narrates their journey and makes for an edgy thriller, while also throwing light on incidents that take place during an IAS officer’s tenure. The audience should watch the film with an open mind. They must leave behind memories of my previous films, only then will they be able to travel with Subhash,” he signs off.