Vivek Prasanna: From villain to lover

Vivek Prasanna did not exactly steal the thunder from the bigger names in the well received Diwali release of Meyaadha Maan. But, the 31-year-old has still made an impression in the character of Vinoth. So much so, he shyly accedes that his buddies have started calling him by that name. "I guess, it is the ultimate victory for any artiste,'' he says. 

Vivek says cinematography was his first love while pursuing his Viscom degree. But he went on to act in several short films. He owes his present status to the impact of his debut as a bad guy in Sethupathi. That paved the way for other roles, the biggest of which was as a villain in Vikram Vedha. 

However, the actor says his most challenging role was the one in Meyaadha Maan, in which he had his first big screen love segment. He plays the hero's friend, who is also the reluctant love interest of said friend's sister, whom he initially considers as a sister. "I did have some apprehensions as to the audience's reaction, but Rathna Kumar (the director) convinced me that all it takes is one moment for an individual's feelings to change from platonic affection to love. I was very happy to see that the audience bought the love track."

His beard has become his signature. One wonders if he will keep that look in all his films. "There is a bit of sentiment to it, but the truth is, the audience have gotten used to my face with the beard. Also, it goes well with the characters when I'm portraying grey or negative characters. But, at the end of the day, it's up to the director and what they want. I am game for any look."

After a cracker of a Deepavali, with Meyaadha Maan holding its own despite releasing alongside Mersal, Vivek looks to be settled in the industry. He signs off saying he owes it all to Vijay Sethupathy, directors Pushkar-Gayathri, Arun Kumar, Rathna Kumar and his wife, Rajalakshmi.