Ramesh Aravind is no stranger to reinvention, but with KD: The Devil, he finds himself stepping into unfamiliar terrain, something he openly embraces. Recalling a line from an old advertisement, he begins thoughtfully, “What is the last time you did something for the first time?” For Ramesh, KD is exactly that moment. In conversation with CE, he says he is rediscovering the thrill of doing something for the first time through his role in the film, which is backed by KVN Productions, ahead of its release on April 30.
He says, “For decades, audiences have seen me largely as a lead or parallel hero. KD is one of those rare films where I step into a pivotal character that is not defined by screen time, but by impact.” The role, he admits, was not an immediate yes. His hesitation came from habit and legacy. “When Prem first approached me, I told him this is new for me. I have always been the protagonist. But he was clear. He said the screen time may not be much, but the impact will be powerful. That conviction stayed with me.”
What ultimately convinced him was not just the character, but the filmmaker’s passion. “Prem would not let go,” Ramesh says. “He was determined that I play this role. I admire that madness in filmmakers, the kind that pushes you out of your comfort zone.” Set in a gritty world, KD brings together a formidable cast including Dhruva Sarja, Ravichandran, Sanjay Dutt, Shilpa Shetty, and Sudeep. For Ramesh, stepping into this high-energy ensemble meant adapting both emotionally and physically. “In all my years in cinema, I have never had blood splashed across my face like this,” he laughs. “Usually, it is just a small mark, a scratch. But here, Prem would literally throw buckets of red on us. It was intense and completely new.” He pauses, then adds, “As actors, we need that. Reinvention is essential.”
Interestingly, Ramesh does not see this shift as a drastic transformation, but as an extension of trust in storytelling. “I did not have to unlearn anything,” he explains. “When a director narrates with clarity, you instinctively understand what is needed. You just align yourself with that vision.” He credits directors for pushing actors into new spaces. Reflecting on his earlier negative-shaded role in Amruthavarshini, he notes, “It was Dinesh Baboo’s imagination that shaped it. Similarly, Prem imagined me as Dharma. As actors, we are always ready, but it takes a director’s vision to place us there.”
Matching Prem’s mass-driven storytelling required subtle recalibration. “Your performance has to match the tone of the film,” he says. “I am used to subtle acting, but here the energy is different, and that is exciting.” Off-screen, the film became a space for reconnections. “Working again with Ravichandran after so long was good,” he shares. “There is history between us, and people on set could feel that. With Sanjay Dutt, I found a warm and engaging person. We had many conversations.”
Despite the scale and the hype surrounding KD, Ramesh remains grounded. “For me, it is always about the role and how well it is shaped,” says Ramesh. “In a creative field, things can go wrong in a flash. But what impressed me about Prem was his willingness to adapt. When something did not work, like a song, he immediately reworked it. That kind of responsiveness is rare,” he signs off.