"I would rather choose a Ripupbury over a Master"

It is rare to find actors who juggle both the hero and villain roles with ease. Mahendran is probably one of the few actors who managed to strike a balance in both areas. "I am sure that the audience will remember me as an honest actor, regardless of the hero-villain barrier," says Mahendran. He further adds that doing both kinds of roles gives him an opportunity to explore his full potential as a performer.

Mahendran's latest outing, Ripupbury features him as a young and carefree boy, who is given the task of finding the ghost in his village.

Speaking about his choice to do a smaller film like Ripupbury, he shares, "I am aware of my image as a boy next door. Therefore, rural stories suit me well. I look at how much quality entertainment I can provide the audience in a village film. I choose scripts like Ripupbury to find a place in the hearts of the audience. My aim is to become a household name."

In Ripupbury, Mahendran isn't a conventional 'mass hero'. "I know that the city audience will prefer a mass-hero film over Ripupbury. My target is the regional audience, who sit with their families and watch soap operas on television in the evening. I wish to find a place in their hearts, and films like Ripupbury are the only way."

Would he choose a lead role in a humble film like Ripupbury or a supporting role in a high-budget film like Master? "I would rather choose Ripupbury over Master. A film like Ripupbury gives me more playing field than the ones like Master. Doing Master was a gain for me, it would have been a hit even without me. But, a film like Ripupbury, irrespective of its success, acts as a livelihood for all those who work in the film." Mahendran also adds that the pressure is more on him when he does a Master and that he comparatively has more fun working on smaller films.

For someone who has been in the industry for 30-odd years, and has experienced it as both a child and an adult, Mahendran feels nothing much has changed for him. "While cinema remains the same, the people behind cinema have changed a lot. The competition has taken the upper hand and nobody in the industry has the heart to pass on the opportunities and let another person grow," he says.

Mahendran, who currently has a couple of small films in the lineup, is simultaneously working on his dream project, which will also be his directorial debut. "The film that will show the audience who I really am.  I hope you get to watch the film by the end of this year," he shares.

Like many of his contemporaries, Mahendran is clear that he has to dabble in the OTT space to cater to a wider audience. The actor is making his web series debut through Arunraja Kamaraj's Label. "In Label, I am playing the villain opposite Jai. In the series, you will see 10 times the Mahendran you saw in Master," he discloses.

Mahendran also has a number of films in his pipeline, some of which will see a release across languages. While he plays the hero in films like Ardham and Rakesh Madhavan's Nilakanta, he will be seen as an antagonist in Prabhu Dheva starrer Musasi, and Karu Palaniappan's Iyalvadhu Karavel, opposite Kathir, all of which will be hitting the screens this year.

He ends the interview with a strong reply to the people who have criticised him in the past for his script choices. "If I am someone who doesn't know to choose scripts, then I wouldn't have been in cinema for this long."