Ramesh Thilak: Good Night has given me a new identity of sorts

Coming out of a screening of Good Night, the recent toast of Tamil Cinema, there was a strangely surreal feeling. A feeling of goodness pervaded the silence of the night. The parking executive remembered me and returned the change I forgot to receive in a hurry to enter the theatre. My bike faced starting troubles, and a few samaritans asked me if I needed help, and they waited till I assured them I would be alright. People are good, yes…but sometimes, the impact of a well-made feel-good film can make you see things in a kinder, more positive light. “I knew the film would be a success, but the reach of it was completely unexpected. In our fast-paced world, we might not be living in joint families with a lot of people around us, but that sentiment was strong inside us. Good Night felt like a representation of this feeling that came out of nowhere,” says Ramesh Thilak, who plays an integral role in debut director Vinayak Chandrasekharan’s film, starring Manikandan and Meetha in the lead roles.

Good Night joins the list of important events in May that have shaped Ramesh Thilak’s life so far. His first major role came a decade back in May through Soodhu Kavvum. His birthday falls on May 3, and now, Good Night has given him a new identity of sorts. “The success of Good Night has assured me that I don’t have to introduce myself as the ‘X actor you saw in Y film.’ Many know Ramesh Thilak now,” says the actor, who turns 10 in Tamil cinema, and credits another recent feel-good film for establishing his name in Tamil cinema. “After a point, I was just going through the motions in my acting career. Then, Kanam happened. I received a lot of love that made me really emotional. However, a lot of positive feedback came from the OTT release, and not the theatrical response.” 

It is this wish that got fulfilled with Good Night, which has been receiving a warm response, and an extended run at the box office. “For years now, I have heard the ‘neenga romba nalla nadikreenga’ comment from many people, but that never really translated into elevating me to the next level. I think Good Night has done that,” says Ramesh Thilak, who also expresses wariness about the responses. In fact, throughout this conversation, there is a sense of pragmatism that comes through with the answers that reflect his outlook on life. “The film’s success has put me in a quandary. Yes, I am playing a bunch of good roles now, but it is impossible to expect only such roles coming my way. I have been here for 12 years. It is not possible to wait for that one good film to come my way.”

Incidentally, in some of those good films — Soodhu Kavvum, Oru Naal Koothu, Kanam, or even Good Night — Ramesh has been the go-to choice for those filmmakers. “In some of those scripts, the character’s name was marked as Ramesh even if it went on to be called something else,” says the actor, who has an impressive lineup of films including ones with his mentors Nalan Kumarasamy, and alongside actors like Prabhudheva, and his friend Yogi Babu. In fact, it is his friendships that have been the hallmark of his decade-long career. “We are lucky that the bunch of aspiring actors who came into the industry along with me have almost made it. Ashok Selvan, Kalaiyarasan, Kaali Venkat, Vivek Prasanna, and a lot more friends are never insecure about their careers. We look out for ourselves and each other, and even other aspiring talents. Of course, we enjoy the highs, but there is always a sense of truth among us.” 

Interestingly, a bunch of these actors are at the forefront of the non-mass masala films that Tamil cinema has been churning out at frequent intervals. From the Oh My Kadavules to the Good Nights there is a certain resurgence of this genre, and Ramesh Thilak has been an important part of it. “Vijay Sethupathi na always wanted actors like me to come to the fore because people are now only writing for mass heroes, and there are no stories about the ordinary, common man. He believed faces like mine would help tell more such stories. However, who was giving us such roles in the first place…” asks the actor, quickly adding, “Things are changing.”

Stepping into yet another year as an actor, Ramesh Thilak understands what it takes to be a success. It is not just what he does in front of the camera, but how what he does gets promoted in the media. He has realised the route taken by his favourite actors like Nasser, MS Bhaskar, Thambi Ramaiah, and the late actors Mayilsamy and Manivannan, was much more fruitful and profitable too. “When they appear on screen, you aren’t sure if you are going to see them as the comic relief, the villain, a serious character, or a feel-good person. I see that surprise factor as stardom too. It is also a financially positive move because we can work on multiple projects. By now, after all these years of effort and hard work, I think I have earned the tag of a decent performer. I don’t think I am the greatest of all, but I wish people know me as someone who gave it his all… always,” signs off Ramesh Thilak.