Vemal: I want everyone to remember me as a good actor

The actor, along with his Deiva Machan co-star Anitha Sampath, talks about their recently released film, the challenges in doing comedy, trying new roles, and more
Vemal: I want everyone to remember me as a good actor

It has been almost fourteen years since Pasanga hit the screen. But, Vemal, who made his debut as a male lead in the film hasn't aged a bit. Even in his latest release Deiva Machan, he continues to play a hero in his twenties. It sure takes a lot of effort to look the same close for two decades. But has he ever considered playing his age on-screen? "Well, I truly haven't given it a serious thought. I guess Vilangu 2, which is currently being written, will mark the beginning of more such roles that suit my age. I will be playing the father of school girl in the new season," he says.  

Bigg Boss-fame Anitha Sampath, who plays Vemal's sister in Deiva Machan fondly shares that they have a sibling-like bonding even off the screen. "Though I have acted in a couple of brief roles, this is my first project as one of the leads. I was naturally nervous, and it was Vemal anna who calmed me down and made sure that I gave my best. A newcomer like me can perform without any second thoughts only when they get such support from the stars who shoulder the film. Whenever actors are comfortable with each other off the camera, it always shows on the screen."

Compared to his last couple of films, Vemal is at his comical best in Deiva Machan. He says that detaching from personal problems is the key for an actor to give his best in comedy. "I have learnt to block things from getting into my head while acting now. So external factors can't deter my performance anymore. Having a jovial crew like the one I had in Deiva Machan really helps. But what goes on inside your head before facing the camera is what matters." He goes on to add that the results of comedy films can be quite surprising. "Many times the comedy sequences we bank on the most are the ones that terribly bomb, and sometimes the simplest of one-liners become internet trends. I am sure nobody can completely predict the outcome of comedy films."

Deiva Machan is the feature film adaptation of director Martyn Nirmal Kumar's short film Boodham. Incidentally, newsreader and reality show contestant Anitha too first tested the waters with short films before venturing into multiple avenues and finally transitioning to the big screen. "I used to act in a lot of short films when I was in college. I believe they prepped me as a performer. Being an expressive person, the toughest time I had was with news reading as I had to mask my emotions completely whenever I was on camera."

Though Vemal had been a part of multiple remakes in the past like Jannal Oram (Ordinary), Ishtam (Yemaindi Ee Vela) and Pulivaal (Chaappa Kurishu), Deiva Machan is his first short film adaptation. He states that seeing a fragment of the feature through the short gave him the confidence to take up the project. "I laughed out loud in a couple of places when I watched Boodham for the first time and it helped me gauge the mood of the film better. I believe Deiva Machan is a better version of the original short film."

Vemal has played relatable, boy-next-door roles in most of his films. Asked if he ever wishes to dabble with shades of grey or play a larger-than-life hero, Vemal says, "I sure do. Aana ipodhaiku kedachadha vechi pidichadha adaya muyarchi panren. Every time I face the camera, I feel grateful as there are many actors, more talented than me, without a chance to showcase their potential."

Anitha and Vemal are polar opposites when it comes to online presence. While the former rose to fame because of the internet and still keeps all her social media feeds ticking, the latter is a private person who stays afar from expressing himself. Vemal confesses that he hadn't realised the importance of social media presence until recently. "I have got the awakening only now and finally, I am contemplating to up my social media game," he says. On the other hand, Anitha, who is fully aware of the power of the medium shares that she hasn't got enough of it. "The internet isn't a bed of roses filled only with positivity. But I truly believe the only way to tackle the hatred online is through the love that comes from it. Though I know a lot of people dislike me, the love I get from my followers keeps pushing me to create more content."

Dreams are a huge plot device in the fantasy rural comedy, Deiva Machan. The story follows the pursuit of Vemal's lead character trying to stop his supernatural nightmare from turning into a reality. But, does Vemal harbour a dream that he wishes turns into reality soon? "When I was young, my only dream was to become an actor and lead a comfortable life. Since that has clearly been met, I guess my present dream is to be called a good actor by everyone," he signs off with a wide smile.

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