Harish Kumar: Playing unique characters is my only priority

Actor Harish Kumar's role as Amit from the recent Kavin-starter Dada has become the favourite onscreen friend of the audience. Incidentally, Harish also played the lead's closest ally in films like Rathasaatchi and Mudhal Nee Mudivum Nee. The young actor says it isn't a conscious pattern. "Playing unique characters that are different from each other is my only priority. Even though all these characters are the hero's friends, they are distinct in their own way." But he goes on to confess that he had his doubts while signing Dada."I was afraid that I was repeating myself. But I had read the film's script and knew it was a realistic, loveable drama and wanted to be a part of it. In the last few days, A lot of people appreciated my role and portrayal in Dada. I am glad I was proven wrong."

Harish established his base in acting by doing an array of short films. "I used it as a platform to hone my craft. The range of characters I got to play in short films was the factor that impressed Siva anna (Darbuka Siva) and got me into Mudhal Nee Mudivum Nee," he says. The actor played a mute rebel youth who loses his life to custodial violence in the action drama Rathasaatchi. Asked if playing such heavy characters takes a toll on his personal life, he says, "Every day I am trying hard to reach a state where I need not stay in the psyche of the character off-screen. Only a good actor can switch into the skin of the character whenever necessary and stay away from it when the camera is switched off."

He shares that he has got a fair share of learning and unlearning from his two-year journey in cinema. "I have understood now that playing a mainstream character and making it work with the audience is as difficult as pulling off an offbeat character. Similarly, Ganesh anna (Dada director) showed me that an actor need not stress himself out to deliver an effective performance. Sometimes, letting it loose is the key to cracking a character. I wanted Amit to be a serious friend, but the director wanted to use the role as the key to humour in the first half. I just stuck to his instructions and the character became a success."

The actor, who is currently shooting for an undisclosed project in Mumbai, wishes to keep surprising his audience with his future works too. "I am also up for playing full-fledged antagonists. I want to do diverse characters to challenge myself as an actor and portray myself in a new shade to the audience."