Kalidas Jayaram: I wish to play a serial killer

Off-screen, Kalidas Jayaram comes across as a boy-next-door: approachable, friendly, and charming. Onscreen, he has been predominantly playing a series of emotionally intense roles; be it Sathar from Paava Kadhaigal, Iniyan from Natchathiram Nagargiradhu, or Yuvaraj from Por. "I am not consciously choosing these scripts," affirms Kalidas, who further says, "Once a particular type of character works for you, similar scripts keep coming to you." However, when it comes to his upcoming film, Kalidas says, "Raayan has come at the right point in my career. It has helped me evolve as an actor, and even as a person."

In Raayan, Kalidas has entered a new world. "Raayan's world is completely new to me. I thoroughly enjoyed filming it, as it was different and challenging for me to speak in the North Madras slang and look the part," he shares. As for the process, Kalidas agrees he couldn't have asked for a better mentor. "Dhanush sir is the master of Madras Tamil, and he stood by our side and taught us phonetics and modulations," says a grateful Kalidas, as he recalls the moment he got a call for the role. "I first got a call from Dhanush sir’s office and immediately assumed that I was being offered a role in one of Wunderbar Studio's productions. But when I met him, I realised he wanted me to act under his direction. I remember my heart pounding when I heard him offer me the role."

All eyes are on Raayan as it is not only Dhanush's sophomore directorial but also his 50th as an actor. The stakes are also higher as the film's ensemble includes veterans like Selvaraghavan, Prakash Raj, and SJ Suryah, along with Dushara, Sundeep Kishan, and Aparna Balamurali. While Kalidas initially had doubts about the scope of his role, the actor reveals, "All the doubts were cleared during the first narration. When I heard what I was going to be doing in the film, I was satisfied with how meaty my part was."

Raayan marks Kalidas' third collaboration with Dushara Vijayan, after Natchathiram Nagargiradhu and the upcoming untitled Balaji Mohan directorial. On count three, the actor plays Dushara's brother, after playing her partner in two films. "It was very weird to act as Dushara’s brother in Raayan," the actor admits. "But of course, it was quite different, as I saw her as a character and all the dynamics changed drastically.  It was very interesting to explore, and we had a hearty laugh about it when we met for promotions," he shares candidly. Kalidas has also worked with Aparna previously in Mr and Ms Rowdy. While they didn't have many combination scenes in Raayan, the actor discloses, "When I was dubbing for the film, I realised that the only scene I share with Aparna Balamurali, happens to be my favourite scene in the film."

While speaking at the promotions of his previous film, Por, Kalidas admitted that he was not used to performing stunts. Raayan, which is is expected to have a lot of violence and bloodshed, had him step out of his comfort zone to learn and perform action sequences. "Adi pattu dhaan kathukiten (I endured a lot while learning to fight)," says Kalidas, both literally and figuratively. "The film has taught me a lot of new things, and I have stepped into uncharted territories. Now, I am a lot more confident to do a full-fledged action film," he says.  

As mentioned earlier, Raayan adds to the list of Kalidas' serious roles, and such roles almost always tend to leave a heavy emotional impact. Kalidas has previously mentioned that playing Sathar affected his mental health. When it comes to his role in Raayan, he explains that the toll was not heavy, thanks to Dhanush. "One very good thing about Dhanush sir is that he does not expect us to stay in character after ‘cut’. After a shot is done, even he steps out of character. Thankfully, I was not always thinking about the emotional depths my character faces through the film. But while filming, we could not play around, and it was emotionally draining." Despite such challenges, Kalidas says that they had to cope and return to sets the next day. "We get paid to turn up and do our jobs, right?"

Coming back to his filmography, over the years, Kalidas Jayaram has established himself as someone who always plays offbeat characters. Be it the genuineness he brought to the unconventional Sathar or the greyness he gave the prosaic male, Iniyan, Kalidas thrives on portraying characters that stand out. So, when asked about his dream role, his response – "I want to play a serial killer" – came as no surprise. He also has the perfect description of the kind of serial killer he wants to play. "I like watching documentaries like the Ted Bundy Tapes. I want to play a charming serial killer, like Kamal Haasan in Sigappu Rojakkal," he concludes.