Kavin: A star is not just a successful actor but someone we look up to

Shakespeare once said, "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." While this may stand true for many, it particularly reflects actor Kavin's journey so far. The actor, who started his film career in 2012, waited seven years to land a lead role in Natpuna Ennanu Theriyuma (2019). Although critically well-received, his 2021 film Lift largely went under the radar. Kavin came back stronger to prove himself with last year's Dada. Now, he is back to the big screens again, with Star, a film that may reflect some portions of his real life. "There are a lot of similarities between my life and Star's Kalai. I could connect to a lot of incidents that are shown in the film. Beyond that, the film will be relatable to a lot of youngsters, who are facing rejections and failures," says Kavin. 

It is known that Star was initially set to be headlined by Harish Kalyan, but the project was dropped after the initial pre-production work. Kavin says that he was initially hesitant to pick up the project. "I didn't want to know why the project didn't materialise back then, but I was particular about not offending anyone if I took it up." Kavin goes on to say that if not for him, somebody else might have taken up the film. "In fact, Elan jokingly told me that if he didn't get an actor, he would still make the film by acting as the lead," shares Kavin.

Star is set to showcase the journey of an ordinary man and the challenges he faces in pursuit of his dream. For Kavin, films should always culminate in the protagonist's triumph. "People are already suffering enough in real life. At least in films, let the hero win. Witnessing such positive endings can spark hope in the disillusioned and motivate them," Kavin explains. However, the actor acknowledges that the ending hinges on the film's content. "I don't know if the ending of Star is necessarily a happy ending for the hero. But I felt that the ending was apt for the film." 

A frame that stands out from the trailer of Star, is the last one in which a bruised Kavin stares at himself in the mirror and cries aggressively. While Dada showed Kavin's skill for intense performances, Star seems to utilise the actor's range as well. "When I have to perform difficult and deep emotions, I don't talk to anybody on the sets. I become detached from people, and get into the emotional zone, by listening to some sentimental song, and I try to hold on to the mood." However, like any other performer, the actor too banks upon personal grief to bring out a tear or two. "I lost a friend in school and whenever I think of him, I get emotional. Sometimes, I also imagine the fate of my family in my absence. I have a few similar stimulants that help me emote," he reveals. 

Apart from this emotional side, the audiences are probably looking forward to seeing Kavin in another particular avatar on the big screen. For the song 'Melody', the actor has donned the female getup and has cut loose to some 'kuthu' beats. Kavin says that there's a reason why the character cross-dresses in the film. "I did not dress as a woman to get extra views, or as a click-bait. There are reasons behind why my character dresses that way, or why he throws a bra at the end of the song." On what went behind stepping into the shoes of a woman, the actor elaborates, "First of all, I am not fully satisfied with how I performed that particular portion. I wanted a specific kind of wig which I couldn't get but I went with it because in the film I was still just a man trying to dress up like a woman for a song. If I were to play a woman character, I would not have compromised on anything."

Although a star is always looked up to, there are also downsides to being one. Does Kavin think stardom is still worth it? "Stardom is definitely worth it. A star is not only a successful cinema actor, but anybody we look up to, anybody who is a people’s champion, is a star," he then adds, "I believed that I could make it big in the film industry only after seeing people like Sivakarthikeyan and Vijay Sethupathi succeed." 

On his upcoming projects, Kavin reveals, "My next film, Bloody Beggar is completely different from what I have explored so far. My film with Sathish Krishnan has all elements of a commercial film such as comedy and romance."

Since Kavin relates to the story of Star, I asked if the film were to be his biopic, how would he like it to end? "If Star was my biopic then the film would have an open ending. My story is yet to be completed. It is in the hands of my audience to complete it," the determined actor signs off.