Despite almost a decade in the industry, actor Vasanth Ravi has only seven films to his credit, and clearly, there is a lot of care in picking the right scripts. But what drives this focus? “I want to surprise the audience,” the actor replies. If you take a closer look at his filmography, you'd see a critically acclaimed relationship drama (Taramani), a gripping actioner with a cult fanbase (Rocky), an experimental horror film (Asvins), and a blockbuster commercial entertainer (Jailer). “Yes, I love switching genres,” explains Vasanth. “People thought I could only do intense roles, and that’s when I chose to do a romantic comedy like Pon Ondru Kanden. I want to surprise the audience with every film I make.” It is this quest for delivering surprises that propelled him to take up Indra, his recent release.
“Indra is based on a real-life incident that happened in Kerala. When I first heard the story, it felt like a gripping Korean thriller. You know, the ones that surprise you in every scene. You cannot guess how the story would go. That’s why I chose to do the film,” says Vasanth, who reveals that he wasn't the first choice to play the titular role in Indra. “A number of actors rejected Indra because the protagonist goes from being a morally grey character to one with darker shades. Actors who were conscious of their image refused to do the film. I didn't have such issues. As long as there is a convincing reason behind the machinations of the character, I don’t care if it is dark, bright, or anything in between,” says Vasanth, adding, “Also, people love it when stars do grey-shaded roles, but aren't as accepting when up-and-coming actors like myself do it.” While Vasanth is particular about setting himself apart from image-conscious stars, he is also inspired by the vibrant choices of a star who has clearly refused to take up that mantle. “I love what Fahadh Faasil sir is doing in Malayalam cinema. He is doing interesting roles, and I will try my best to do something similar,” says a resolute Vasanth.
Beyond the conscientious effort to build a colourful filmography with different genres, it is undeniable that Vasanth Ravi is primarily known for his intense performances. “I do get typecast in gritty roles, but I think I can change that,” he says, while also admitting that he does get lighthearted romantic roles, but none of them have excited him so far. “I think I’m at a point in my career where I need to do a film with a big director or a big-scale film to take me to the next level. But, I have to admit, I love working with debut directors. They come up with kickass ideas that they have worked on diligently for two years,” says Vasanth, who has worked with first-time filmmakers like Arun Matheswaran (Rocky), Tarun Teja (Asvins), and Sabarish Nanda (Indra). Circling back to his desire to work with marquee directors, Vasanth comments on the state of commercial films in recent times. “Commercial entertainers used to have a set formula, where you have five songs, three action set pieces, and a comedy track. Now, people are excited with just the director-actor combination and the star cast involved. If you put the right team together, you can do your business even before the film releases. But then there are commercial films like Kantara, which defy any definition of a mass entertainer and still pulled in huge crowds from all over India.”
A commercial entertainer might be Vasanth Ravi’s next big destination, but his eyes are ever trained on the ultimate goal of gaining the audience's trust. “They currently trust me because I’m an up-and-coming actor who does content-driven films, and I want to build on that. That is why I am careful with my choices,” says Vasanth, who has no qualms admitting that this isn't as straightforward as it seems. “I want to do unique films, but the producers and distributors don’t feel the same way. They hesitate to experiment because they have to consider the market forces. I started facing this issue after Rocky.”
This is part of the reason why Jailer ended up becoming a massive step-up for the actor. “After Jailer, my name reached a lot more places, like Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, and my market expanded. I became a saleable actor. However, that’s not why I chose Jailer in the first place. I had longed to share screen space with Rajini sir, and honestly, I didn’t know how many films it would take for me to reach there. I also wanted to work with a brilliant filmmaker like Nelson. So, signing Jailer was a no-brainer for me,” says Vasanth. While his character met a violent end in Jailer, Vasanth, and especially the audience, are extremely aware of one of the biggest unofficial rules in commercial cinema: Unless you see a character dying on-screen, don’t rule out their comeback. This is perhaps why the actor has been facing several iterations of the “Are you in it?” question ever since Jailer 2 was announced. “I still don’t know if I’m in Jailer 2. Just last week, I asked Nelson if my character is coming back, and he gave me a cryptic answer: ‘It’s a surprise for the audience and to you as well.’” And for someone who loves surprising others, being surprised might be a fascinating experience; Vasanth Ravi agrees with a laugh.
