The last time actor Kishore played a lead in Tamil cinema was in Haridas (2013), in which he portrayed a cop and single parent to an autistic child interested in sprinting. Now, 12 years later, he is again leading a film about passion and parenting. But Mellisai offers a twist: this time, the father's passion drives the story. "Emotions and the parental bond in Mellisai are subtle, not schmaltzy. That's what I liked about Dhirav's writing," Kishore says. He praises Dhirav as a promising filmmaker who focuses on minute screenplay details. "Mellisai won't rely on the typical melodrama of parent-child films, nor is it a conventional father-daughter story," he adds.
Kishore says his break from leading Tamil films was not by choice. "Not many directors write stories with me in mind as the lead," he admits. Kishore also feels 'privileged' to act in films aligned with his politics. "In my two-decade career, I've worked on projects that match my beliefs. Today, we must be careful about the films we associate with. I believe art should serve the people's interests above all else." The actor, who is vocal about his political opinions, views excessive emotion and passion towards anything as hindering practical decision-making. "Let's not fool ourselves, we are emotional beings, so am I, so are you. There is no denying that. Whenever you lose yourself and the balance is lost, there will be a problem. Excessive attachment or pride associated with caste, religion, and language will have a negative effect in society," posits Kishore, as he further adds that he has no problem in getting to know the other end of the political spectrum through such films, but notes that the times have changed. "I wouldn't hesitate to act in a spiritual film 10-15 years ago, as then, such films would only carry devotion and spiritual values. But today those films are politically charged and polarise people on religious lines," notes Kishore, while adding that he has tried to create a political dialogue, but in vain, and he is drawing a strict line in the kind of films he chooses, not out of his will but the prevailing political climate. "Despite knowing the intention behind Chhava, I auditioned for the role of Aurangzeb. I thought I could have some elbow space to voice my political opinion. But that was not to be. Since the other ideology is going to the extreme, people like me are forced to take a stance. That is why I want to work with someone like Vetri Maaran often."
In addition to compatibility in their political and societal outlooks, Kishore also lists the ways in which Vetri Maaran, who also started out as a filmmaker at around the same time Kishore began acting, has enriched his skills. "Vetri knows my limitations and knows how to work around them. Also, Vetri's films are full of 'human' characters. Only stories with such grounded characters can push you to deliver organic performances," explains Kishore, who is guarded about whether he is a part of Vetri's next with Silambarasan TR, titled Arasan. "No one can decipher what is going on in Vetri’s head. He is a filmmaker who flirts with new ideas even when his film's production is underway. That's how Vada Chennai had over six hours of footage. I would love to return as Senthil in Arasan. I am waiting for Vetri's call."
Giving us a quick peek into the gritty world of Vada Chennai, Kishore tells us the 2018 film, led by Dhanush, is special to him for more than one reason and is still in wonder about the potential of spin-offs with a lot of characters. "Initially, I was about to play Rajan, then Guna, and only later ended up playing Senthil. Like I said, Vetri gets ideas all the time. The story at first was not about Anbu taking the reins from Rajan," he says, before revealing that his Vada Chennai theatrical experience was actually bittersweet. "When I watched the film, I felt bad because many of the portions that got me excited weren't there. He conceived Vada Chennai like a series, when it wasn't in vogue here. So through the interview, I request him to release the remainder of the footage soon in any format he sees fit."
Circling back to Mellisai, Kishore says that the film will explore a different kind of mid-life crisis and poses a unique proposition of whether one can go back to pursuing their dream when they are neck-deep in survival mode. "I found the question of ‘What if you get a shot at your 20s dreams when you are on the doorstep of 40s' as a fascinating premise. People usually ditch their passion and shift their attention to survival. ‘Do you have it in you to throw away your comfortable life and risk jeopardising the security of your family for the dream you once saw?’ This is what Mellisai deals with in an entertaining and relatable manner. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the young crop of actors," he signs off.
