More than the genre, it is the star cast that adds excitement for debut director Praveen K's Aaryan. The film marks actor-producer Vishnu Vishal's return to serial killer thrillers after the Ramkumar film, Ratsasan (2018). Such has been the success of Ratsasan that every other Tamil thriller that followed necessitated comparison with it. Aaryan is also Vishnu Vishal's first solo theatrical film in three years, and he not only has the pressure to return to screens with a solid hit, but also to shake off the Ratsasan hangover. In this interview, Vishnu Vishal discusses Aaryan, the bonhomie he enjoys with Aamir Khan, the decision to produce his own films, and his plans for the long haul.
Vishnu Vishal reveals that Aaryan was planned on a much bigger scale, with Selvaraghavan and Aamir Khan playing the antagonists in Tamil and Hindi, respectively. "I met Aamir sir in an event in Chennai during Covid. I showed him a teaser of a 15-day shoot of Aaryan. Interested in the glimpse, he suggested we do it in Hindi too, and asked us for a detailed narration," says Vishnu Vishal, who shares that Aamir was so kicked about the project that he sat for four different narrations for around 40 hours. "That gave me confidence in the script. But he bided his time before making a decision. By then, I had received some offers that I couldn't say no to. Those films took longer than expected. Finally, Aamir sir had genuine reasons to say no to Aaryan. All the factors stalled the film by 1.5 years," says the actor, who received an even better deal in return... a healthy friendship with Aamir.
Understanding the inevitable comparisons with Ratsasan, Vishnu Vishal, in a pre-release event, sported a T-shirt that read, 'Not Ratsasan.' But as they say, 'the proof is in the pudding,' and till the film's release on October 31, it won't be easy to step out of that shadow. But Vishnu asserts that right from the characterisation to the screenplay, he was keen that Aaryan had no resemblance to the 2018 film. "In Ratsasan, I play a reluctant cop who wants to be a filmmaker. He is more emotional and expressive. My role in Aaryan is stoic, doesn't express so that he doesn't give away his discoveries, but is doing everything out of his passion for the profession," says Vishnu Vishal, who also points out that unlike Ratsasan, where the suspense was centred in the identity of the serial killer, Aaryan will be engaging despite knowing who the killer is, right off the bat.
In a time when every second film is billed as a pan-Indian project, Vishnu Vishal is clear that he isn't interested in riding that trend, just for the sake of it. "I am not a fan of mounting a project bringing in talents from different industries and labelling it as a pan-Indian film," he says, adding that a content's acceptability alone makes a film pan-Indian and not otherwise. "Also, the films that have a pan-Indian appeal are usually actioners or divine stories, and I am not presently in a zone to do such movies. I am in no hurry to be a part of such projects, and for now, my films getting recognition in a particular region is enough to make me happy," says the actor.
However, he feels bitter-sweet about turning producer since it came out of compulsion, and a consequence of producers not valuing his time. "I was not happy that my time was taken for granted. It stymied my film journey," says Vishnu Vishal, who believes that producing his own films gives him freedom and clarity in his career. "This decision is also liberating because I can now plan my films according to my discretion. I feel sure-footed now because my career is in my own hands, and I don't have to leave it up to chance."
Vishnu also points out that it is only in recent times that he felt assured enough to think of a solid career in cinema. "I am 41. Only in recent times have I started to believe that I will have a long innings in cinema," he shares. Talking about how he is going to chart this fture, Vishnu Vishal understands that it is important he knows what works for him, and what doesn't. "I always look for the emotion and intentions of a character. I am consciously avoiding getting typecast. I am not open to doing action films now, but I might turn into an action hero eventually. But I am not actively pursuing it. See, I did one Ratsasan, and suddenly I became a 'thriller hero.'"
As someone who learns from both successes and failures, Vishnu Vishal recalls how Gatta Kusthi (2022), a comedy film co-starring Aishwarya Lekshmi, was a much bigger success in Tamil than it was in Telugu. He shares that each genre has its own sets of rules, and it is easier for a thriller to cross borders when compared to comedies, which have to be strongly rooted in a particular region. "Thrillers are always a safe bet, and the stories in this genre are universal," says Vishnu Vishal, who credits his director Praveen for ensuring a different facet of his performance was brought to the fore. "Whenever a Ratsasan mannerism crept in, Praveen would step in and correct it. Informed filmmakers like Praveen make life easier for actors like me," he remarks.
Vishnu Vishal, the producer, has left no stone unturned to ensure Aaryan is a product that isn't found wanting in any department. "Ratsasan's success is big and all-devouring that I had to work both inside and outside of the story. I was so particular about even setting up the technical team. I wanted Ghibran to compose music and San Lokesh to handle the cuts. Rather than bringing in new technicians and painstakingly explaining how we wanted to set Aaryan apart from Ratsasan, we wanted to retain the core team of the film. They know what they did with Ratsasan and will consciously avoid repetition," he signs off, once again giving a caveat, tailoring our expectations from the film. "This is not a usual film, and it will break new ground in the genre." Just like Ratsasan, but as it has been said many times... it is not Ratsasan.
