When entering Tamil cinema, Gautham Ram Karthik believed the industry was undergoing a sea of change. However, the industry flattered to deceive as it was hesitant to let go of its old ways, such as its focus on star-driven films. Gautham, like many of his contemporaries, was caught between the industry's conflicting expectations of actors who were not yet big stars. With over a decade in the industry, Gautham holds a positive view of the industry becoming more cut-throat for actors. "In the present scenario, an actor is only as good as his previous film. This helps us avoid complacency and keep shaping and molding ourselves. I expect that Mr X will solidify my place in Kollywood," he begins.
Elaborating on his role in the upcoming spy thriller, Gautham reveals he is playing someone with a shade of grey, and he sincerely believes this role will not hamper the lead roles he plays in the future. "I want to play every shade possible (laughs). To be frank, I did not enter the industry to become a mass hero or anything. I just want to be a good actor. This has been my only goal since Kadal. The breaking of image-consciousness in actors is an advantage in the changing landscape of the Tamil industry," he shares, adding that his upcoming Netflix series Legacy, too, portrays him as a character with grey shades. "It took me some time to get into that character as I play a gangster. And this gangster isn't someone who takes to lawlessness at random; he has a reason and a solid justification for what he does. To emote well, I had to convince myself of those reasons. I had a really good and supportive co-star in the form of Madhavan sir."
Mr X is not the first time Gautham is attempting a multi-starrer, and he shares that such projects have always been learning curves. "Simbu sir's grasp of things left me rattled in Pathu Thala. He accomplishes a lot in a very short time. I have a long way to go there. From Arya, I learned dedication. We were shooting in Thoothukudi when floods hit the district. When we stopped shooting, Arya called me asking, 'Macha workout panlaama, gym pakkathula dhaan irukku.' I was like, dude, the place is literally underwater. With Madhavan sir, he used to offer a lot of suggestions and advice, and I also observed how he approached a scene. I am really grateful to have shared screen space with such great people," he adds, while also showering praise on his co-stars, Kangana Ranaut and Aparshakti Khurana, from his upcoming projects. "The biggest takeaway is their professionalism and respect for their personal time. Not that they are inflexible, but they demand justifications for any delay. If any shoot requires them to work beyond their call sheet, they are ready to, but if it is an unreasonable delay, they will openly say no."
Legacy marks Gautham's debut foray in the OTT space, and he admits that it is crucial to balance theatrical films with streaming projects. "If I have to improve my theatrical game, I need to become a reliable actor first. By a reliable actor, I mean an actor who will fetch profit for his producer. I have to pick and choose every project that comes my way, irrespective of OTT or theatres, to earn that tag. Mr X will definitely be one such project that will take me to that level," says Gautham, adding that he is game to explore varied content now, which he missed out on in the earlier phase of his career. "I think I wielded the aruva pretty early in my career (laughs), undermining the scope for playing a college guy. I haven't done many coming-of-age films. This has been one of the biggest regrets in my career. But let's see, with de-aging and other technological advancements, I could make up for what I have lost."
Circling back to Mr X, Gautham expresses confidence that the film will be a game-changer for everyone involved in the project. "Mr X has made me push my limits. The most exhilarating part of the film is that every character has multiple shades. There is no unidimensionality in the characters, guaranteeing an edge-of-the-seat experience for audiences throughout," says Gautham, as he concludes with the remark about the value addition this film has given him. "Not just Arya, even I underwent a physical transformation. I sported a six-pack, but Manu (Anand) made me wear two to three coats, which didn't let me flaunt it (laughs). Mr X will encourage directors to experiment with certain roles for me, for which I wouldn't have been a choice so far."