Raghuvaran :
South India's Al Pacino! 
 

You had started out as a hero but later switched on to character roles.
Was it out of choice or compulsion?
I’d say both. When I began I did want to be a hero, but soon, I found out that to remain a hero one had to struggle a lot, compromise a lot. So I decided to be versatile, do all kinds of roles, roles which all actors wanted to do but couldn’t because of the so-called hero-image. I didn’t want any such restrictions.

Your debut film Ezhavadhu Manithan was probably the first Tamil film
to have been a part of both the Moscow and the Cannes film festivals?
I am so happy that people remember it. It was a very straight subject which dealt with the problems of labour. We’d worked very hard on the film. But it didn’t do all that well at the box-office, though it was acclaimed internationally.

How did you feel when you were described as the answer to
Mumbai’s Nana Patekar and Hollywood’s Al Pacino?
I was honoured. Imagine being compared to Al Pacino! But I don’t think I have accomplished enough to be compared to such proven actors. I hope I get to work with Nana Patekar and Al Pacino some day. I simply loved Nana Patekar in Prahaar, Agni Sakshi and Parinda. Al Pacino is my favourite Hollywood actor. I wish I could do the role he did in The Scent Of A Woman.

For a while it seemed as though you’d quit Tamil films...
It’s not true. Directors have always been after me for my dates. I was busy doing Telugu and Malayalam films as well. Maybe I did relatively fewer Tamil films.

How was it working with Mani Ratnam in Anjali?
Great. I did not have to work very hard, because he took care of my mistakes. I am very fussy about my work. Even if the film is ordinary I strive to make my performance stand out. With Mani Ratnam I could be totally carefree.

Apparently, you narrowly missed the national award.
That’s what I heard too. I missed it not just for Anjali but many films. Now I have stopped worrying about it. If I am destined to get it, I will.

People seem to identify you more in the role of a psychopath.
I do all my parts convincingly. But people seemed to have liked me in films like Poovizhi Vaasilile where I played a psychopath.

You are present in almost all Rajnikant films. Is it because you are close to him?
(Laughs). I don’t think Rajnikant has me in his films because he likes me. It is just that those films had roles that suited me. But we are close friends. We respect each other professionally and are very open about each other’s performances. We don’t shy away from assessing each other’s work critically.

Is it true that you rejected some prestigious Hollywood film?
Yes, I did, but I would not like to name it. I did so because of date problems.

How could you miss such an opportunity?
I wouldn’t put a Tamil film on hold to grab a Hollywood film. I wouldn’t consider it honourable to reject a Tamil film for an English film.

You had worked with the great Dilip Kumar in a Hindi film, Izzatdar.
How was the experience working with him?
It was a rewarding experience. After the first shot we gave together, which was okayed in the first take, he took me aside, and said he was impressed by the boldness and confidence with which I had performed. It’s a compliment I will never forget.

You are working with Amitabh Bachchan in two films, Lal Badshah and Major Saab
Yes. But I was not intimidated. I did not let his presence affect my performance.

Why did you turn down Rajkumar Santoshi’s China Gate?
He had offered me a good role where I was pitted against 12 great actors from Naseeruddin Shah to Om Puri. I didn’t accept it because I did not have the confidence to perform against them. I really regret my decision. Looking back, I could have easily done it but at that point of time I felt I would not be able to.

How is it on the personal front?
I am a very simple man, and am very cool about life. I married Rohini a year ago and am happy with the way my life is shaping. I am in no hurry to make it big, because I am sure that He will not deny the success I deserve. I am waiting for the big day.