I’ve shed my inhibitions, and that’s my biggest learning: Vishnu Vishal

With four films awaiting release and three more in his kitty, Vishnu Vishal is one of the busiest actors in

Kollywood

. “If you’d asked me a few years ago about cinema, enakku onnume theriyadhunudhan solluven. I didn't come a cinema background. In fact, I saw a camera for the first time only when I started shooting for Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu. Talent can either be natural or acquired. Over a period of time, when you interact with people, and observe others, you learn a few things. I think I belong to the second category. I’ve shed my inhibitions, and that’s my biggest learning,” he begins.


His voice brims with confidence when he says that he’s sure of the choices he makes today. “There have been instances when I have said ‘no’ to really good stories, because I thought I can’t shoulder them. But now, I have the confidence to say ‘yes’,” he says.


Talking about his line-up of films, the actor says, “Raatchasan is a film that I have worked really hard for. I play an SI in the film, which is an investigation story about a psycho killer.”


Its director Ram says, “I’ve worked with Vishnu in Mundasupatti, and from them to now, he has come a long way. There were instances when we’ve shot from 9am to 5am, but he never complained. He loved his role, and was ready to do anything for it. I can say that you can trust him with any role.”


His next, Chella’s Silukkuvarupatti Singam, is a light-hearted comedy. “I play a constable, who thinks his job is to only get tea for the officers in station!” he says, “Jagajala Killadi will be a quintessential Ezhil sir film – breezy and heart-warming.”


He’s presently shooting for Prabhu Soloman’s Kaadan and an yet-to-be-titled film with debutant Venkatesan, which he is producing. “When I saw Kumki, I was very impressed and thought to myself, ‘idhellam nammalala pannave mudiyathu’. But look where life’s got me,” he laughs, “This film will also be my big break in Telugu (it’s titled Aaranya). There’s Rana Daggubati in it, and it’s being made in Hindi as well. Shooting simultaneously in two languages has definitely been an amazing experience. My next, Venkatesan’s film with Shivani Rajashekar, is a family drama. We’ve planned a 30-day schedule in Madurai. In fact, it’s a working birthday for me today! Another film that I’m really looking forward to start work on is the one with Dhanush sir’s production. I’m his huge fan and I look up to him. It takes pure talent and hard work to reach where he is.”


Ask Vishnu if he’s a content man today and he says, “The kind of films I am doing, it hasn’t come easy to me. I’ve heard people telling, ‘poolice karan paiyyan, ellame easy-a kedaikkum’. But they don’t realise that one mistake can end my career. Now, I want to take on more challenging scripts, experiment and push myself. I’m really glad that my family, my directors, my manager and Mahendran sir have been by my side. Whatever I have done till now is God’s gift. But if I don’t prove myself now, and make the best use of opportunities, it’s my fault!”