Kollywood beckons Mr Tamil Nadu

Brawny and muscle-bound, Rishikanth has his heart in the gym. ���If you don���t find me at home, search for me in the gym, I will probably be there,��� smiles the man with a Herculean build. With body building titles in one hand, Rishikanth has movie offers in his other. Hailing from Chennai, Rishi, as he is known among friends, is elated about starting the shoot for

Othaiku Ottha

, that has Atharvaa playing the lead. The film���s story is set in Salem.

An excited Rishi says, ���The story revolves around college elections. I play a hoity-toity guy who wants to win the elections. What happens between two groups of students and who wins the elections forms the core. I chose this film as I felt the villain character will have a lot of focus ��� in fact, at one point, he is more powerful than the hero.���

The second movie that he will be shooting for, is Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu 2. ���I was confirmed to do the film a year ago. This movie revolves around kabbadi and I am going to get trained professionally for the movie. I want my scenes to look realistic,��� he says confidently.

Talking about his penchant for acting, Rishi says, ���I like playing negative roles on screen. I have always wondered why our filmmakers rope in north Indian actors often to play a baddie. I want to be known as a villain from the south. Call me namma ooru villain,��� he smiles.

Rishikanth was awarded Mr Tamil Nadu under the physique category ��� he has also been titled ���Top 5 in India���, and had been to

Bhutan

to represent India in the physique category. But what is the difference between body building and physique. ���I train to compete in the physique category, in which a lot of importance is given to presentation other than the body. You don���t need to sport a beefed up look. All you need to have is a ripped look and you should impress the judges with your walk. The diet and workout is a lot more streamlined if you are competing in for the physique category. The best example for this is: actor John Abraham is a body builder, while Tiger Shroff has a physique,��� he explains.

A sports enthusiast, too, he has a few tips for youngsters who crave for a flawless physique. ���I have seen many people getting addicted to steroids and getting the desired body very soon relying on it. They believe in taking the easy route, which will not sustain in the long run. I work out eight hours a day. You have to put in that much effort if you want to see ���real��� results,��� he concludes.