“Vijay Sethupathi is too good a person”

Bala Saravanan has captivated the hearts of movie going audience with his natural performance in the recently released Panniyaarum Padminiyum. He was earlier seen in Kuttipuli and EGO. In this exclusive conversation with Senior Editor Jyothsna Bhavanishankar, Bala, as he is fondly called, shares his cinematic journey

 

A brief intro

 

I belong to Paravai, near Madurai, a place made famous by ‘Paravai’ Muniamma. My parents are Shanthi and Ranganathan. I completed my school in Paravai and did EEE in SACS MAVMM in Kidaripatty, 25 kms from Madurai. When I was in my 3rd year Engineering, I auditioned for Kana Kaanum Kaalangal in Vijay TV and was selected. Later I did 120 episodes in Kalli Kaattu Pallikkoodam. I also worked as an assistant director to Gerald who directed Kalli Kaattu Pallikkoodam under whom, I have learnt quite a few tricks on acting.

 

I owe all my thanks and gratitude to Ramana Giri Vaasan, Assistant Creative Head in Vijay TV who gave me many opportunities in serials. After Kalli Kaattu Pallikkoodam, I did Kallooriyin Kadhai where I played the role of a main comedian.

 

My television appearances fetched me feature film roles. I played an important role in Kuttipuli directed by Muthiah followed by EGO (Eswar Gomathi) which got me noticed.

 

Arunkumar, director of Pannaiyaarum Padminiyum is a very dear friend of mine and I know him from my 6th grade. I have worked as an assistant director in all his short films, seven to be precise and have acted in four of them.

 

I got the role of driver Murugesan in Arunkumar’s short film Pannaiyaarum Padminiyum when I was doing Kana Kaanum Kaalangal.

 

 

In the short film, you did Murugesan’s role but in the feature film you did the role of ‘Peedai’. Did you not feel bad?

 

I don’t feel like that at all because I liked Peedai’s character and was sure I can bring in my own dimension to that role. When Arun told me that I would be doing Peedai’s role I was very happy.  My joy knew no bounds when I further realized that Vijay Sethupathi will be doing Murugesan’s character. Peedai is an important character and if I had missed this, it would have been a great loss to me.

 

And to be very honest, I am a big fan of Vijay Sethupathi and when the discussions for PP were happening, Pizza had released and we were all hopeful that Vijay Sethupathi would join our team.

 

I have to thank Arun for giving me this role as it has given me so much of appreciation.

 

Feedback

 

Many people are calling me to appreciate. Simha of Soodhu Kavvum fame, Jayaprakash sir, Attakathi Dinesh and also Soodhu Kavvum cinematographer Dinesh Krishnan are some of the celebrities who have appreciated my work.

 

How was it to work with Vijay Sethupathi?

 

I am a huge fan of Vijay Sethupathi and to see my favorite star in such close working proximity was very exciting to me. He was very friendly right from the day one. We had started still shoots ten days before the actual shoot and we got along quite well.

 

He will always strive for other characters also to develop well in a film and will constantly give tips. In fact in the last scene in PP, I will be dressed in white, which was actually suggested by Vijay Sethupathi because he felt that would bring out the goodness of Pannaiyaar as he is such a well meaning soul and it would indicate that he takes good care of people who work for him.

 

Not only me, he also helped the actor who played the role of mechanic in the film.

 

Vijay Sethupathi is too good a person and I am very happy to have worked with him.

  

Future projects

 

SPB Charan’s production venture Thirudan Police, a 7th channel film and Aaa, a film from the Ambuli team.