Maruthi Nagar Police Station: It was a dream come true playing a police officer, says Arav - Exclusive

It has been a dream come true for model-turned-actor Arav, who got the opportunity to play a police officer for the first time in his career in his latest outing, Maruthi Nagar Police Station. He plays ACP Nedunchezhian, who is roped in to investigate a murder that takes place in the police station.

Also Read: Maruti Nagar Police Station Release Date: When and Where to watch Varalaxmi Sarathkumar's crime thriller 

Reminiscing the days when he yearned to become a police officer, Arav says, "There was a time when I couldn't make head or tail of what to do with my life, and I decided to give the Civil Services Exam a shot. I burned the midnight oil for almost two years with the dream of becoming an IPS officer. I would dress like a police officer, sweat it out in the gym, believing one day, I would don the police uniform. "

He adds, "Later, I realised that the police force was not my cup of tea. I, then, decided to have a go at modelling and acting. However, even after all these years, the love and respect towards the uniform and police officers remains the same. Throughout the 21 days of the film's shoot, not once did I feel like taking off the uniform."

Maruthi Nagar Police Station is helmed by Dayal Padmanabhan (who had earlier directed Kondraal Paavam) and has Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Mahat Raghavendra, Yasar, Vivek Rajagopal, Amit Bharghav and Subramanya Siva as part of the star cast.

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Arav tells OTTPlay that he made a lot of happy memories on the set. "I took a picture donning the uniform and shared it with my mother. She is not someone who gets excited easily, but soon after she saw the picture, she called and said that I fit in like a glove. "

Quiz Arav what made him get on board, and pat comes the reply. "Well, I liked the plot.  When you are in trouble, you approach the Police seeking help. But what if the police station itself is the source of concern. In Maruthi Nagar Police Station, two murders take place within the premises. I found the unravelling of the many layers of the story convincing. "

Arav had earlier stated that Varalaxmi and he had hoped to work together for quite some time now, but nothing materialised. "We have been friends since 2017. We wished to work together but we were busy with our respective projects. When she took up Maruthi Nagar Police Station, she gave me a call and asked me to give the script a listen. Luckily, I was available to take up a new project. The icing on the cake was that I knew the director and some of the actors in the film, were my friends, too."

Interestingly, the crime thriller was shot in a span of 21 days. "That was indeed a surprise to me. When I asked the director about the shoot schedule, he said that it was a mere 21 days and that the film would start rolling in a week's time. It was a well-planned movie and that's why we could wrap up the portions on time. Technically, there was no compromise on the director's vision as well. The film would be a good bet for those who love watching thrillers on OTT."

Also Read: Maruthi Nagar Police Station Review: Varalaxmi Sarathkumar's crime thriller is a passable entertainer that works in parts 

Arav had not long ago tested waters as a baddie in Magizh Thirumeni's thriller Kalagathalaivan. Talking about the same, Arav says, "I am open to all kinds of roles as I want to establish myself as a versatile actor. As for Kalagathalaivan, I completely trusted the film's director. He told me that Kalagathalaivan would be a gamechanger for me. I thoroughly enjoyed playing the role and I am willing to experiment with roles that have scope to perform."

So, what does Arav enjoy more - playing the protagonist or the antagonist? "Both! I believe that when you play a baddie, you can be anything you want. But, the scope for experimentation is a tad less, when playing a hero. Nevertheless, I enjoy playing both."

Arav is currently working on Thaen director Ganesh Vinayakan's next. "I have teamed up with Ramya Pandian for the film. The star cast also comprises child artiste Kritika. The film delves into the importance of tribal education. It's a socially responsible film and my role is quite different from what I have done so far," says Arav, who adds that his long-delayed Raja Bheema is gearing up to hit screens soon.