PremiumVarshangalkku Shesham star Aju Varghese – ‘I am not a big fan of working on sequels’ | Exclusive
Aju Varghese discusses his excitement to be working on another Vineeth Sreenivasan film in an interview with OTTplay, as well as his expectations given the recent success of Malayalam films.
Last Updated: 06.25 AM, Apr 11, 2024
Since making his film debut, Aju Varghese has been one of Malayali cinema's most beloved young stars. His versatility in handling various roles made him a valuable contributor to the Malayalam film industry, serving not only as an actor but also as a distributor and producer.
The actor discusses his excitement to be working on another Vineeth Sreenivasan film in an interview with OTTplay, as well as his expectations given the recent success of Malayalam films.
How did you feel being back on Vineeth Sreenivasan’s set, with most of them with whom you began your film career?
It felt familiar, like returning to my family and home. Being with the people that introduced you to this industry was exciting. A few years ago, a group of people with no prior film experience got together with Malarvadi Arts Club. We eventually made our own progress, and thanks to Varshangalkku Shesham, we had the opportunity to reunite as a team. All I can say is that it was a fun experience overall.
You may have watched and enjoyed the interviews of Dhyan Sreenivasan for this movie, right? Therefore, just picture the great time we shared with him and our friends while working on the set.
As Varshangalkku Shesham is being released alongside other eagerly awaited Malayalam films in April, how optimistic are you about the reception the movie will receive?
All the Vishu releases are our friends’. Honestly, when I work on a film, I concentrate on how much work I can put into it. We did our best in Varshangalkku Shesham. The audience now gets to choose what to watch. In essence, I am not concerned about the outcome. Hearing from people that they liked our film and the work in it is really flattering.
How hopeful are you about the year ahead as an actor and producer in the Malayalam film industry, given the number of recent hits this year?
For the past few years, everyone involved in the film industry has been put to the test. But this year has been successful in that we were able to bring our films to a national audience in terms of both revenue from the box office and good content.
As an actor, I am looking forward to a variety of scripts and characters that will allow me to further grow as an actor. As a producer, I can say that I am more confident now because of the success of films that were released concurrently or simultaneously but turned out to be hits. If the product we are giving away is good, I think the outcome will be positive. As a producer, it is now my duty to deliver a product of outstanding quality.
Once upon a time, you were only offered comedic parts; after that, you began accepting parts with a little more depth and complexity. Was it your deliberate choice to move away from being classified as a comedic actor?
It was undoubtedly not a conscious decision! I had a strong desire to try something different in movies at some point, and Ranjith Sankar was the one to start giving me varied roles in his movies, like Su Su Sudhi Valmeekam, Njan Marykutty, and Punyalan Agarbathis. I was eventually offered characters in Helen, Kamala, Saajan Bakery Since 1962, and Meppadiyan, each of whom had a unique set of layers and depth. I recently had the opportunity to try something new as an actor, thanks to my roles in Phoenix and Kerala Crime Files.
I suppose that depending on our performances and potential for such projects, filmmakers gain the confidence to cast us in such roles. Right now, I am not picky and am willing to accept any offer that comes my way.
You have been in the industry for fourteen years, doing both acting and producing. What portion of a script that is offered to you at this stage of your career actually motivates you to commit to it?
My commitment to a movie is only based on how clear-cut the director and screenwriters are about their work. I rely on their faith in the project. Anoop Menon recently told me that an actor is as good as their director, and I agree with him. I base my judgement on my filmmaker's assurance and candour regarding the film.
Additionally, you have appeared in a few popular films that either have sequels or are yet to be released, like Adi Kapyare Kootamani, Punyalan Agarbattis, and Aadu. Which one’s sequel would actually excite you the most at this point of time?
Since I am not a method actor, I must admit that I am not very interested in sequels. During the first part of filming, I work on a character based on the director's and my own beliefs. I generally take my director's lead when it comes to what I should be doing for the role. Since sequels now come out after a certain period of time, I usually lose sight of what I previously did for the character.
What are your upcoming projects?
My next film, Gaganachari, is all set to hit the big screen soon. Apart from that, I play a part in Tovino Thomas’ Identity and Ajayante Randam Moshanam. I am also a part of Sthanarthi Sreekuttan, Hello Mummy, and Jeethu Joseph-Basil Joseph’s Nunakuzhi.