Exclusive! Vela: Sidharth Bharathan explains why he decided to sign Shane Nigam, Sunny Wayne-starrer

Malayalam actor-director Sidharth Bharathan, who has been extremely picky about his acting gigs since he has been busy with his directorials, signed up for his first character role in six years for debutant filmmaker Syam Sasi’s Vela.

The movie, which has Shane Nigam and Sunny Wayne in pivotal roles, has completed its shoot and has all three, including Sidharth, play police officers.

Also read: Exclusive! Sidharth Bharathan on casting Soubin Shahir in Djinn: We wanted a performer who wasn’t overexposed 

In an exclusive chat with OTTPlay, Sidharth explained why he decided to take up the role of sub inspector Ashok Kumar in the film. “The reason I took it up was that I had a lot of free time when I was offered the role,” he says. “Jokes apart, it’s the first time someone thought I was fit for such a role. The film’s director Syam had also worked with me in Nidra. So, I have known him for a long time.”

The actor also says that he was offered the character before the release of Chathuram. “I had completed its shoot and post production and most of the work for its release were also over. That’s when he offered me the role, which I thought was refreshing. It was also a very different movie to be part of,” says Sidharth.

Vela, which is backed by Mammootty-starrer Puzhu’s producer S George, will be distributed by Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films. In an earlier interview with OTTPlay, Shane Nigam told us that he plays a civil police officer. The movie, which is scripted by M Sajas, is set entirely in a traffic control room in Palakkad and also sheds light on the professional and personal lives of police officers.

The film has Kaithi and Vikram Vedha music director Sam CS composing its tunes. Sam is also the music director for Shane Nigam’s RDX, which also has Neeraj Madhav and Antony Varghese as part of the cast.