I look for honesty in stories that come to me: Ashok Selvan

CHENNAI: Ashok Selvan’s Por Thozhil is in its third week of theatrical run and has crossed over Rs 50 crore-mark in the box-office. The actor is undeterred and is clear about what he wants. “I am certainly happy with the way the film has fared at the box-office in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. On the other hand, people’s love for Por Thozhil and my work is quite overwhelming. The best part is that they have now started appreciating my previous work. They tell me that Nitham Oru Vaanam deserved better or my work in Sila Samayangalil should have been recognised when the movie was released. I am glad that they are being noticed now,” he smiles.

Now, he discusses the number game and tells us what he is excited about right now. “Numbers matter as well. When it comes to trade, you are as good as your last movie. People approach us only when a good story translates into a good box-office collection. I wanted to do big-budgeted films. Por Thozhil’s success has given me the key. I was a bit confused in between because I took up some projects because I honestly felt they were good. Though I have no regrets I kept wondering why they didn’t click upon their releases. They were good stories, made by good filmmakers. They all had honesty, which I look for when a director narrates something to me. Por Thozhil too wasn’t packed with unnecessary elements, which is why the film reached far and wide through word of mouth,” he explains.

Ashok has never shied away from experimenting and has tried his hands in almost every role in a career of 10 years. “Which is why I did films like Soodhu Kavvum, Pizza 2 and Thegidi early in my career. I am a no-nonsense person and I am here to do good films and to take Tamil cinema to a global stage. There is no point if I don’t give good films. I have seen my family planning a movie outing and budgeting it out. It is on the higher side. As an actor, for me to convince several families to come to theatres is a huge deal. Only if I give them good movies, will they come to see my films else it is not going to be a part of their weekend budget,” says the actor.

We remind Ashok Selvan of times, where he was quite difficult to get hold of for interviews. “You are talking about 2016-17. I remember it very well . It is difficult to get hold of me now because I am shooting round the clock. Seven years ago, I would have thought twice to pick your call up as I kept traveling to our family’s home in Erode and shut myself down. I was frustrated and had self-opinions on the work I do and I wasn’t happy as an actor. I made a clear decision in doing only good stories that come with good teams. Suvar irundha dhaanga chithirame (A fresco can be made only if there is a wall). So a good team is needed to execute a good story. Having said that Vignesh Raja was clear on what he wanted. Apart from that the film needed good producers and a distributor like Shakthi to take it to people,” he remarks.

In the pipeline, Ashok has Blue Star, a film produced by Pa Ranjith and is based on cricket, and Saba Nayaga, a rom-com. “Blue Star and Saba Nayaga are unique in their own ways. I am looking forward to both these releases. I signed them before Por Thozhil in fact. Blue Star will be a head-turner and will be spoken about. It is about 90’s cricket where kids used to wear a leg pad in just one leg and play the game,” divulges the actor. Having seen the highs and lows and trying his hands in almost every role in a decade, some sections of the netizens call him underrated. “I understand it is because of pure admiration and love. But I hate that tag. I won’t tell you the reason but yes, I don’t want that. Another thing I wouldn’t like is to be billed as the ‘Chocolate Boy’. I am not here to play only such roles,” he concludes.