‘I would do anything for my friends, like my character in Singapore Saloon’

ANKITA NAIR

CHENNAI: Contrary to his YouTube bio, Kishen Das has certainly made a mark with his Mudhal Nee Mudivum Nee, released last year. The YouTuber-turned-actor, speaks to us about his journey, from just being average in everything he does, to his upcoming OTT releases, alongside prominent actors like Lal and Sathyaraj.

“I have always been an average kid, growing up. Sometimes, people try to oversell themselves. But I am someone who believes in embracing my flaws. It’s great to be average,” says Kishen, who also has his podcast channel, Timepass with Das, which he calls ‘a struggling self-help podcast’.

Started as a YouTuber, Instagram content creator, and podcaster, the actor speaks about donning several hats and managing to dabble between them. “My work is exciting on most days. Acting takes up most of my time. Each of my works satisfies a different creative part of my mind. I might not be able to creatively contribute as an actor because there, I am supposed to execute somebody else’s vision, which, at the end of the day, gives me a different kind of satisfaction. YouTube and my podcast allow me to be out there, sharing my life with my audience. All the different aspects of my work help me to bring the right balance in my life,” Kishen explains.

After the success of Mudhal Nee Mudivum Nee, the actor speaks about his decision on the kind of films he signs. “Choosing a script is a difficult task. For a newcomer, it is very exciting, yet difficult to embrace the process. I take time to sign my projects based on what I believe in and truly wish to see myself doing. I don’t believe in signing a film, just to stay relevant in the industry, even though it can be pressurizing for aspiring actors,” he highlights.

Kishen also ponders upon a school of thought, that a very senior actor, and his personal favourite, Kishore had once told him, stating, ‘Actors are beggars, and beggars can’t be choosers.’ He tries to embrace the same, even though he feels that it’s an old school of thought. “I got a chance to ask him during one of his shoots, on the choice of his scripts. He has done some great work, that great work finds him now. On the contrary, I also believe that one must go ahead with what they believe in, wholeheartedly. When I go to bed, I am satisfied with my actions. I try to balance between both the schools of thought, trying to stay relevant, but by choosing the scripts that satisfy me,” shares Kishen.

Having more than one lakh subscribers, the Mudhal Nee Mudivum Nee actor feels that he has grown mature in the kind of content he puts across on social media for all age groups. Kishen Das has always taken his followers and their feedback seriously. “I started my career by reviewing films. There was a lot of hatred and judgement. Today, I am making much more responsible content. I realised that I can’t put out what I feel like. I don’t believe in making content at the expense of offending somebody else,” comments the actor.

On the work front, Kishen has been looking forward to two of his upcoming films, which he shot last year. He will be seen in an independent-budget horror film, directed by Vikas. The unnamed film has been acquired by one of the leading platforms in the industry. “The film is certainly a new attempt in the Tamil film industry. It is made completely on an independent budget by a highly talented crew. It took a lot of time for the film to be made, but it was a great experience. You can see me right through the film’s runtime. I had to do 10 to 12-minute-long scenes without my co-stars, which was quite challenging. Vikas did an outstanding job of making us all feel comfortable,” shares Kishen.

The actor hopes for everybody to like the attempt and the hard work put in, by the whole team. “I assume that the audience will surely wonder how this entire film was pulled off with an independent budget. I am sure that it will turn some heads in the industry,” he emphasises.

Directed by Gokul, and RJ Balaji playing the lead, Kishen will also be seen sharing space with renowned actors like Lal, Sathyaraj, amongst others in his next, titled Singapore Saloon. The actor calls this his first big film, where he gets to act alongside an impeccably talented team. “ It’s a very endearing story of two kids, the dream they have to start something, and the obstacle that comes their way. We got a chance to launch the second look of the film during one of the IPL matches,” says Kishan, with excitement.

He also explains his preparation for both films, stating how the horror film took up a lot of time for rehearsals backstage, whereas, his role in Singapore Saloon needed him to act impromptu.“ My role in Singapore Saloon is very different, and I don’t think people will be able to recognise me. I play a character called Basheer, who comes from a traditional Muslim family. I had to grow out my hair and beard to play the character. So, I ended up not looking like myself for four to five months. It looks really nice in the film,” describes the actor.

Kishen throws light on how he relates to his character, Basheer. He explains “I, like my character, would always be there for my friends. I give a lot of myself to my friends. If we have a dream, I will give my all for it to be fulfilled. One of the reasons I chose this film was because I could relate to Basheer.”

The film is all set to be released in theatres, by the end of July.