Yes, I am a bit of a recluse: Arvind Swami

By his own admission, Arvind Swami is an accidental actor. He prefers the cold comfort of reclusion to the warmth of the spotlight, but all that seemed to have changed over the years. “Yeah, I am a shy guy but things have progressed differently and I started getting used to camera and other attentions,” he starts of, adding, “I made my debut with ‘Thalapathi’ (dubbed as ‘Dalapathi’ in Telugu) at 21 and followed up with a series of hit films.

I guess I was new to the stardom, which came to me very early (smiles). I wasn’t prepared for it because I never expected it. Yes, I am a bit of a recluse, so I did not want to deal it.” In 2000, the ‘Roja’ actor took a sabbatical for nearly a decade from arc lights and ventured into IT business. “I wanted to do other things; I didn’t want to get caught up in this (acting) profession, so I floated my own firm and was completely occupied. I am always someone who likes to experiment and do different things.”

A few years back Arvind met with an accident and his left leg was paralyzed. So what was he going through at that point? “I wasn’t thinking why it (accident) happened to me and I decided not to look into the episode. At least I want my mind to work, if not physically. So I started playing online chess, solving math problems, etc., to ensure that my mind is sharp.

Later, Mani Ratnam sir came and narrated me the script of ‘Kadali’ and he started motivating me to make a comeback. Also, I felt the script was refreshing. Honestly, I made a comeback because I could (smiles). It wasn't on the cards, but it happened,” he recalls The lover boy from ‘Roja’ and ‘Bombay’, who has had a fanatic female following, is making a comeback into Telugu as a suave and deadly villain in ‘Dhruva’, the Telugu remake of ‘Thani Oruvan’.

Wasn’t he bored to play the same role again? “Not at all! I was more concerned whether the audience might term my acts as illogical, but fortunately they did not. It’s not a typical grey shades role but I like the way the character came across. He isn’t apologetic about his villainy acts, and plays mind games with the hero and is always one step ahead,” describes Arvind.

Dosen’t he think the audiences are missing out on your romantic antics in Telugu? “I want to surprise the audience with different roles and I got the opportunity with ‘Dhruva’, and that’s how I want to be,” the actor replies. So how did life change after his comeback? “Nothing much, it’s been much the same but I am making selective appearances. Also, the roles I am getting now have pushed me as an actor and liberated me.

Obviously I am not the same when I started, so the opportunities are directly proportional to my age. And I love to experiment with roles” Not many knew his hidden interests. “I am penning a script, I love writing and have been working on the script. Hopefully I will wrap up by next year.”

The actor reveals that he would soon wield the megaphone. “Direction is on my mind even before I made my debut (smiles). For the next couple of years I will continue acting and then start working on my directorial debut,” he reveals. Will it be a bilingual? “Right now my focus is only on Tamil, and that‘s because it is my mother tongue and the language I am comfortable with. But you never know how things change,” he signs off.