Arulnithi in a still from ‘Arulvaan’
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
If one knew actor Arulnithi solely from his stringently curated filmography, he might come across as a serious actor who might be a bit reticent in real life. But those who have seen his interviews, and a select few who have had the pleasure of conversing with him off the record, would know that Arulnithi is a hoot. He throws caution to the wind and opens up like a child eager to show all that he is, and it is on you to curate the parts that make the most sense to you. “I am just being myself, and I talk to everyone like how I would talk to my friends,” he says as we sit down for a freewheeling chat ahead of the release of his film, Arulvaan.Set to release in theatres on July 17, the film marks a reunion between Arulnithi and director Ganesh Vinayakan after their 2013 film Thagaraaru. “We have been friends ever since, and one and a half years ago he showed me a 20-minute footage of Arulvaan that he had shot. He informed me that there’s a character of an IAS officer in the film.” However, the star was hesitant as it was then pitched as an extended cameo. “I really liked the script, but I felt it would be better if someone senior did it. The director argued that I would get a lot of goodwill from doing this film, which I am sure of, but my concern was that I shouldn’t prevent the film from getting the goodwill it will earn should someone senior do it.”Upon Ganesh’s request, the actor agreed to do the part, provided his co-star Aarav had no issues with it — especially since the role wasn’t just a mere cameo. “Ganesh understated the importance of the role in the story. And I wanted to ensure Aarav had no hesitations with the move because even I would have had issues if a cameo in my film became such a pivotal role.”
