People labeled me as arrogant and rude initially: Sathish Ninasam

Actor Sathish Ninasam, who hails from Mandya, started off as an actor on stage, gradually moved to television before making his mark as a lead actor on the big screen. Ahead of the release of his upcoming film, Love in Mandya, he speaks to us about his personal connect with the film, how troublesome he was as a child, his growth as an actor and more. Excerpts:
We hear that you were an extremely mischievous child… Yes, I was.I was crazy about films as a boy. There was a tradition in our village — if someone died, they would play a film on VCR outside the person’s house, that night, for everyone to watch. And the audio would be so loud that people across the village would be able to hear. So, the minute I would hear dialogues of a film, I would want to flee the house to watch the film. My mother would get so angry that she would lock me inside the room. Since we all slept in the same room, I would wait for everyone to fall asleep before quietly slipping out. Soon after leaving the room, I would lock it from outside knowing very well that my mother would come looking for me in the middle of the night. However, she would somehow manage to get out of the room, come in search of me and drag me back home. So, my friends and I would wait for someone to die in the village so we could all catch a film.
You hail from Mandya. Did Love in Mandya connect with you on a personal level? Yes, at several points of time. There are many instances in the film that I have either experienced or witnessed. And I believe these are instances a lot of people will connect to. On a personal note, this film connected with me a lot because it features the many lanes I’ve roamed as a boy, the local village games that we used to play and the dialect, which is so close to my heart. The most touching moment though was during the shoot of a sequence, which shows a little boy’s death. Though it was just a scene in the film, it affected me a lot. I was extremely moved and felt very upset after the shot. That particular scene has had a great impact on me.
As an actor, you’ve dabbled in theatre, television and films. How different have these three mediums treated you? Theatre, television and films have their positives and negatives, but for an aspiring actor, the stage provides a very strong foundation. Theatre has taught me well and transformed me a great deal. It gave me the ability to break away from monotony and seek change. Television, on the other hand, was my bread and butter. It paid me well and helped me become financially independent and stable. However, I felt challenges, emotions and ethics faded with television. I did not want stagnation; I wanted to grow as an actor, so, I decided to make the jump to films. With films, every day is a new learning experience. From styles of acting to technology, change is very dynamic and quick in films. So, to grapple with that constant change is very exciting and educating, and I feel fortunate that I’m a part of that medium.
What has been your most difficult phase in Sandalwood? After my film Drama released, I had the best and the most challenging phase in my career. It was a turning point in my filmy career. If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have gotten any further. I got to prove my mettle as an actor with Drama. However, the recognition I got also brought with it some challenges. While, on one hand, people appreciated me for my acting in the film, on the other, a lot of gossip about me did the rounds. People labeled me as arrogant and rude. Some showered me with film offers, but some others didn’t approach me going by the gossip. It was difficult for me to listen to all the negative things at first, but I gradually began to ignore it considering it a part of my career. Now, I only focus on giving my 100% to every project I take up.
Is Sathish Ninasam in love? No. Right now, I’m happy with my life and don’t want any reason for tension or complication. I am neither trying to fall in love nor encouraging those who want to initiate a relationship with me. I believe that it’s very difficult to be an actor and that too a successful one. And considering that I am beginning to make a mark in the industry, I don’t want to invite trouble. Fame brings with it some disadvantages (such as a lack of privacy) and I do not want to give anyone a chance to steer the focus away from my work. I wish to hold on to my hard work and success.