Simple and easily relatable — that’s how Pasupathi likes it when it comes to his roles. Maybe that’s why he makes a difference! Though he has done a variety of roles from a hero, villain, to a character artiste, he says he would prefer to be known as an actor and not a star. “I have always wanted to be a versatile actor. I make sure I pick the best based on what comes to me,” he adds.
Post the release of Anjala, and with a Malayalam-Tamil bilingual with Janani Iyer on the cutting floor, Pasupathi tells us that though acting has been very satisfying for him so far, he is still attached to the craft of theatre.
“I don’t restrict myself but learn from every experience. I joined Kuthupattarai in 1984 where I studied and grew up there till I started to act in films. What I am today is because of theatre. I didn’t forget where I came from,” he smiles.
Pasupathi surprises us when he says he had directorial dreams when he stepped in to acting. “Yes, strangely I have not done anything about it till now. I came to cinema with the mindset of direction, but acting happened. But, it was Nasser who introduced me to Kamal Haasan, and that was the first time I was before the camera. Nasser and I are very close and our rapport dates back to our theatre days,” he recalls.
And looking back, what has he learnt? “I think I have done justice to whatever I have performed. I feel happy doing good work. We’ve all done something different and now the audience has to respond to it positively. After Veyyil, many similar roles came my way but I didn’t accept them. I don’t want to repeat what I have done before. Thanks to Vasantha Balan. I owe him a lot. Eventually, I did good and different roles. I hope to break the mould again and do a character I am remembered for,” he opines. Quiz Pasupathi on his favourites, he says, “I like Balaiya, Nagesh and of course, Kamal Haasan. Who wouldn’t like them? I wouldn’t say they are my role models, but I got to learn many things from their films. They have inspired me indirectly.”
What’s next? “I don’t do too many films at a time. Up next I have Appavin Meesai directed by Rohini. I play a therukooththu artiste in the film. Besides this, I am working on Sakunthalavin Kadhalan and Soodhadi,” he concludes.
