I'm waiting for an exciting script in Malayalam: Karthi

His elder brother Suriya already enjoys a massive fan base in Kerala and Karthi's recent releases prove that he's also gaining a foothold among the Malayali audience. We caught up with the Tamil actor who was in Kochi recently.
Bashful as always, the actor is a natural when it comes to putting people at ease, much like his onscreen characters. Karthi talks to us about Malayalam film plans, his upcoming movie with Mani Ratnam and why the project with Dulquer Salmaan did not happen'
You made your Telugu debut with Oopiri earlier this year followed by Kaashmora.Your Kaatru Veliyidai also has a Telugu release. How important is it for actors to cross over to other industries now?
Good films work everywhere such as Lal sir's, Mammootty sir's, Nivin's or Dulquer's. They work irrespective of language. When there is a strong content, it is either remade or released in different languages simultaneously. It's important to take big budget films such as Kaashmora to other industries because it's got potential and a certain visual grandeur that would appeal to all audiences.
When's your Malayalam debut happening?
I have been meeting a lot of people from the Malayalam film industry. And many directors are coming to me with scripts, but nothing has materialised yet. Acting in another language is not easy. When I did Oopiri in Telugu, it was quite a challenge because I was acting in a language I was not comfortable in. In Malayalam, I am still waiting for that exciting script.
Your recent release Kaashmora had you trying many things and multiple looks'
It's a multi-genre film, it's got horror and predominantly it's a comedy. It's also got significant historical elements. All this was exciting for me. I looked at it from the point of view of a child. You know the stories that we used to listen to when we were children. This movie had all those elements and it was a long time since I did a fantasy. Plus, I am trying a double act after a long time and Kaashmora required me in two appearances- Raj Nayak in a historical look and Kaashmora as a black magic practitioner in the current era.
It's not a movie in which the two characters look alike but we went ahead.
Your brother Suriya appeared in four looks in 24. Did you get any advice from him?
Nothing of that sort. 24 started after Kaashmora. Unlike 24, Kaashmora is more of a commercial entertainer. It has an easy plot to understand.
You are now shooting for Mani Ratnam's Kaatru Veliyidai'
Yes, it's a love story and I play a fighter pilot. I don't think any director would have imagined me playing such as role. But Mani sir somewhere had the guts to push me in that direction.
You started out as an assistant director to Mani Ratnam. How has that helped you as an actor?
It helped me get familiar with the shooting atmosphere because you work with all departments and get to understand what each one is doing. It also helps you understand what the director is trying to tell an actor. He might have a thousand things running through his mind when he's giving the actor this one instruction. Now when a director gives me an instruction, I am able to understand more than what he is saying.
You are now also giving your inputs to Mani Ratnam. Life has come full circle?
Yes, definitely. Working with Mani sir is special because you are going back to school ' from the time when you didn't understand anything to now where you are deciding things in the film and how it is going to be. And Mani sir is a man of few words but ensures that the actor has a role in the protagonist's performance. If you get a pat on the back from him, that's awesome and you wouldn't sleep that night.
You were also supposed to do a Mani Ratnam movie which had Dulquer'
We couldn't immediately start off with Mani sir's film then as I had films to finish. I was doing both Thozha and Kaashmora. Both these films were supposed to release last year but both got pushed.
As an actor you have been very choosy'
I do one project at a time. My criteria for selecting movies are that I have to like it and it should be challenging for me. I signed Kaashmora and Komban a month apart. The latter had a unique storyline about a son-in-law and father-in-law and that interested me. As for Kaashmora, it had something unique to offer everyone in the crew.
The cameraman got to showcase the past and present, the art director had to represent how a palace changes with time and Nayanthara played a princess for the first time. I look for that uniqueness in every film that I do.
But Kaatru Veliyidai is Mani sir's film. So, I didn't have to think twice about it.