Unni Mukundan might be known for his six-pack, but the actor has no qualms shedding it for a role. Well, he says he quit his workout sessions to play an alcoholic in Kannan Thamarakulam's Achayans.
“I played Tony Vavachan, a rich guy who has pretty much nothing to do in life, except drink, in Achayans. He is a very unfocused person. I felt I needed to give the character a specific look. So, I decided to do away with my workouts.”
And, Unni has his reasons for opting to do so. Says the actor: “Achayans might be an out-and-out fun ride, but I don’t want people to get a notion that an alcoholic can look beefed up. I don’t want to give such an idea, even for one person out there. Then, it wouldn’t be convincing, too,” says the actor. Unni says he very much enjoyed working with Jayaram for the project. “Achayans is a mass entertainer, a real comedy outing. In fact, this is the first time I am working with Jayaram and we have Bhagmathi lined up, too. So, there is a lot to look forward to,” says the actor.
Telugu outing
Unni, who made his Telugu debut in NTR Jr and the Mohanlal-starrer Janata Garage says that the Telugu industry can be quite taxing. “Telugu is a very big industry and the working pattern is quite different. It was taxing for me. The stress is unbearable. But, then the satisfaction it gives one is enormous, same with the pay also,” laughs Unni.
In Bhagmathi, Unni plays a social activist. “The script is great. I listened to it while working in Janata Garage. I play the lead opposite Anushka Shetty. It is a very relatable character,” says Unni. Bhagmathi also stars Jayaram.
Unni Mukundan has also signed director Harikumar’s next which will be produced by Gokulam Films.