JOIN US‘Duniya’ (2007), directed by debutant Suri and starring Vijay, was a dark and gripping gangster film with several raw characters. But its USP was its protagonist, a naïve quarryman from a small town, who gets drawn into the underworld in big, bad Bengaluru.
The Kannada audiences hadn’t stopped raving about the refreshing romantic drama ‘Mungaru Male’, starring Ganesh and Pooja Gandhi, when ‘Duniya’ hit the screens. The two films, as different as chalk and cheese, spanned the full social gamut of cinema audiences.
While Ganesh emerged as the golden boy of romance, Vijay, with an exceptional performance, promised to be a unique actor. He was capable of more than star moves, which involves delivering punch lines and beating the baddies with conviction. He showed the talent of a fine performer armed with an innocent face and natural humour.
Directors like Suri (‘Junglee’), Yogaraj Bhat (‘Dana Kayonu’) and Preetham Gubbi (‘Johny Mera Naam’) wrote roles to his strength and tasted box-office success. Yet, for a 14-year-old long career, the number of quality films Vijay has delivered isn’t as high as it ideally should be.
Vijay, gearing up for his directorial debut ‘Salaga’, admits that he became a victim of his action hero image. “I went after certain films. But to be honest, most of the time, I didn’t get scripts that did justice to my abilities,” he told Showtime.
The actor feels heroes benefit from quality writers and the Kannada industry is lacking in them. “In the ‘90s, the Malayalam film industry was popular for its soft-porn movies. At one point, their industry decided to invest in writers. They told stories on various aspects of society. Today, other industries are remaking their films. Heroes in our industry repeat their roles because we don’t have many educated writers,” he observes.
Vijay wasn’t chasing glitzy stardom early in his career. He chose unconventional films like ‘Avva’ (2008) and ‘Slum Bala’ (2008). Fans wanted to see him in action-dramas since he was brilliant in them. Right from S Narayan’s ‘Chanda’ (2007), he had consistently pulled off risky stunts on screen.
“I have sacrificed a lot to be an action hero. I was always crazy about stunts and that has caused me harm too. Dealing with injuries and being in great shape isn’t easy. On the sets, I wear fashionable clothes when they shoot songs. Otherwise, I am always in a tracksuit trying the next action trick,” he says with a smile.
Unfortunately for him, many of his directors ignored the importance of a solid story and preferred exaggerated action. “To film a fight is an art. It is basically another form of expression and not just showing a pool of blood always. Our filmmakers must know the difference,” he says.
Vijay’s rise was seen as a blueprint for small town boys to make it big in cinema. “I mostly grew up in Kumbaranahalli village in Anekal. My father came to Bengaluru and worked hard to earn just Rs 100 or Rs 200 a month. We have stayed in small houses, paying a rent of Rs 25,” he recollects.
However, the rags to riches story gave way to a sensational life marred with controversies. Handling stardom came with its challenges. Professional and personal debacles have changed him as a person, he says.
“Whenever I was wrong, I have apologised. When you become famous, you are surrounded with jealous people. In the film industry, they wait to see you fall. Youngsters with big dreams must not depend just on luck. Arrogant people will perish in three days here,” he says.
Despite the rollercoaster journey, his fans have stayed loyal. They deserve his fine performances more than just the bloodshed and glorified violence seen in his recent films.
“My career is God’s gift. People like me because maybe I look like them. I don’t have a hero’s face. I represent them on screen and when I am not acting, I am like them and don’t behave like a star,” he says.
A die-hard fan of ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth, the 51-year-old is proud of his dark complexion. Films such as ‘Kari Chirathe’ (2010) and ‘Rajini Kantha’ (2013) tried to cash in on his popular screen title ‘Black Cobra’. “A cuckoo is dark but it has a sweet sound. Like that, my work should do the talking,” he says.
On October 14, when ‘Salaga’ clashes with Sudeep’s ‘Kotigobba 3’, Vijay hopes his film scripts a positive chapter in his journey. “I have always remained alone and never belonged to any group in the industry.”
The actor is tight-lipped about the gangster film but says he wants to prove a point. “With ‘Salaga’, I have set out to say something meaningful,” he says. Looks like he hopes to recreate the glory days of ‘Duniya’.