From being a standup comedian, dancer, fitness trainer, mimicry artiste, anchor to winning hearts on television, and more recently films, Robo Sankar has indeed come a long way. Fresh from the success of Vishnu Vishal’s Velainu Vandhutta Vellaikaran, Sankar is all smiles. “It’s good to see everybody enjoy my performance. I am content and I feel blessed at the same time. In fact, when I visited a few theatres in and around, I could see the positive response,” he says, and adds, “I think films are where everyone wants to be. I began my career with a popular television channel in 2004. Reality shows brought me close to my filmy dreams. Television was more of a training ground.”
Sankar’s transition from television to films has been quite a journey. About stepping into cinema, he tells us, “Transitions in a person don’t happen suddenly. At least, as far as my life is concerned, it was a layered process. I’ve endured many hardships before I entered movies. I thank Gokul of Idharku Thaane Aasaipattai Balakumara fame for giving me a break in films. And also, Balaji Mohan for having cast me in Dhanush’s Maari. I was initially jittery because of the new environment, but so far my experience has been amazing. I am also getting better at other aspects like emoting.”
The actor’s kitty is full with films like Mannar Vagera, Veera Sivaji, S III and Kadavul Irukkan Kumaru, among a few. “I make sure that my character is different in every film,” he quickly points out.
Undoubtedly, it looks like he’s currently enjoying this phase of his career. “Fortunately, to date, I’ve worked with people who I am comfortable with. I have been given complete freedom to improvise dialogues,” he says.
Interestingly, Sankar wants to do only light-hearted roles. Quiz him why, he says, “I don’t want to do negative roles as of now because I am happy with the offers that are coming my way. Sometimes there is no point doing roles in big films and sometimes it helps to do small roles in small films. It is all about luck. There’s this constant urge that I should keep proving my acting skills for directors to rope me in for their movies. It’s not that I am trying to be in my comfort zone, but I really can’t see myself as a full-fledged villain anytime.”
And what’s next? “Humour comes to me naturally, and the directors I am working with are using that to the fullest. I want to do more clean commercial entertainers, that attract large audiences. Also I’m a big fan of Kamal Haasan sir. Just like him, I want to entertain people. He has been my biggest inspiration ever since I started acting. I am waiting to work with him,” he signs off.
